Peer Leader Experience
In the fall semester of 2014, I worked as a Peer Leader for the Center for First Year Experience & Learning Communities. I was thrilled to have an experience in this mentor role. I soon learned that this job involved much more than just the mentor role; I needed to be a Facilitator, Co-worker, Mentor, Learning Coach, Connector, and Leader. Below is my reflective essay, detailing the experience, how I have grown, what I have learned, and how it will affect my future.
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“Self-development, with the goal of students becoming more effective leaders and participants, is a primary goal of most colleges and universities” (Komives, 27). I hold this statement to be true, not only in application to myself, but also to the students in my Learning Community this past fall semester. While LCs have myriad purposes, a central theme to their existence is growing as an individual, and as a member of the UC community. As a Peer Leader, it was my responsibility to facilitate this growth.
The title “Peer Leader” is clearly a leadership role by name. In the reading Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference by Komives, a distinction is made between “positional” leaders, and true leaders. Positional leaders have the title and the responsibility, but may lack the skills to lead effectively. A true leader, by contrast, has the ability to engage and motivate members, facilitate good relationships, and work towards a common goal, while achieving and exceeding expectations.
Komives also argues that there is a paradigm shift in leadership today. Whereas in days of old, a good leader may have been more dictatorial, there are numerous leadership styles, appropriate for different settings. I started the semester more dictatorial and confident. I planned all of our activities in great detail, in order to start the semester strong. As the semester progressed, I began engaging the students to a greater extent. We developed personal and class goals together. This was the first big step to getting buy-in from students. It made them think about what they wanted out of the experience. It showed them that they did have a voice. Through activities like this, my role became that of the mentor and facilitator, and my leadership style became more participative. I think this style was at times awkward and poorly exercised, because I did not always get buy-in from my students. They did not always care greatly how we spent our time in class. At these times, I was pushed back in the direction of classical leadership. I think my students liked this because, while they were at my mercy, it required the least amount of thought and active participation from them. They just had to follow my lead. My leadership style became a blend of classical, participative, and at times, shared. Shared leadership was my favorite, as it involved active participation from each member of the community. This type of leadership was most appropriate for days of discussion. Teambuilding activities, storytelling, and discussions on ethics invoked shared leadership. I believe shared leadership is the most promising style I employed, and I will certainly be trying to cultivate it in future organizations. It empowers its members, takes the leader off of his or her pedestal, and keeps a group aligned and active.
Robert Greenleaf, author of The Servant Leader, wrote, “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead” (Greenleaf.org). In some ways, this is true of my experience. Years after my first semester in a Learning Community, I saw their value to students. I also saw great room for improvement compared to my first semester. Additionally, I am always looking to improve my leadership skills, and further engage in the UC Community. When I saw that FYE was looking for Peer Leaders, it seemed natural. In the classroom, it was important for me to remember that everything I did, I did for the students’ benefit. Taking time for teambuilding, asking for input on future activities, and designing lesson plans for their personal and practical learning are just a few examples of how I tried to serve my class. I like this view of leadership, because it takes a less hierarchical view of the leader. Instead of commanding group members, a servant leader only tries to empower and serve members’ needs. This is another style of leadership I will be using in the future. In order to best serve my learning community, I set goals for the group and myself.
At the beginning of the fall semester, I set goals for myself in regards to the Peer Leader experience. Looking back, they were not S.M.A.R.T. goals, but they were goals nonetheless. I wanted:
1. To receive all positive feedback from the LC
2. Everyone in the LC to have at least one good friend in the LC by the end of the semester.
3. To improve my communication and facilitation skills
The first goal was lofty and perhaps unrealistic, while the second was more achievable but had less to do with me, and more to do with the students’ personalities. “Improve” is a vague word, so the third goal is hard to measure. I nearly achieved all of these goals. On the whole, everyone in the LC saw value in it and I was generally well liked. Only one student on the evaluation showed active dislike of the program. Again, nearly everyone had a close friend or group of friends in the LC by the end of the semester; however, a few students were more reserved and did not reach out, and one student showed little interest in most students after the first few weeks. And, I think it would be nearly impossible to not improve my abilities to communicate and facilitate after almost 30 classes with these students. I developed my abilities to plan lessons, convey information, engage students with activities, and think on my feet. I did not achieve all of my goals as they were stated. S.M.A.R.T.er goals would have made my success easier to measure.
I think my vague goals reflect an unclear vision of the future for the LC. Of course, I recognized the importance of community, sense of belonging, study partners, academic achievement, campus engagement, etc. However, I did not successfully convey this vision to the class. I had asked students what they wanted out of their experience, and many did not have any idea. This would have been an excellent time to review the four learning outcomes of an LC, and sincerely talk to students about their importance. I think a more serious and researched conversation with my LC would have resulted in a clearer vision, which would have enabled student engagement and sense of purpose. Luckily, FYE, my PLC, and the Peer Leader Resource Guide enabled me to create excellent lesson plans that addressed learning outcomes and served student needs; however, student learning and engagement could have been greater enhanced by a clear vision of the purpose of LC.
My most challenging situations dealt with interpersonal relationships. On day one, one student was more interested in forging a friendship with me than with the other LC students. I tried to gently push him away, in hopes he would reach out to students, but I did not necessarily push him towards other students. He went most of the semester without a close friend in LC. In group projects I noticed he was aggressive. In class discussions, he was not well received. I think early on, there was an attitude of dislike towards him, propagated by key students in the community. Everything was subtle, and I thought not worth addressing. I also did not know how I would address such a thing without further alienating the student from the class. Given time, feelings of resentment grew and led to a verbal clash in class. We sorted it out (one of my successes, see next), and while peace was restored, this student never had a meaningful connection with another student in the class. It is important for me to remember that he is an adult and makes his own choices. I am not wholly responsible for his situation. But, as a servant leader, I could have done more. When he was in bad moods, I could have reached out to him. I could have asked my PLC for advice with alienated students. I tried to keep him involved, but after a while, he shut down and was unwilling to reengage. He not only did not have a close friend in class, but he also did not see the LC as useful. This shows that a person who does not feel a sense of belonging will not participate, and will often not see value in what he or she is doing. On the other hand, a student who feels a sense of community is much more likely to have a sense of purpose and efficacy.
I had multiple success stories this semester. We spent a day doing teambuilding activities. The atmosphere was light, and people were engaged. I took them outside and we did a low ropes activity. Other successes include our discussion on ethics and our storytelling. Students love the chance to solve problems, and discuss things that interest them. In each of these successes, I introduced the activity in a positive way that piqued student interest. This is crucial to getting buy-in. Then, I facilitated the activity with great attention given to student reactions, feelings, and learnings. Monitoring the group, and adjusting the game plan accordingly is vital to maintaining interest, contentment, and the sense that the activity is worth doing. A few times, I called an audible, and changed our plans based on student attitudes and feedback. Being able to roll with the punches allowed better experiences for everyone. I mentioned earlier a verbal conflict between two students. When this occurred and I realized I needed to take action, I actually became excited at the opportunity to resolve this long standing but unspoken conflict. I coolly asked them to both step outside. I did not try to hide the fact that there was a problem from the rest of the class though. When I stepped outside with the students, I made it clear that they were not in trouble. I was not their disciplinarian. I only wanted peaceful interactions inside the LC, as they were past the point of becoming close friends. We had a mature conversation, and the LC was free of conflict for the rest of the semester. My positive attitude throughout the situation facilitated peaceful relations, and kept the rest of the LC from trying to poke their nose in the conflict; this minimized embarrassment. In this conflict resolution, I felt a great sense of purpose, which shows that I can be comfortable in heated situations, and that conflict resolution may be worth pursuing in my future.
I have learned a multitude about the various roles of being a Peer Leader. In this position, one must act as many roles simultaneously. Personal relationships are crucial in each role. As leader and mentor, one must build trust with each individual in the group. It must be known that one acts in each role in order to help! Students sometimes view leaders as bosses, and this is not the case. By building personal relationships, one opens the door to this helping process. Cultivating a welcoming environment is vital in facilitation, as is asking the right questions. Teambuilding and being honest with students helps in this way. I found I was a good connector. Reaching out, being welcoming, and asking the right questions makes for good connections. The learning coach role can be difficult for me. I took a more passive role here, stressing the importance of time management, studying and practice problems. In study sessions, it is important to let students answer each other’s questions, even when one knows the answer. As a co-worker, I learned that it is important to actively participate in meetings, get feedback, and form a personal relationship with each co-worker.
Through this experience, I have learned very useful things about myself. I have been reminded that I can lead effectively. I take great satisfaction and joy in helping other students. I find that I like being in the mentor position. It makes me feel useful. I have knowledge, and by sharing it with other students, I gain a sense of purpose. Being in this mentor/teacher role is comfortable for me, and I think this will ultimately lead me to a teaching position or mentor role in my career. In the coming years, I will use my engineering major to gain knowledge, and eventually I will share this knowledge somehow.
I have also learned about others and how I interact with them. People will rise to the level of others’ expectations. My students rose only to the level of my expectations, and not much higher. My expectations were reasonable, but did not drive my students to outstanding achievement and interaction in the LC. Additionally, my PLC did not have lofty expectations, and I rose only to meet those expectations, not surpass them. I spent only the time necessary on my work, though it could have benefitted from additional effort. This is human nature, and it will be important to keep this in mind in future supervisor roles. I will lead best with high expectations, and the support needed for member success. In other leadership roles, my expectations have been only reasonable. I think setting the bar higher will lead to greater success for the group. This will require a greater vision, and trust in group members to achieve.
My advice to new PLs and PLCs would be to reach out to fellow PLs and your PLCs. The bonds you have with these people can only benefit you. They can provide feedback on lesson plans, and a sense of community and comfort within the FYE community. Additionally, I would recommend being and staying confident. I think I started off the semester confident, but faltered at times due to poor planning, a situation catching me off guard, or poor student feedback. Keep in mind that you were chosen for this position; you can do a great job. Do not let a few students’ passing opinions get you down.
My leadership philosophy has changed as a result of this experience, and other leadership positions on campus. I now realize the importance of ambitious and clear visions and goals, planning and anticipation, confidence, personal relations within the group, and dedication to the cause. I have learned a lot, and will be incorporating these concepts into future experiences. At work, I will maintain ambitious goals, keep a positive and confident attitude, and focus on personal relationships with co-workers. At school, I will do the same. These concepts apply yet again to family and friends. If I had to sum up all of my learnings from this semester, I would say: Stop living passively. Don’t let things just happen. Find what you love, figure out how you can make lives better, be confident, and place the utmost importance on personal relationships.
Sources
Greenleaf.org. What is Servant Leadership? January 3 2014. <https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/>
Komives, Susan R; Lucas, Nance; McMahon, Timothy R. Exploring Leadership: For College Students who Want to Make a Difference.
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“Self-development, with the goal of students becoming more effective leaders and participants, is a primary goal of most colleges and universities” (Komives, 27). I hold this statement to be true, not only in application to myself, but also to the students in my Learning Community this past fall semester. While LCs have myriad purposes, a central theme to their existence is growing as an individual, and as a member of the UC community. As a Peer Leader, it was my responsibility to facilitate this growth.
The title “Peer Leader” is clearly a leadership role by name. In the reading Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference by Komives, a distinction is made between “positional” leaders, and true leaders. Positional leaders have the title and the responsibility, but may lack the skills to lead effectively. A true leader, by contrast, has the ability to engage and motivate members, facilitate good relationships, and work towards a common goal, while achieving and exceeding expectations.
Komives also argues that there is a paradigm shift in leadership today. Whereas in days of old, a good leader may have been more dictatorial, there are numerous leadership styles, appropriate for different settings. I started the semester more dictatorial and confident. I planned all of our activities in great detail, in order to start the semester strong. As the semester progressed, I began engaging the students to a greater extent. We developed personal and class goals together. This was the first big step to getting buy-in from students. It made them think about what they wanted out of the experience. It showed them that they did have a voice. Through activities like this, my role became that of the mentor and facilitator, and my leadership style became more participative. I think this style was at times awkward and poorly exercised, because I did not always get buy-in from my students. They did not always care greatly how we spent our time in class. At these times, I was pushed back in the direction of classical leadership. I think my students liked this because, while they were at my mercy, it required the least amount of thought and active participation from them. They just had to follow my lead. My leadership style became a blend of classical, participative, and at times, shared. Shared leadership was my favorite, as it involved active participation from each member of the community. This type of leadership was most appropriate for days of discussion. Teambuilding activities, storytelling, and discussions on ethics invoked shared leadership. I believe shared leadership is the most promising style I employed, and I will certainly be trying to cultivate it in future organizations. It empowers its members, takes the leader off of his or her pedestal, and keeps a group aligned and active.
Robert Greenleaf, author of The Servant Leader, wrote, “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead” (Greenleaf.org). In some ways, this is true of my experience. Years after my first semester in a Learning Community, I saw their value to students. I also saw great room for improvement compared to my first semester. Additionally, I am always looking to improve my leadership skills, and further engage in the UC Community. When I saw that FYE was looking for Peer Leaders, it seemed natural. In the classroom, it was important for me to remember that everything I did, I did for the students’ benefit. Taking time for teambuilding, asking for input on future activities, and designing lesson plans for their personal and practical learning are just a few examples of how I tried to serve my class. I like this view of leadership, because it takes a less hierarchical view of the leader. Instead of commanding group members, a servant leader only tries to empower and serve members’ needs. This is another style of leadership I will be using in the future. In order to best serve my learning community, I set goals for the group and myself.
At the beginning of the fall semester, I set goals for myself in regards to the Peer Leader experience. Looking back, they were not S.M.A.R.T. goals, but they were goals nonetheless. I wanted:
1. To receive all positive feedback from the LC
2. Everyone in the LC to have at least one good friend in the LC by the end of the semester.
3. To improve my communication and facilitation skills
The first goal was lofty and perhaps unrealistic, while the second was more achievable but had less to do with me, and more to do with the students’ personalities. “Improve” is a vague word, so the third goal is hard to measure. I nearly achieved all of these goals. On the whole, everyone in the LC saw value in it and I was generally well liked. Only one student on the evaluation showed active dislike of the program. Again, nearly everyone had a close friend or group of friends in the LC by the end of the semester; however, a few students were more reserved and did not reach out, and one student showed little interest in most students after the first few weeks. And, I think it would be nearly impossible to not improve my abilities to communicate and facilitate after almost 30 classes with these students. I developed my abilities to plan lessons, convey information, engage students with activities, and think on my feet. I did not achieve all of my goals as they were stated. S.M.A.R.T.er goals would have made my success easier to measure.
I think my vague goals reflect an unclear vision of the future for the LC. Of course, I recognized the importance of community, sense of belonging, study partners, academic achievement, campus engagement, etc. However, I did not successfully convey this vision to the class. I had asked students what they wanted out of their experience, and many did not have any idea. This would have been an excellent time to review the four learning outcomes of an LC, and sincerely talk to students about their importance. I think a more serious and researched conversation with my LC would have resulted in a clearer vision, which would have enabled student engagement and sense of purpose. Luckily, FYE, my PLC, and the Peer Leader Resource Guide enabled me to create excellent lesson plans that addressed learning outcomes and served student needs; however, student learning and engagement could have been greater enhanced by a clear vision of the purpose of LC.
My most challenging situations dealt with interpersonal relationships. On day one, one student was more interested in forging a friendship with me than with the other LC students. I tried to gently push him away, in hopes he would reach out to students, but I did not necessarily push him towards other students. He went most of the semester without a close friend in LC. In group projects I noticed he was aggressive. In class discussions, he was not well received. I think early on, there was an attitude of dislike towards him, propagated by key students in the community. Everything was subtle, and I thought not worth addressing. I also did not know how I would address such a thing without further alienating the student from the class. Given time, feelings of resentment grew and led to a verbal clash in class. We sorted it out (one of my successes, see next), and while peace was restored, this student never had a meaningful connection with another student in the class. It is important for me to remember that he is an adult and makes his own choices. I am not wholly responsible for his situation. But, as a servant leader, I could have done more. When he was in bad moods, I could have reached out to him. I could have asked my PLC for advice with alienated students. I tried to keep him involved, but after a while, he shut down and was unwilling to reengage. He not only did not have a close friend in class, but he also did not see the LC as useful. This shows that a person who does not feel a sense of belonging will not participate, and will often not see value in what he or she is doing. On the other hand, a student who feels a sense of community is much more likely to have a sense of purpose and efficacy.
I had multiple success stories this semester. We spent a day doing teambuilding activities. The atmosphere was light, and people were engaged. I took them outside and we did a low ropes activity. Other successes include our discussion on ethics and our storytelling. Students love the chance to solve problems, and discuss things that interest them. In each of these successes, I introduced the activity in a positive way that piqued student interest. This is crucial to getting buy-in. Then, I facilitated the activity with great attention given to student reactions, feelings, and learnings. Monitoring the group, and adjusting the game plan accordingly is vital to maintaining interest, contentment, and the sense that the activity is worth doing. A few times, I called an audible, and changed our plans based on student attitudes and feedback. Being able to roll with the punches allowed better experiences for everyone. I mentioned earlier a verbal conflict between two students. When this occurred and I realized I needed to take action, I actually became excited at the opportunity to resolve this long standing but unspoken conflict. I coolly asked them to both step outside. I did not try to hide the fact that there was a problem from the rest of the class though. When I stepped outside with the students, I made it clear that they were not in trouble. I was not their disciplinarian. I only wanted peaceful interactions inside the LC, as they were past the point of becoming close friends. We had a mature conversation, and the LC was free of conflict for the rest of the semester. My positive attitude throughout the situation facilitated peaceful relations, and kept the rest of the LC from trying to poke their nose in the conflict; this minimized embarrassment. In this conflict resolution, I felt a great sense of purpose, which shows that I can be comfortable in heated situations, and that conflict resolution may be worth pursuing in my future.
I have learned a multitude about the various roles of being a Peer Leader. In this position, one must act as many roles simultaneously. Personal relationships are crucial in each role. As leader and mentor, one must build trust with each individual in the group. It must be known that one acts in each role in order to help! Students sometimes view leaders as bosses, and this is not the case. By building personal relationships, one opens the door to this helping process. Cultivating a welcoming environment is vital in facilitation, as is asking the right questions. Teambuilding and being honest with students helps in this way. I found I was a good connector. Reaching out, being welcoming, and asking the right questions makes for good connections. The learning coach role can be difficult for me. I took a more passive role here, stressing the importance of time management, studying and practice problems. In study sessions, it is important to let students answer each other’s questions, even when one knows the answer. As a co-worker, I learned that it is important to actively participate in meetings, get feedback, and form a personal relationship with each co-worker.
Through this experience, I have learned very useful things about myself. I have been reminded that I can lead effectively. I take great satisfaction and joy in helping other students. I find that I like being in the mentor position. It makes me feel useful. I have knowledge, and by sharing it with other students, I gain a sense of purpose. Being in this mentor/teacher role is comfortable for me, and I think this will ultimately lead me to a teaching position or mentor role in my career. In the coming years, I will use my engineering major to gain knowledge, and eventually I will share this knowledge somehow.
I have also learned about others and how I interact with them. People will rise to the level of others’ expectations. My students rose only to the level of my expectations, and not much higher. My expectations were reasonable, but did not drive my students to outstanding achievement and interaction in the LC. Additionally, my PLC did not have lofty expectations, and I rose only to meet those expectations, not surpass them. I spent only the time necessary on my work, though it could have benefitted from additional effort. This is human nature, and it will be important to keep this in mind in future supervisor roles. I will lead best with high expectations, and the support needed for member success. In other leadership roles, my expectations have been only reasonable. I think setting the bar higher will lead to greater success for the group. This will require a greater vision, and trust in group members to achieve.
My advice to new PLs and PLCs would be to reach out to fellow PLs and your PLCs. The bonds you have with these people can only benefit you. They can provide feedback on lesson plans, and a sense of community and comfort within the FYE community. Additionally, I would recommend being and staying confident. I think I started off the semester confident, but faltered at times due to poor planning, a situation catching me off guard, or poor student feedback. Keep in mind that you were chosen for this position; you can do a great job. Do not let a few students’ passing opinions get you down.
My leadership philosophy has changed as a result of this experience, and other leadership positions on campus. I now realize the importance of ambitious and clear visions and goals, planning and anticipation, confidence, personal relations within the group, and dedication to the cause. I have learned a lot, and will be incorporating these concepts into future experiences. At work, I will maintain ambitious goals, keep a positive and confident attitude, and focus on personal relationships with co-workers. At school, I will do the same. These concepts apply yet again to family and friends. If I had to sum up all of my learnings from this semester, I would say: Stop living passively. Don’t let things just happen. Find what you love, figure out how you can make lives better, be confident, and place the utmost importance on personal relationships.
Sources
Greenleaf.org. What is Servant Leadership? January 3 2014. <https://greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/>
Komives, Susan R; Lucas, Nance; McMahon, Timothy R. Exploring Leadership: For College Students who Want to Make a Difference.