Difficult Attendees
An attendee says "why can't you just tell me the answer?"
Explain how the SI model works & that they will get more out of going through the process than they would out of you just telling them.
Your SI instructor asks if you would help them grade the midterm.
Explain to them that SI Leaders are not allowed to grade, as this falls outside their job duties.
You ask your attendees to work together to write on the whiteboard. One attendee does not move and goes on TicTok in the corner.
Ask them if they understand the directions you have OR hand them a marker and re-emphasize where they are supposed to go.
You ask your attendees a question, but no one responds.
1. Wait them out! Let them know you are happy to wait until someone responds--you get paid either way.
2. Ask them if you need to clarify your question, or if they need more time to think.
3. Let them know you will start calling on people if no one responds.
4. Bonus: Let them know it's okay to be wrong! A wrong answer will still help move the session forward.
A group of students are hanging out and watching Netflix in your SI classroom. Your session starts in five minutes.
Ask them to leave. Explain that you have a reservation to conduct an SI session in the space.
It's time to split your attendees into groups for a problem solving activity. However, when you tell your attendees to get into groups, they don't move and start working on the problem individually without talking to each other.
Hand them the markers and tell them that it's time to get into groups. Remind them why group work is so effective.
OR
Say "okay I see you guys want some time to work individually. I'm going to give you five minutes to do that and then we will get into our groups to discuss and write it out on the board."
Your attendee, Hermione Granger, answers all of your questions without giving other students a chance to respond.
1. Say "thank you, Hermione. Let's give someone else a chance to respond."
2. Give Hermione a job! Make her a "mini-SI."
Bonus: Do a groupwork activity where everyone has a specific time where they are supposed to talk
Your attendees are frustrated because they all did not do well on the first exam. They begin complaining about the professor, noting that the professor's accent makes it hard to understand them.
Emphasize with the fact that they are struggling, but let them know an SI session is not the place to complain about the instructor.
Bonus: Offer them study skills to help them address their difficulties. Encourage them to attend office hours.
You split your attendees into groups, but you notice that your attendees are talking about the critically acclaimed HBO series "House of the Dragon" instead of working.
Go up to them and let them know that you're glad they like House of the Dragon, but SI sessions are only 50 minutes long, so they need to get back to work.
OR Ask them to explain to you what they have done so far.
You are leading a Zoom session and no one is responding to your questions.
1. Encourage them to use the chat.
2. BONUS: Ask them to type an F in the chat if they are still there
3. Let them know you will remain silent until someone answers.
4. Ask if you need them to clarify the question or if they need more time.
Your SI instructor is not responding to your emails and hasn't added you to their webcourse, where they regularly post lecture videos and other content you need to keep up with.
Tell Erika!
OR
Visit them after class or in their office hours to address your concern face-to-face.
You put your attendees in groups, but they just stare at the blank whiteboard contemplating life instead of working.
Go up to them and ask if they know where they should start.
Bonus: Encourage them to use baseline.
An attendee thinks your really great and asks if you will attend their brother's wedding with them, followed by a romantic walk on the beach.
If you feel unsafe, call or text Erika!
Let them know that you are not allowed to date your attendees.
Oh no! A professor is teaching class in the room where you have an SI session. They don't show any signs of wrapping up, and your session is supposed to start in two minutes.
Call Erika!
You have four attendees in their session. Two are taking the course with one professor, and two are taking it with the professor you support. Your class is ahead of what the other class wants to go over. How will you do group work that helps both groups?
Divide and conquer! Put them in groups based on the instructor and be sure to take time to have them come back together and explain what they did.