From my experience as a TA for EDUC 260/360, I brought several skills with me to Honors 100 Peer Educator position. When walking into a classroom as an instructor, a leader, you need to know what your plan is, set the stage, and execute it accordingly. You have to be 500% more prepared than any other student.
I brought these skills with me, but I also learned to push myself to hone my skills as a communicator and leader. First, I tried to talk with more confidence. Over the course of several weeks, I tried different techniques from breathing slowly to clearing my head. Every class was an exercise so I could become a better public speaker. One new thing I tried was to write self-evaluations as to what went well and what didn't work. This way, I knew what I could work on in the future. These evaluations helped remind of my progress, my journey forward in improving myself.
From this experience, I set clear goals for myself, working actively to try and meet them every week.
A pic of my self-evaluation after the first day of class
eflecting on the course, I recognize one essential skill I developed. It’s a skill that I didn’t consider a “leadership skill,” but something I became increasingly conscious of throughout the course. The ability to recognize and respond to the atmosphere in a room is crucial to facilitating and promoting a good classroom environment. When energy levels are low, it’s necessary to recognize this and respond. In this case, take an energizer or break. Most importantly, prevent yourself from being impacted by low energy environment. If anything, it’s necessary for the Peer Educator to try and move energy level back up.During our group discussions, our Health and Wellness discussion was lively and enthusiastic. I was taken aback since my Honors 100 group discussion on Health and Wellness was somber and incredibly serious. Instead of trying to divert the conversation towards my expectations of somber and serious, I let the conversation continue organically.
As a student, I believe in propagating an aura of competency. Reviewing my self-evaluations during the course, I frequently discuss how nervous I felt in front of the classroom. While I was a teaching assistant in the past, I would lead a class with a partner. We were able to fill the teaching gaps for each other and keep the class going. This was the first time I was in charge of a classroom by myself. Incredibly nervous in the beginning, I was able to slowly build confidence throughout the quarter. I learned to talk more slowly, giving myself time to think. I learned to review my lecture plans beforehand. I learned to arrive to the classroom earlier and check the technology. Writing the self-evaluations were an excellent method of reflecting on what didn’t work, and what I could try to work on in the future. The evaluations remind me the importance of reflecting in a timely manner, because we won't be able remember what happened in the future. Without the self-evaluations, I would be unable to distinctively state how two weeks were different.
My aura of competency has been beneficial in leadership roles. I find myself easily commanding attention in the classroom. I learned in my meetings with other Peer Educators that students would cut people off, talking when the PE was talking, or ignoring the PE. I’ve never had this happen to me. However, as I continue to take on various leadership roles, I want to be seen as an approachable authority figure. I want to be seen as a competent leader, but I also want people to be comfortable with asking questions or opening up to me. Subsequently, I have been trying to smile and talk more animatedly. I believe I have been successful. Whenever I ask if there are any questions, students would raise their hands. If there are any personal issues, students approach me after class.
After this experience, I am considering of becoming a teaching volunteer at the Pacific Science Center. I enjoy facilitating discussions and interacting with children. I am unsure whether or not I will continue to be a Peer Educator next Fall, but the odds are definitely learning towards yes!