SI Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty
Having an SI Leader should require very little additional work on your part. You should, though, maintain regular communication with your SI Leader.
Yes! One of the main reasons to have the SI Leader attend all classes is so that the SI Leader will know what you cover, how you cover it, and when you cover it. This is one of the major benefits of SI.
The Supplemental Instruction your students receive will be consistent with your class and your voice (unlike tutoring received in the LRC/MC/WC.) SI Leaders are closely supervised and evaluated as well as provided ongoing training.
No. While like a TA (teaching assistant) in terms of additional support for the students in class in a smaller group setting, SI Leaders are not true TAs. SI Leaders do not gradehomework or exams, however SI Leaders are privy to those results if the instructor so chooses.
Yes! The communication you establish with your SI leader is so crucial. For example, one semester, after grading homework on probability, one math instructor found that her class in general had problems with the multiplication rule. She immediately shared this with her SI Leader, who was then able to give extra attention to that topic in SI.
Simply put, “no.” Per the SI model, student participation in SI is voluntary and anonymous. Students should not be “punished” for not being able to attend SI sessions. SI Leaders may share session material with the whole class and further encourage students who cannot attend SI sessions to make contact with those who could.
No. Please give SI a chance. SI has been in existence for over 4 decades and has proven to be a successful program for achieving positive student outcomes. If concerns about SI arise during the semester, please contact the SI Coordinator for additional support.
There are many benefits instructors, regardless of their discipline, can gain from implementing Supplemental Instruction. To learn more, please contact Kathalena Rios at krios@msjc.edu.
