Recruiting Facilitators

Since Fall 2009, preceptors have been recruited on the first class day with a brief announcement by the program coordinator during class time. One senior preceptor attends each class as well (not necessarily his or her own PLUS course) and speaks. Since Fall 2010, fliers have been handed out detailing both how to attend study groups (look for information on Blackboard, study group start date is X) and how to become a preceptor (where to find and submit application).

Pros: status accrued to PLUS when professor cedes the floor to program coordinator and SP, students can ask questions.
Cons: labor-intensive for program coordinator.

By the way, if the professor offers the microphone, use it!

General pattern for recruiting speech:

Program coordinator (Leta) will

• introduce self and affiliation
• get student's attention with catch phrase/personalized to this student audience
  • how many of you plan on studying for this class?
  • how many of you have ever been stressed out studying? rememember the struggle at end of last semester?  maybe motivated you to say, hey, i want to do something differently this semester so i don't do this again.  here's what where offering so you don't have to have those times of academic despair this semester 
  • invite students to "be a part of a unique program of organized, effective study groups" that pairs something you're already going to be doing-studying-with an added benefit
• 2 ways to participate: 
  • First, just attend when study groups start on X date. added benefits: (collaborative learning skills: practice from working in a team structure, making decisions and solving problems, communicating, organizing and prioritizing work, obtaining and processing information, collaborative study simultaneously helps develop other holistic skills that are useful in helping the person as a whole grow—all in addition to working through the academic content to better grasp it.–all transferable to class, and life skills) combat those freak out times, too, because if you choose to attend regularly, you're breaking up your practice and less likely to fall behind.  or if you do, you have network to go to to point towards resources that have been helpful.
  • Second, become a study group leader - by competitive application process, and applications to lead are due really soon ("this Friday"). Leaders work with a partner to lead one study group per week, and also meet "regularly" with an experienced former student and the professor to plan what to do in upcoming study groups–benefits for these volunteer facilitators include being part of the PLUS community-your prof (private office hours, your mentor who's gone through this class and knows just what it's like, team of facilitators–larger PLUS network, get to know your classmates and the professor better) Great opportunity to keep up with the course-personal accountability, on average those who attend regularly throughout the semester tend to make better grades than those who don't.  so set yourself up for success in this class and gain marketable skills to any workplace by facilitating these study groups.  if you're interested in applying check out Canvas discussion page Study groups-PLUS for application.  days/times of formed study groups will also be posted here as soon as they're known (about 1.5 wks)
  • (if appropiate: )

Then turn it over to the SP, who should:

• introduce self and mention history with PLUS ("I was a study group leader for X course last year, and now I'm the senior preceptor for Y course")*

• describe one specific benefit ("PLUS really helped me by..." or "I like PLUS because..."). speak to the problem with the amount of material in the course.  ex: the HW pressure was a lot to keep up with, and PLUS helped me keep up with it by ---.  PLUS can help you keep up really understand the homeworks so when exams come around you're able to demonstrate what you know 

• encourage participation at whatever level ("...so I suggest you lead a study group, but definitely attend even if you don't want to lead")
• STOP. This is hard for people who are nervous speaking in front of a group. Tell the SPs that it is hard to stop. Have them practice stopping. Suggest they memorize an "ending phrase" that they feel good about.

Then you remind students that applications for leading are due soon, and attending is on a drop-in basis (no application or signup necessary).

look to Canvas for more information

Then invite questions. Let the SP answer the question if appropriate.

* If you are brand spanking new to PLUS, consider addressing the difficulty level of the course, and tools (that PLUS offers–regular study time, not procrastinating, holding self accountable, regularly keeping up with the material, forming questions, trying to explain/work through problems/ideas distributing, being in a peer community to normalize questions encountered, explain it in ones own words, etc.) that helped you succeed in the course.  

for sequential couress (ex: acc 311/312) where some-most students have heard the pitch before, consider slight change up: i know i met some of you last semester.  what could yo have done better?(match problem with solution being offered)