Facilitators are embedded in a specific course and work with the same group of students over the course of an entire semester. Whereas tutors work primarily with a single student or small groups of students at one time and may only see the same student once or twice a semester.   

Facilitators are responsible for weekly session planning aligned to the course content, taking student needs and challenges into account. In contrast, tutors work with students on whatever content the student would like to work on for that session and do not spend significant time planning for sessions in advance.  

Facilitators and tutors do use similar skills, including written and spoken communication, breaking down complex concepts into more easily understood chunks, and actively engaging students in the learning process. The major difference between tutoring and facilitation is the format in which these skills are used. 

SLA  sessions take place in various classrooms around the Allendale and Pew campuses, depending on the location of the lecture sections (Allendale or Pew). SLA classroom locations are consistent for the whole semester and the location is listed on the student’s schedule in Banner. 

All facilitators must have a B+ or better in any class they wish to facilitate, as well as a positive faculty recommendation for each class you plan to facilitate.  

Facilitators also need to have good communication and interpersonal skills and be able to work well with a group of people with different backgrounds and experiences.  Students in SLA sections are often there because they have struggled with similar material in the past and are looking for additional practice and support. Good facilitators also demonstrate patience and empathy when working with others.  

Most importantly, we are looking for tutors who believe that all students can learn anything under the right conditions and are willing to help students find and create the conditions that allow them to learn best, even when the material is challenging for them.   

Facilitators who have excelled in this role typically are at least second year students and have previous experience with tutoring, teaching, group facilitation, or peer mentoring. However, we encourage anyone who thinks they fulfil the requirements above to apply, regardless of previous experience or class standing.  

Facilitators can expect to work around 8-10 hours per week. This time can vary depending on how many SLA sessions the course has, as well as how much time is needed to lesson plan.  

For SLA there are certain times of work that are not flexible—such as SLA sessions, course lectures, and staff meetings—as well as certain tasks that can be completed at any time, such as lesson planning.  

For SLA each week you are expected to:  

• Attend all course lectures for your section  

• Plan appropriate materials for your SLA sessions that week. 

• Communicate with your course professor about how sessions are going and what material should be emphasized in SLA. 

• Attend a weekly professional development meeting with other facilitators and led TRC staff   

• Attend all SLA sessions for the week (1-3 per week depending on the course) where you facilitate group work and collaboration with students in the session. These sessions are included in the course schedule on Banner. 

Facilitators are required to attend an initial training that takes place before the semester officially begins. This training includes information on how to structure an SLA session, facilitation skills and strategies, active learning tools, the history and philosophy of supplemental instruction programs, as well as program logistics (taking attendance, communication expectations, etc.).  In addition, there are weekly professional development meetings throughout the semester with other facilitators where additional training and resources are provided.