The Observer, November 3, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 9
Just in CASE...
...you need an extra boost
Over 375 freshman and sophomore students ranked Supplemental Instruction (SI) as the most important academic resource on campus. Last year, over 10,000 visits by students were made to SI sessions. Several hundred students used SI, and their grades showed it!
SI is a very special form of peer tutoring. SI has been around for about 25 years and "piggybacks" with freshman and sophomore courses that have high enrollment and/or have been traditionally difficult courses. The peer tutors or SI leaders provide another layer of academic support in addition to faculty office hours and review sessions.
Your SI leader attends your course and takes notes just like every other student. Then your SI leader uses these notes and information provided by your professor to plan weekly SI sessions. The SI leader focuses on information that seemed difficult in class and also on concepts that the professor feels are important to the course objectives.
First of all, attend as many SI sessions as possible. Even if the information seems easy, working on the material during SI sessions will provide sound review for exams.
At the sessions, expect to be actively involved. SI sessions are not lectures, but instead small group activities. Everyone– students and the SI leader– works together to understand the course content. The best SI sessions are those driven by students' questions. Take some times before each SI session to look over your notes. Make a list of what you want the SI leader review. Come prepared to ask questions and to work together with your peers and SI leader to make sense of your course material.
The SI leaders are not expected to re-teach the entire class lecture. Instead, they will highlight portions of the lecture that seem the most challenging. For a complete picture, attending class is a must! While the SI leaders are a great source of academic assistance outside the classroom, the best place for help with a course is the professor or TA's office hours. For the best results, SI attendance should be combined with regular visits with your professor during their office hours.
