Peer Research Consultants

Congratulations! A librarian has asked you to attend their classroom training. Now what?

We have a few expectations on behavior:

• Consider your appearance
• Make sure your phones are put away
• Nothing in your mouth (no gum, etc)
• Follow the librarian's lead
• Sit at a table and ask open ended questions rather than "do you need help" (ie: What search terms have you found for your topic?)
• When you walk around the room lean in to look at what they're doing on their devices

Assignment 13 - First Impressions

Using the following questions from Deitering (2014), write a one page reflection paper on your first day. Note there are some questions to answer ahead of time. Give to Karlene once complete.

Before you go:

• How do you feel about working in the classroom? Why?
• What do you think you’re bringing to the program?
• In your own words, now that you’re at least partially trained, what would be the benefit to English 130 of peer-assisted learning?
• What difficulties do you perceive that you will have to overcome to become the teacher you would like to be?
• What strengths are you taking into the class? (for example, maybe it’s your ability to relate to people, maybe it’s your knowledge of a few databases. There are a lot of options here!)

Review these questions before you go, and answer afterwards:

• After observing those leading / teaching / presenting, what physicalities, gestures, or postures would you like to adopt? What would you like to avoid? Which is one body language or gesture habit that you would like to work on?
• Name two or three things that stuck in your mind from today’s training. Why do you think those resonated with you?
• How did the students’ responses to you make you feel?
• What would you like to do differently next time you assist?
• What’s one strategy you could use to make yourself more approachable in the classroom?
• How do you feel you are progressing as a peer teacher?
• Why do you think working in the classroom is important to your work as a peer mentor?

Deitering, A. (2014, Feb 26). What? So what? Now what? [Web blog post]. Retrieved from https://info-fetishist.org/2014/02/26/what-so-what-now-what/