Catawba College students have an opportunity to improve their chance of success in a variety of classes thanks to 12 Supplemental Instruction (SI) Sessions being offered during spring semester. These free, informal sessions are led by students who have taken the course before and agree to sit through one section of the class.
The SI sessions have gradually increased in popularity since the inaugural six SI sessions were offered during the spring of 2013. During fall 2014, eight SI sessions were offered as student demand continued to increase.
According to Catawba's SI coordinator, Kelly Heinemann, who also serves as Catawba's Director of Mail Services and Assistant Director of Housing & Supplemental Instruction, the hour and a half long, SI sessions are offered two times a week and "most are chosen because of an abundance of tutoring requests from students coming to the Academic Resources Office." These SI sessions are offered in two sections of Elementary Spanish II; Music Theory II; Intermediate Spanish II; Media Law and Ethics; Principles of Macroeconomics; Survey of American History II; Accounting I; Anatomy and Physiology II; General Psychology; Bioscience; and Philosophy and Culture.
SI leader Rhonda Elder explained the sessions she has led like this: "SI is not only a chance to help others learn, but it's a learning experience itself. I've learned valuable skills like time management, organization and communication. I've learned that working with others has helped me understand the content more in depth and that makes me better at helping students during the sessions. SI also provides a second exposure to content in a more step-by-step and relaxed environment, and I've seen that that helps many students."
"SI has been a fantastically rewarding experience, allowing me to review some of my favorite classes while helping others enjoy them as much as I did," explained Donovan Patrick James, an SI leader.
"It has been great helping fellow classmates and friends do well in a subject they find difficult," added Michael Waller, also an SI leader.
Students who have signed up for the SI sessions say they have been well-served.
"They were helpful when I needed them and I wouldn't change anything," student Taylor Lee said.
"The SI sessions were very helpful and offered fun activities," student Patrick Moore added.
