OPA Training Review

June 15

100

Define the Platinum Rule

What is "Treat others the way THEY want to be treated?"

200

The earliest check-in will begin.

What is 7:30am?

300

Define energizer and icebreaker. (Double points if you explain what purpose they both serve.)

Icebreaker: A quick way to build community amongst your student group. It will also help you understand your students’ interests, experiences, and perspectives

Energizer: Bring a group back to life or engage an uninterested group

Purpose

• Lower the barrier to participation
• Increase a sense of safety
• Connect with people in their student groups
• Create energy and engagement
• Foster empathy and cooperation

400

Explain the difference between To: vs. CC: vs. BCC: when sending an email.

To: This field is used to send an email directly to the main recipient. 

CC: This stands for "carbon copy." It sends a copy of the email to additional recipients and displays all email addresses in the CC field.

BCC: This stands for "blind carbon copy." It sends an email to all addresses listed in the BCC field, but their email addresses are kept hidden from other recipients.

500

The 3 essentials to good feedback are...

1. Educative: An explanation of what is going correctly, incorrectly, and gives a chance to set foals.

2. Consistent and Continuous: Feedback given in a timely manner lets the learner connect the feedback to the experience. It also normalizes what is and is not okay

3. Personalized: Feedback must be tailored to each person. This provides clear outcomes and allows for each person's needs to be met.

June 16

100

For the intro dance, which OPA is in front of you. Then show us your intro dance

"Go Kylie Go!"

200

Give an example of Cultural Capital here at JMU

Dukes Hold Doors, streamers, knowing how to pronounce JACard, etc.

300

Demonstrate how an OPA should respond to the following scenario: A transfer student in your OPA group comes up to you and asks "I didn't build my schedule before today. Is that ok?"

Explain to the student that it is okay. There will be a table at the resource fair this afternoon where they can set up an advising appointment.  

400

List 1 "Please Do" and 1 "Please Don't" from the FYR advising session.

Please Dos:

Please Don’ts: June 16.pptx

500

3 people from your team will be selected to correctly demonstrate the JMU Cheer without their script.

1. Everyone introduces themselves (name, year, major, hometown)
2. Guests are given correct instructions (told when to rise and when to be seated)
3. Duuukes
4. Speak clearly and confidently. No mistakes

June 17

100

Go time for intros

8:50am

200

List 3 best practices for facilitating small groups.

• Establish ground rules
• Use active listening
• Ask open-ended questions
• Boomerang questions back to participants
• Encourage participation by all -- don’t be afraid to call on specific people
• Notice and respond to nonverbal behavior
• Mirror/point out participant reactions
• Paraphrase what’s been said
• Queue participants to speak in a certain order

300

What students should write on the sticky notes provided during BAD. (must match color and question)

Blue: What's something you're looking forward to at JMU?

Green: What's something that makes you nervous about coming to JMU?

Pink: One question you have about JMU (ex: housing, classes, etc.)

400

What buildings are the Campus Showcase Sessions being held in? (double points if you can tell me the # of sessions being offered)

• Darcus Johnson
• Harrison Hall
• Moody Hall / Boody Blackwell

500

What slides on BAD are specific to first-year students and transfer students? 

First-year

• Resident Advisers

Transfer

• Transfer Credits and Transferology
• Off-Campus Life

June 18

100

The difference between empathy and sympathy.

Empathy is feeling with someone by sharing their emotions, while sympathy is feeling for someone by acknowledging their suffering from a distance.

200

Explain in plain terms what each office from the SSC tour does.

• ODS: providing programs and support services that promote and advocate for accessible learning environments that value disability.
• First-Gen Center: Hosts student success programs to advocate for and support first-generation students at JMU. They offer networking, academic workshops, study abroad programs, and a space for study and collaboration.
• CMSS: CMSS focuses on campus-wide programming to celebrate and create understanding related to multiculturalism, and provides guidance and support for individual students and student organizations.

300

Addie's Presentation: At what point in the W-Curve do we (OPAs) encounter students? 

• Honeymoon Phase: Student is excited about meeting new people, new independence, a little homesick but excited about coming to JMU
• Culture Shock: Student is overwhelmed and anxious about new environment, missing old habits, trying to find a new routine.

400

Sher's Presentation: What would it look like if you responded to a student using a person-centered approach?
Scenario: During a Summer Orientation day, you're on Family Team. While in the Wilson lobby, you notice a student sitting alone instead of with their group. You check in; they say they're fine. Later, you ask again, and they share they're having a hard day, feeling JMU isn't for them after not connecting with others in their group. 

Answer must include genuineness, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. OPA reflects feelings, normalizes the experience without dismissing it, uses an open-ended question, and avoids jumping to solutions.

500

Demonstrate how an OPA should respond to this scenario:

A student pulls you aside during Connections, saying they think they chose the wrong school and don't want to be there. Their parents won't stop texting them questions about financial aid, and it's stressing them out.

Name the emotion, normalize the feeling, and offer appropriate next steps/support. Examples:

• "That sounds really overwhelming right now."
• "Is there anything specifically that makes you feel like JMU isn't right for you?"
• "Do you want to step out and talk for a minute, or would it help to just stay and just listen?"

Wildcard

100

How many siblings do Sher and Eliana have combined?

5

200

This song serves as the background music for the Intro Video.

Walking on a Dream-Empire of the Sun

300

The number of Summer Orientation Dates.

15. 

2 Transfer, 14 First-Year, and 1 combined Virtual.

400

How much would it cost if you lost your Grace St. key, conference card, and the ETC key?

$335 (and your job? jk jk)

500

Finish the quote: “There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, and questions put after inadequate self-criticism..." (+$250 if you know the author)

“There are naive questions, tedious questions, ill-phrased questions, and questions put after inadequate self-criticism. But every question is a cry to understand the world. There is no such thing as a dumb question."- Carl Sagan