First-Year Florida Instructor Information
Undergraduate Peer Leaders
Peer Leaders are experienced students who co-instruct First-Year Florida courses
along with a faculty or staff instructor. They assist students in achieving
the outcomes of the course through serving as peer advisors, resources, role
models, and representatives for the University of Florida. Peer Leaders are
responsible for a specific body of knowledge about the university (received
in training) and must be sincerely interested and skillful in sharing this
knowledge with First-Year Florida participants. Peer Leader involvement in
with these participants is essential to the success of First-Year Florida.
Apply to be a Peer Leader
We are thrilled to welcome 64 new Peer Leaders to our team for the 2008-09
academic year! They join the 23 returning Peer Leaders. Selection for our
next batch of Peer Leaders will begin in January 2009. Please return to this
site for an application.
UF Faculty and Staff
We appreciate your interest in teaching First-Year Florida, and have
prepared the following information to:
• Further familiarize you with the First-Year Florida program and role
and responsibilities of being an Instructor
• Highlight some of the core values and qualities associated with effective
instructors
• Provide you a sense of the First-Year Florida program and what we
are looking for in our instructors.
We estimate it will take no more than a few minutes to read through the following information prior to applying.
Program Overview
First-Year Florida is a one-credit hour class designed to help first-year students with their transition to the University of Florida. Limited to less than 25 students, FYF is co-taught by a UF faculty or staff member and an undergraduate peer leader.
Specific objectives for students taking First-Year Florida include the development
of:
1) skills for academic and personal success
2) an appreciation for and commitment to being a part of a diverse learning
community, and
3) the personal, social, emotional, and intellectual skills necessary for
involvement in leadership and service throughout the student's career in the
university community.
First-Year Florida students will be more engaged and involved in their college experience, achieve an awareness of the diverse world they live in, and obtain knowledge of resources to help them be successful.
Instructors receive an excellent opportunity to impact the lives of new students and their Peer Leader. Instructors will work very closely with your undergraduate peer leader, planning classes and making decisions together. In addition, you will receive a $500.00 professional development stipend provided by the Provost’s office for teaching the class.
Instructors must be affiliated with the University of Florida, hold at least a masters degree or currently be pursuing a graduate degree, and attend mandatory meetings prior to the start of classes. New instructors must also attend a 3 hour preliminary meeting prior to teaching.
Competencies of effective instructors
Ability to connect with first-year students
• Approachability-Is easy to approach and talk to; is sensitive to and
patient with the interpersonal anxieties of others; builds rapport well.
• Compassion-Genuinely cares about students; is concerned about their
challenges; is available and ready to help; demonstrates real empathy with
the joys and pains of others; is a giving person.
• Integrity and Trust-Is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can
present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; is a role
model of our University’s mission.
Building classroom community
• Building Team Spirit- fosters open dialogue; creates a feeling of
belonging in the classroom community; shows personal care and concern for
the development of students.
• Ethics and Values-Adheres to an appropriate and effective set of core
values and beliefs during both good and tough times; acts in line with those
values; rewards the right values and disapproves of others; practices what
he/she preaches.
Classroom skills
• Presentation Skills-Is effective in formal presentation and informal
group settings; effective with cool data and controversial topics; commands
attention and can manage group process during the presentation; asks thought
provoking questions; effectively uses metaphors and personal stories to illustrate
learning points; able to read the group to make necessary changes to increase
learning.
• Listening-Practices attentive and active listening; has the patience
to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when
he/she disagrees.
• Managing Diversity-Manages all kinds and classes of people equitably;
can work effectively with all races, nationalities, cultures, handicaps, ages
and both sexes; supports equal and fair treatment and opportunity for all;
appreciates and respects differences.
• Time Commitment-In addition to facilitating class sessions, able to
meet regularly with Peer Leader to plan class sessions and discuss class matters,
to provide office hours for students, and to attend other activities as outlined
in the syllabus (ie. Convocation, service project); evaluates and returns
students’ assignments in a timely manner
• Knowledge of needs of first-year students-Understand student development
as it relates to a first-time freshman’s transition to college; able
to anticipate issues or concerns during the course of the class and address
appropriately
• Knowledge of campus resources-Guide and direct students to the appropriate
campus resources whether for a classroom assignment or for personal reasons
Benefits of teaching First-Year Florida
• Meet, learn from, and network with other caring faculty and staff.
• Experiment with new teaching strategies that can be applied in other
settings.
• Learn more about students and how they learn.
• Expand your knowledge of UF resources, student support systems, and
learning opportunities.
• Contribute to the University's educational mission through service
teaching.
• Engage students in small classes.
• Be supported by outstanding undergraduate Peer Leaders.
• Help freshmen make a successful transition to college!
Still interested?
This overview has been offered to help you reflect on your potential involvement
as a First-Year Florida Instructor. As you consider applying, we encourage
you to do so with the following questions in mind:
•Are the responsibilities of the Instructors ones that I find attractive?
•Is that how I enjoy spending my time?
•How strong are my skills and personal qualities in the areas necessary
for successful Instructors?
•Am I ready to teach now or should I strengthen some skills?
Click here to view a sample syllabus from a FYF class.
Thank you in advance for your willingness to consider participating in this
exciting program!