Faculty Workshop: Working with an S-LTA

The Service-Learning Program hosted a small faculty workshop September 26^th that focused on the utilization of Service-Learning Teaching assistants (S-LTAs). The group was welcomed with Haley House sandwiches and an agenda full of ideas and activities that were primarily based on how we can maximize our S-LTAs and to highlight just what it is they do. The group participated in a small activity that required participants to conceptualize the differences and similarities of a traditional Teaching Assistant and a Service-Learning Teaching Assistant. What we found (that was no secret to the Service-Learning Program already) was that S-LTA's are a great connection to the students, faculty, and community partners. The S-LTAs act as liaisons both inside and outside of the classroom. It is important to recognize that the faculty members play a large role in the connection between the community partners and the class, however the S-LTAs are a key part in the relationship as a whole. On top of these conversations the group talked about the S-LTA training and spoke about the best strategies to use in training so that our S-LTAs are ready to facilitate classroom activities and keep the students concentrated. The group made a lot of progress over the hour and a half on September 26^th and took away many key ideas to help the Service-Learning program keep striving forward.

                                                               Contributed by Matt Goreham