By Erin Ratigan/tr news editor
One of the things NE student Haley Kish likes most about her job as a supplemental instructor is the flexibility.
Not only does she set her own hours, she can extend them whenever she likes.
“On Mondays and Wednesdays, I get a classroom to myself,” she said.
Kish works as an SI for a sociology class. Among her responsibilities are holding study sessions, preparing students for tests, taking notes and sitting in on classes.
The supplemental instruction program on NE Campus has been in place for two years, and students have been hired in all major divisions.
Gary Smith, NE vice president of academic affairs, said the program has been successful.
“It’s a good resume-builder,” he said. “I think it helps them get some good training in their communication skills and working with people.”
Instructors hire SIs from among their best students and work with them in arranging their work schedules. Study sessions are usually scheduled to coincide with testing days.
Kish said she has not had any problems balancing her job with her schoolwork and said it fits perfectly with her other classes.
NW Campus English instructor Tia Cole worked as an SI of sociology while attending the University of Nebraska. She is now on the hiring committee for the NW SI program, which is still in development.
Cole has fond memories of working as an SI and said it was a stress-free environment.
“I remember it as a really good experience,” she said. “And you get some satisfaction from helping out your fellow classmates.”
She said one of the most satisfying moments as an SI is when a student aces a test.
“That’s part of the joy of being an educator,” she said.
SIs are often hired to help in classes with high-failure rates, such as math, science and psychology.
Cole said this is because SIs are useful to instructors and can provide students with an alternate perspective.
When Kish applied for the SI job, she said she was somewhat intimidated by the title.
“I think I over thought it at first,” she said. “Really, it’s everything that I’ve already learned, so it’s not anything above my knowledge.”
She said that helping teach sociology has not only solidified her knowledge in the subject but increased her interest in it as well.
She recommends students apply for SI positions on their campuses in fields that interest them.
“It requires you to think differently,” she said. “So be prepared to have an open mind.”
