Peer Educator
As a Peer Educator (PE) for the second year in a row, I am continuing to learn about and reflect on my role as a leader in the Honors community. Had I told myself two years ago that I would be teaching an introduction Honors 100 class, I would have never believed it. Before taking on the responsibility of being a PE I always thought of myself as somewhat invisible. I was shy – I usually didn’t speak up in class, and I thought I was okay with that. I believe that becoming a Peer Educator, and as a result being completely pushed out of my comfort zone, I have found my voice and made tremendous gains in confidence. Having the opportunity to teach Honors 100 for a second time I think has been a valuable experience in that I have something to compare my successes and failures.
One of the most important things that I have learned as a second time PE is that the chemistry in the classroom can really change the outcome of a lesson. This year my section is awesome – they seem to enjoy participating and genuinely excited about the material I am teaching. Compared to my class last year, they couldn’t be more different. Although the topics are pretty similar in content between the two years, the energy and interest level of my class has had a surprisingly positive impact the learning environment. I think that the “tone” for my class was set during the fire drill on our first day of section. I had to hold class in the field outside of Savery, and as a result it was a little bit of a disaster from a lesson-planning standpoint. However, I think it was perhaps one of the most important teaching moments as a PE this year. The fire drill lesson forced us all to break the ice, and acknowledge that we are all in “this” together. As a PE I make it a point to be open, honest, and approachable. I try to talk to them like I would to any of my adult friends, and use humor to acknowledge things that I know we all might be thinking. I have found this attitude to be quite effective in creating a positive classroom environment.
However, no matter how great my class is most of the time, there are moments where I am at a complete loss of what to do. One of the biggest challenges I have faced when teaching is how to manage a classroom of completely blank stares. Although most of the time my students are engaged and excited, on the rare occasion nobody participates. I think that as teacher I need to become more comfortable with silence in the classroom. I have found if I just wait long enough discussion will usually return, and it is often richer after the break. However even though I have found this to be an effective technique, I still struggle with creative ways to keep the entire class engaged.
I think being a PE is quite applicable to my future career goals. As an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) having the ability to teach others is essential. I believe the lessons I have learned in leadership skills, teaching others, and handling uncomfortable peer interactions will serve me in a diverse array of situations for many years to come.
One of the most important things that I have learned as a second time PE is that the chemistry in the classroom can really change the outcome of a lesson. This year my section is awesome – they seem to enjoy participating and genuinely excited about the material I am teaching. Compared to my class last year, they couldn’t be more different. Although the topics are pretty similar in content between the two years, the energy and interest level of my class has had a surprisingly positive impact the learning environment. I think that the “tone” for my class was set during the fire drill on our first day of section. I had to hold class in the field outside of Savery, and as a result it was a little bit of a disaster from a lesson-planning standpoint. However, I think it was perhaps one of the most important teaching moments as a PE this year. The fire drill lesson forced us all to break the ice, and acknowledge that we are all in “this” together. As a PE I make it a point to be open, honest, and approachable. I try to talk to them like I would to any of my adult friends, and use humor to acknowledge things that I know we all might be thinking. I have found this attitude to be quite effective in creating a positive classroom environment.
However, no matter how great my class is most of the time, there are moments where I am at a complete loss of what to do. One of the biggest challenges I have faced when teaching is how to manage a classroom of completely blank stares. Although most of the time my students are engaged and excited, on the rare occasion nobody participates. I think that as teacher I need to become more comfortable with silence in the classroom. I have found if I just wait long enough discussion will usually return, and it is often richer after the break. However even though I have found this to be an effective technique, I still struggle with creative ways to keep the entire class engaged.
I think being a PE is quite applicable to my future career goals. As an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) having the ability to teach others is essential. I believe the lessons I have learned in leadership skills, teaching others, and handling uncomfortable peer interactions will serve me in a diverse array of situations for many years to come.