Facilitating SI Sessions
What are the facilitation strategies used in SI?
Wait Time (1 &2 2), Redirection, and Checking for understanding
What are the three components of an SI session?
-opener
-main activity
-closer
How much planning time will you need per session plan?
1 hour per session plan
True or False: SI Leaders are required to host 2 hour review sessions before every single exam
False
What are you expected to do during the first day of your SI course?
Introduce yourself to the class and explain SI by showing the video/presentation
What are the differences between wait-time 1 and wait-time 2?
Wait-time 1: The time the Leader waits after asking a question
Wait-time 2: The time the Leader waits after a response is provided, regardless of the accuracy
When and where are SI Leaders supposed to post their session plans?
An hour before their session start time, on Microsoft Teams
Who reviews your session plans every single week?
The Coordinator, GA, and/or mentors
How many hours per week are SI Leaders allowed to work? How many for international students?
28 hours per week, 20 hours for international students.
How long do mentor/mentee meetings typically last during the semester?
Every week for 10 weeks in the semester
What are the three mains ways to redirect?
Redirect back to the student
Redirect back to the group
Redirect to source material (textbooks, lecture notes, etc.)
How should you be naming your session plan file/what are you saving it as?
"Your name-week #-session #"
Example: "Amari-W2-S1"
Name 5 activities specifically for the "opener" from the SI Manual.
Acrostic Relay, Brainstorm and Define, Brainstorm Blurb, Brainstorm Switch, Break Aparts, Current Events, File Folder, Econ to English, Formula Hunt, Informal Quiz, Keywords, KWL, Layer Cake, Missing Student, Note Review, One Minute Paper, Ranking Topics Summarize Lecture, Vocab Pass
How long are SI Leaders allowed to stay clocked-in if no one shows up to their session?
For the full one hour session. It is highly expected for SILs to start planning upcoming sessions and focus on any SI related materials... whether that’s marketing, session planning, etc. Use the time wisely and get creative on how you can generate attendance!!
True or False, your last session of the semester is during finals week
False! Sessions during finals week are optional :)
Name all of the CLTs used in SI
Group Discussion, Clusters, Assigned Discussion Leader, Turn to a Partner, Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, Group Survey
If an SI Leader wants to hold a review session, when should they submit a request and when should they hold their exam review session?
SI Leaders are expected to submit a request THREE business days in advance. Their exam review session must be held at least TWO days before the exam.
Name 5 activities specifically for the "main" from the SI Manual.
Affinity Grouping, Around the World, Battleship, Boardwalk Model, Carousel, Compass Points, Concept Cauldron, Divide and Conquer, Dominoes, Double Timeline, Example Role Playing, Facebook Profiles, Favorite Concepts, First Line Only, Four Corners, Graffiti Wall, Hierarchies, Jeopardy, Jigsaw Worksheets, Kahoot, Learning Cells, Make/Take a Practice Quiz, Matrices, Relay Race... etc.
When are SI Leaders supposed to submit any punch corrections? Who are they supposed to submit them to?
Submit any punch corrections to DeAnn Zalom by 8AM on Mondays
What are two ways that you can advertise your SI Sessions?
1. Share an in-person announcement during lecture
2. Play the SI Video for your students
3. Email your students about what will be covered during your session the day of
4. Remind your student when you typically hold your sessions. If the time doesn't work with their availability, create a survey for them take with new possible times.
5. Reach out to the coordinator/GA for any ideas!
How long are SI Leaders expected to wait after asking a question to their students?
15-20 seconds
What should an SI Leader have presented at the beginning of every session?
Your session agenda!
-Contact information
-Date of your next session
-List of all activities in your session (Opener, Main, Closer)
Name 5 activities specifically for the "closer" from the SI Manual.
3-2-1, AIM, Assess the Session, Bob Ross, Clothesline, Identify the "Big Idea", Lightbulbs, Love Letters, Make and Take, Smile Me, Snowball Fight, Sparkle, Study Plan, Summary Dice, The Commonplace Book, Two-Dollar Summary, Verbal Summaries, WWH
What is the proper procedure if you are feeling ill and need to miss session, lecture, team meeting, etc. (Please include the procedures for advance absences and same-day) *Be detailed! :)
SI Leaders are required to submit an absence request for any advanced absences. In case of an emergency or a same-day request, SI Leaders are also required to call the ASC Front Desk at 330-672-3190. Additionally if you are missing lecture: notify the professor. If you are missing session: make an announcement/email your students. If you are missing Team Meeting: Reach out to the coordinator/GA for any info that you have missed. If you are missing Mentor Meeting: reach out to your mentor to discuss an alternate time to meet.
What Should you do?
You are setting up for your SI session and when it is time to start your session, everything is going perfectly. Students are getting along and participating well. A student that you don't recognize walks into your session 30 minutes late. The student seems frantic and stressed about the upcoming exam. The student begins to calm their nerves by scrolling on TikTok with the volume on high and ignores all direction throughout the session. Towards the end of the session, the student comes up to you to let out their frustrations about the course and the professor. As the student leaves the session, they say "Your sessions give me time to complete the homework individually and cuts down on my study time. I can't wait to come back again!". The student ends up being a regular but with the same distracting habits for the next few weeks. What do you do?
Please notify the coordinator immediately about any distracting habits during your session, especially if a student is being rude, inappropriate, or harmful. *Remember, SI Leaders are also mandated reporters!