Students: Academic Support and Engagement

Purpose

The Peer Teacher Program is designed to enhance the educational experience of Hofstra students by involving some of our very best students in undergraduate teaching in their disciplines. These students then gain confidence in their ability to respond, explain and organize the material of their field under the guidance of their professor.

Responsibilities

The peer teacher can help the faculty member engaging with students within and outside of the classroom. The duties of peer teachers can include such things as tutoring, leading class discussions, lecturing, and supervising student work. All activities must be under the active supervision of the faculty member and the duties should constitute a valuable learning experience. Peer teachers must NOT be asked to do routine clerical work or to develop, proctor, or grade tests or examinations, nor should peer teachers perform tasks simply to save the professor time or labor: rather, the work of peer teachers should enhance the engagement of students and professor alike. The principles of these instructions follow the guidelines for Academic Interns.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a student must:

1. be a major in the department
2. be a junior or senior
3. have an average GPA of 3.5

Note: Exceptions may be made for FYC courses.

Selection Procedure

A limited number of Peer Teacher spots are available each year. The nomination period is: · Fall semester: April 26 to June 21 · Spring Semester: November 16 to January 18. To nominate a student, the supervising faculty member must complete the online application. Applications received prior to the deadline will be given priority review.

The selection will be made on the basis of the student's record, the faculty recommendation, and the description of the anticipated educational activities and how they will enhance the learning of the peer teacher and the class as a whole. If selected, the student will receive an e-mail informing him/her of the honor. Each peer teacher will receive an honorarium of $250.