Peer mentor jobs

The Centres for Teaching and Learning at Massey University are always seeking students interested in being mentors for the programme. For this position you need to have a very good grade in the paper you are interested in supporting and be able to organise activities for a group of up to 16 students based on their questions. If you have been to Peer Mentoring, StudyGroups, or PASS sessions yourself that is helpful as you know what they are like and the sorts of questions that students are likely to ask.

There is a two day training that all peer mentors do in February which largely focuses on skills involved with facilitating group sessions. There are also some administrative duties, such as keeping attendance. For a detailed list of what the position involves see the job description below.

Being a peer mentor also provides you with service experience if you are enrolled in Manawatu's Massey University leadership programme, Step Up.

For more information contact the Peer Mentoring coordinator in the Centre for Teaching and Learning at your campus.

Job description

Position: Peer Mentor

Responsible to: The Managers, Centres for Teaching and Learning, Albany, Manawatu, and Wellington

Description

Peer Mentoring Groups are run for students new to Massey by senior students who have been successful in the paper they are supporting. The papers which have sessions are those which first year students have found difficult. The sessions differ from other classes in that the mentors do NOT re-teach the material but provide discussion sessions and examples so that students have plenty of opportunities to ask their questions and follow up on any issues that they did not understand.

Qualifications

A very good grade in the relevant first year paper

Key tasks and responsibilities

Training

• Attend the training days and participate in the required online pre- and post-training tasks. The 2013 professional development days for peer mentors on the Manawatu campus will be held on the 18-19 February, before Semester One starts.
• Attend and contribute to meetings held during semester

Plan and facilitate study sessions

• Meet with Course Coordinator at the beginning of semester to introduce yourself and discuss the goals of the programme, when and where you will be holding the sessions.
• Attend classes, take notes and work through the first year homework assignments.
• Plan ahead, setting goals that reinforce content and introduce relevant study strategies.
• Plan each group session, building in concerns that students have raised.
• Use effective questioning skills.
• Encourage questioning.
• Use a variety of techniques to promote active learning: small groups, writing activities, problems solving activities, presentations, quizzes, etc.
• Encourage student independence throughout the semester by reinforcing their efforts and participation.

Administrative

• In cooperation with the Course Coordinator, advertise the sessions at the beginning of semester and intermittently throughout the semester.
• Collect students' attendance at study group sessions and hand in to the administrator.
• Fill out and sign time sheets and submit to the administrator.
• Distribute surveys and evaluations to students as needed.

Applying

If you would like to apply for a position please contact:

If emailing an application please attach a CV with the names of two (2) referees. Please put 'StudyGroup leader application' in the subject line of the email.

Page authorised by Manager, CTL
Last updated on 28 January, 2013