2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: Many benefits for URI 101 mentors
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
03/06/08 - To the Cigar,
Think back to your first class at the University of Rhode Island. Bio, English, sociology; many of us had similar experiences in our first lecture hall or classroom.
Whether or not your experience was good or bad, think about what you could have done to make it better. Though you can't go back in time and change the past, you definitely have the ability to change someone else's future.
I had the opportunity to teach a URI 101 class last semester, and ironically because we started on a Wednesday, I was going to be the first presentation these students would have in college. When I realized this, I simply did what I said before: thought about what my first week at college was like, what I would do to change it, then gave my students the heads up on what was about to come.
Being a URI 101 Mentor was one of the best experiences I've had at URI. No matter what major you are, you have the ability to switch roles and be the facilitator of a class.
You work side-by-side with an instructor. This enables you to have freedom in your class and yet have someone to rely on, plan your class and enjoy co-teaching with. The mentor team helps you prepare and organize the class content.
On top of the preliminary training, you also meet once a week with other mentors to share your experience and help each other with anything related to being a mentor.
My best moments as a mentor were the ones I least expected. I remember a few different classes where I was surprised by how my students opened up about certain topics I had brought up during an activity. What is great about teaching URI 101 is that you have been through your freshman year before, and there's a good chance that even if you haven't been through the same experiences as your students, you'll have the ability to help them significantly.
Another big aspect is that students merely have to discover that other students are going through similar experiences in order to feel relieved about their situation.
I feel I developed certain skills and abilities by teaching a URI 101 section that I would not have been able to do otherwise. My students were awesome, my instructor and I had an amazing working relationship, and my CSV302 class (the one where you meet with other mentors) was extremely useful and fun.
If you are looking for a change of pace for the upcoming fall semester, I would strongly suggest that becoming a URI 101 Mentor is for you. Come check it out for yourself, we're having an open house on March 11 at 3 p.m. in the Roosevelt Great Room.
Facebook junkies, we have another group you can join: "URI 101 Mentors 08 ". Applications are available from February 25 to March 25. You'd be crazy not to apply!
Joe Rogers
Think back to your first class at the University of Rhode Island. Bio, English, sociology; many of us had similar experiences in our first lecture hall or classroom.
Whether or not your experience was good or bad, think about what you could have done to make it better. Though you can't go back in time and change the past, you definitely have the ability to change someone else's future.
I had the opportunity to teach a URI 101 class last semester, and ironically because we started on a Wednesday, I was going to be the first presentation these students would have in college. When I realized this, I simply did what I said before: thought about what my first week at college was like, what I would do to change it, then gave my students the heads up on what was about to come.
Being a URI 101 Mentor was one of the best experiences I've had at URI. No matter what major you are, you have the ability to switch roles and be the facilitator of a class.
You work side-by-side with an instructor. This enables you to have freedom in your class and yet have someone to rely on, plan your class and enjoy co-teaching with. The mentor team helps you prepare and organize the class content.
On top of the preliminary training, you also meet once a week with other mentors to share your experience and help each other with anything related to being a mentor.
My best moments as a mentor were the ones I least expected. I remember a few different classes where I was surprised by how my students opened up about certain topics I had brought up during an activity. What is great about teaching URI 101 is that you have been through your freshman year before, and there's a good chance that even if you haven't been through the same experiences as your students, you'll have the ability to help them significantly.
Another big aspect is that students merely have to discover that other students are going through similar experiences in order to feel relieved about their situation.
I feel I developed certain skills and abilities by teaching a URI 101 section that I would not have been able to do otherwise. My students were awesome, my instructor and I had an amazing working relationship, and my CSV302 class (the one where you meet with other mentors) was extremely useful and fun.
If you are looking for a change of pace for the upcoming fall semester, I would strongly suggest that becoming a URI 101 Mentor is for you. Come check it out for yourself, we're having an open house on March 11 at 3 p.m. in the Roosevelt Great Room.
Facebook junkies, we have another group you can join: "URI 101 Mentors 08 ". Applications are available from February 25 to March 25. You'd be crazy not to apply!
Joe Rogers