For spring 2019, the Academic Resource Center at Western Michigan University offers Supplemental Instruction (SI) in two developmental mathematics courses: Pre-algebra (Math 1090) and Algebra I (Math 1100). Supplemental instructors are students who sit in on one of the developmental classes and then offer review sessions to all students of this course. Since only students of a specific course come to this review session, attending a review session is a great way to network with peers from other sections of the same course.
The SI leader for Pre-algebra (Math 1090) is Kadie Stockdale and her hours are as follows:
- Monday 12:00 to 12:50 p.m. in 4530 Sangren
- Tuesday 2:00 to 2:50 p.m. in 4120 Sangren
- Thursday 3:30 to 4:20 p.m. in 4510 Sangren
The SI leader for Algebra I (Math 1100) is also Kadie Stockdale and her math 1100 hours are as follows:
- Monday 2:00 to 2:50 p.m. in 4530 Sangren
- Tuesday 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. in 4310 Sangren
- Thursday 2:00 to 2:50 p.m. in 4510 Sangren
About Supplemental Instruction
Supplemental Instruction is a series of review session. It’s a chance for you to get together with other people in your class to figure out what’s going on. It’s a chance to compare notes, to talk about assignments, and to test yourselves before your professor does, so that when test days arrive, you’ll be ready. Throughout the semester, you’ll be working with someone who has already taken the course and remembers what it was like. That someone is your Supplemental Instruction leader.
Supplemental Instruction leaders
Supplemental Instruction leaders are students themselves. They know the material; they were very successful when they took this course. They know how to guide you through the course. Your leader will be attending a section of this class every day, hearing what you hear and reading what you read.
Supplemental Instruction leaders are not teachers or tutors. They won’t try to lecture or re-teach. Their job is to help you think about the lectures you hear, the notes you take and the books you read, and then put it all into some kind of perspective during review sessions.
Supplemental Instruction sessions
Your Supplemental Instruction leader will schedule three review sessions a week throughout the semester at times that are best for the majority of students. You can attend as many sessions as you like; the choice is yours. Each session will be different because you’ll have new things to talk about. Sessions are informal—bring your notes, bring your books, bring your questions, bring a friend from class and you can even bring your lunch!
We’ve done some research to find out which courses seemed particularly difficult for students. Whether there’s a lot of heavy reading or a great deal of new material to master, some courses are harder than others. Supplemental Instruction can make a difference with these courses. Students have found it helpful to work together with other students in Supplemental Instruction sessions.
Academic Skills Center
The WMU Academic Resource Center also provides college success seminars throughout the semester.