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First-year Interest Group Seminars (FIGS)
Home > Peer Instructors

Learning to Teach. Teaching to Learn.

What does it mean to be Peer Instructor?
PhotographFIGS Peer Instructors are committed student leaders who want the experience of planning and leading their own class while serving as mentors to first-year students. Teaching a FIGS comes with a lot of responsibilities, but the rewards are endless!

Based on major or academic interest area, Rutgers juniors or seniors with outstanding academic records (at least 3.0 GPA) are welcome to apply to be Peer Instructors (PI) early in the Spring semester. Once selected, Peer Instructors attend 2 two-day training sessions (May and August) and are provided with the tools to prepare for his/her class. Each seminar is offered once per week, for 10 weeks during the Fall semester only. During the summer, each PI develops his/her own syllabus for FIGS utilizing the 12 required FIGS elements and advice from a faculty mentor. The PI coordinates each class topic, including discussion topics, guest speakers, class trips, etc. Peer Instructors also maintain class records, including attendance and grades, and make final grade recommendations (Pass/No Credit) to the FIGS Program coordinators.

Even more important than planning a syllabus and preparing for each class period, Peer Instructors are mentors to first-year students. Much of the time in FIGS is spent aiding students in adjusting to college and understanding the many resources available at Rutgers. This is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of serving as a Peer Instructor.

Amrita Purohit, a former Peer Instructor summarizes her experience of teaching:

Quotation Marks The most memorable part of teaching FIGS was that I was able to pass on information I learned in the last 4 years at Rutgers to freshmen in a fun 10 week course, giving them an edge. My students seemed to appreciate all the information because it was coming directly from someone who was in their shoes just a few years ago. The experience challenged me and gave me a chance to reflect on my undergraduate career. Quotation Marks


Benefits of being a FIGS Peer Instructor:


Peer Instructors in Learning Communities
Several of our FIGS courses are affiliated with a learning community offered at Rutgers. In the Discovery House and AIMS programs, students have the benefit of sharing three courses in common (one being their FIGS) which leads to greater connection with peers in the classroom and in residence and high levels of academic success. In the Rosalind Franklin Program, students share a common residential experience along with their FIGS course. The added responsibilities for the Peer Instructors in Learning Communities are minimal. PIs will be asked to participate in monthly meetings with members of the Learning Community Team consisting of Learning Community Peer Instructors, Peer Mentors, professional staff and faculty and will be required to sponsor a fall event for your students in collaboration with other Peer Instructors and Peer Mentors. The Peer Instructors who lead the Learning Community FIGS have the added benefit of mentoring these unique groups of students while providing valuable feedback to staff on the students’ development during their first semester. Please read below for more information regarding the Discovery House, Achievement in Math and Science and Rosalind Franklin Learning Communities. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please indicate your interest on the application.


Summer Institutes 1 & 2
Peer Instructors participate in 2 two-day training sessions held in May and August. During these sessions you are provided with background and in-depth information on the FIGS Program as well as the tools needed to prepare for your class. You will also spend time getting to know the other Peer Instructors, learning about many university resources for first-year students and sharing ideas on ways to structure your class. Attendance at the Summer Institutes is mandatory for your successful development as a Peer Instructor.

Peer Instructor Education Class
In addition to leading a FIGS for 10 weeks, Peer Instructors must register for and attend Peer Instructor Education (3 credits). This class meets once per week for the entire Fall semester. The course runs during the same semester that the FIGS is taught. Therefore, if selected to be a PI, you must schedule around this class. During Fall 2009 there will be 3 sections of PI Education held on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, 9:50 AM – 11:10 AM on College Avenue. NOTE: Peer Instructors will have the opportunity to rank their preferences for the day of week in which their PI Education course will be held. In addition to time spent preparing for your FIGS class each week, you should expect to complete assignments (readings, papers, presentations, etc.) for this course.

Qualifications to be a FIGS Peer Instructor:


For general information about FIGS, please visit either our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or Contact Us pages.

 
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Last Updated: 02/01/2008

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