Operation STEM SPT Employee Manual

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Table of Contents STEM Peer Teacher (SPT) Job Description …………………….………… p3 Getting Started

▪ Welcome Aboard! ……………………………………………… p5 ▪ Mandatory Training ……………………………………………… p5 ▪ Your Office …………...……………………………………………… p5 ▪ Daily & Weekly Checklist ……………………………………… p5 ▪ Checking In …………...……………………………………………… p5 ▪ Personnel File on OneDrive …………………………………. p6 ▪ SPT Session Records on Google Drive …………………… p6

Operation STEM Handbook

▪ Dress Code ……………………………………………………………… p6 ▪ Dating a co-worker ………………………………………………… p6 ▪ Call-offs ………………………………………………………………… p6 ▪ Communication ……………………………………………………… p6 ▪ Infractions …………………………………………………………… p7 ▪ Proctoring ……………………………………………………………… p7 ▪ Remind …………………………………………………………………… p7 ▪ Substitute SPTs ……………………………………………………… p7 ▪ SPTs who are in an SPT session ……………………………… p8 ▪ Timesheet ……………………………………………………………… p8

Operation STEM (OpSTEM) Structure

▪ Introduction ……………………………………………………………… p9 ▪ MTH 497 – SPT Skills & Strategies …………………………… p9 ▪ Accessing Timesheets …………………………………………… p9

o Informational Video ……………………………… p9 ▪ SPT Session Record Keeping – Your eBinder ……………… p10

o Informational Video ………………………………… p10 ▪ Weekly Task Grid …………………………………………………… p11 ▪ Class Documents …………………………………………………… p11 ▪ SPT Documents ……………………………………………………… p11 ▪ A Folder for Each Week ………………………………………… p11 ▪ Gradebook ………………………………………………………………… p11

o Informational Video ………………………………… p11 Planning Your SPT Session

▪ Dividing Responsibilities for Students in Your Classroom (Assigning Mentees) ….……………………………………………… p12

▪ Respective Course Team (RCT) Meetings ………………… p12 o Informational Video ………………………………… p12

▪ Planning & Rehearsal Meetings ……………………………… p12 ▪ Solution Keys …………………………………………………………… p13

SPTs in the Traditional Classroom ▪ General Notes on Classroom Structure …………………… p13 ▪ During Your Traditional Classroom Session ……………… p14 ▪ Taking Attendance and Participation ……………………… p14

o Informational Video ………………………………… p15 o Informational Video ………………………………… p15

▪ Class Logs ………………………………………………………………… p16 o Informational Video ………………………………… p16

Your SPT Session

▪ Setting the Tone for SPT Session ……………………………… p16 ▪ New Semester… Getting to Know You ……………………… p16

o The First SPT Session ……………………………… p16 ✓ Introduction to OpSTEM ✓ Syllabus

✓ Permission to Contact ✓ Mandatory Office Hour Appointment

Sign Up ✓ Icebreakers

o Second SPT Session ……………………………… p17 ✓ Syllabus Quiz ✓ Calendar Assignment

▪ Classroom Arrangements for SPT Sessions ……………… p18 ▪ Agendas and Concept Reviews ………………………………… p18

o Informational Video ………………………………… p18 ▪ Lesson Plans and Knowledge Checks ……………………… p18

o Informational Video ………………………………… p19 ▪ SPT Session Log ……………………………………………………… p19 ▪ Homework Completion Challenge (HCC) …………………… p19

Office Hours and Communication with Students

▪ Drop-In Study Center and SPT Regular Office Hours … p19 ▪ SPT Mandatory Office Hours …………………………………… p20 ▪ Weekly Texts …………………………………………………………… p21 ▪ CSU Email Signature ……………………………………………… p21 ▪ Setting Limits and Boundaries …………………………………… p22 ▪ Inappropriate Communication and Activities with Your

Students ………………………………………………………………… p22 Operation STEM Team

▪ Lead SPT Meetings …………………………………………………. P23 ▪ Weekly Admin Questionnaire, Updates & Interesting Info

(WAQUII)/MTH 497 ACR ………………………………………… p23 ▪ Kudos …………....………………………………………………………… p23

o Informational Video ………………………………… p23 ▪ Internal Memorandum …………………………………………… p23 ▪ Personnel Files ……………………………………………………… p23 ▪ Classroom Observations ………………………………………… p23 ▪ SPT Accountability Report (SAR) ………………………………… p24 ▪ Performance & Evaluation ……………………………………… p24

Office Equipment ▪ Printing and Photocopying in RT1444a …………………… p24 ▪ Copy Room Use Rules ……………………………………………… p24 ▪ Refrigerator Rules …………………………………………………… p25

Privacy and Ethics ▪ FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) …… p25 ▪ CSU’s Expectations ………………………………………………… p25 ▪ Student Code of Conduct ……………………………………… p25 ▪ Confidentiality ……………………………………………………… p25 ▪ Discrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement ▪ Drug Free Workplace …………………………………………… p25

Complementary Trainings Offered to SPTs

▪ Student Safe Space Training …………………………………… p26 ▪ A.L.I.C.E. Training …………………………………………………… p26 ▪ Mental Health First Aid Certification ……………………… p26

Veteran Tips for New and Returning SPTs ……………………………… p27 Glossary of OpSTEM Acronyms ……………………………………………… p30

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STEM Peer Teacher (SPT) Job Description STEM Peer Teachers (SPTs) work in teams of 2-3 individuals to provide required supplemental learning classes for students attending Operation STEM (OpSTEM) sections of Precalculus I, Precalculus II, Calculus I and Calculus II. SPTs are student employees of Cleveland State University (CSU) and the Mathematics Department and must abide by the rules and regulations of each to maintain employment. SPT Functions and Responsibilities During Class Time:

▪ Attend your assigned section of your math course on a regular basis. ▪ Assist the course professor in monitoring the classroom, assisting with handouts, and attending to

student questions as needed. ▪ Take attendance for the day and enforce all classroom policies, such as rules about electronics. ▪ Record details of the lesson in the electronic Class Log. ▪ Monitor and assist with any group work activities.

Preparing for Your SPT Session: ▪ Attend weekly MTH 497 - SPT Skills and Strategies course and complete all assigned out-of-class and

in-class work and assignments. ▪ Attend weekly meetings with your Respective Course Team (RCT). ▪ Collaborate with your math section team through planning meetings and classroom rehearsal time. ▪ Prepare agendas, concept reviews, session activities, knowledge checks and weekly review homework

with your section team. ▪ Determine the methods and classroom set-ups to be utilized for the next SPT session, and ideally, for

the upcoming week of sessions. ▪ Review individual and class progress on their ALEKS (Precalculus) or WeBWork (Calculus) homework. ▪ Complete the Weekly Task Grid (WTG) to determine which team member is responsible for carrying

out each required element of course preparation, implementation and record keeping listed on the WTG.

During Your SPT Session: ▪ Depending on when your SPT session is scheduled, before or after class time, arrive 5-7 minutes prior

to class to greet the professor and students. As well, find a strategic, easily accessible seat to engage with the students and/or to assist the professor at any given time. If the SPT session is after the class time, begin immediately after class ends to set up your room and prepare materials for the SPT session activities.

▪ Once your room and materials are prepared, engage the students in interesting banter to create a healthy learning atmosphere for your classroom

▪ Project the agenda on the board and be ready for students. ▪ Encourage students’ participation in the Homework Completion Challenge. ▪ Work with your team to present the lesson through problem solving, Q and A, group work and

interactive games. ▪ Monitor the time to ensure lesson essentials are covered. ▪ Be aware of your students at all times and learn the signals of a confused, disengaged, excited,

distracted and/or difficult student. ▪ Ensure WTG designee is completing the electronic SPT Session Log.

In Addition to Class-Related Work, SPTs: ▪ Monitor students’ progress in the class. ▪ Communicate weekly via personalized texts to your students to encourage them to complete

necessary ALEKS, WeBWork and other assignments. ▪ Hold regularly scheduled weekly office hours. ▪ Monitor, grade and/or assist with the delivery of test review sessions, tests and Mock Finals.

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▪ Complete all necessary paperwork and documentation for your SPT session and associated class. ▪ Log weekly hours on Google Drive timesheet. ▪ Attend SPT trainings and meetings as required. ▪ Communicate problems, absences and illness to their supervisor at the earliest possible moment. ▪ Keep a neat and hygienic workspace. ▪ Be an exemplar for OpSTEM at all times, including in the class, in the OpSTEM Drop-In Center, on the

14th Floor of Rhodes Tower and across the campus in general. ▪ Other duties as assigned.

Job Expectations for SPTs

▪ Thorough knowledge of their respective course materials ▪ Familiar with ALEKS (Precalculus) or WeBWork (Calculus) online systems ▪ Adept with Microsoft Office products ▪ Excellent organizational and communication skills ▪ Be an excellent team player ▪ Cooperative, punctual and efficient ▪ Maintain a professional demeanor at all times while on campus ▪ Honor the SPT Dress Code ▪ Follow CSU’s Ethical Code of Conduct

Performance Standards SPTs are expected to be responsive to OpSTEM management (Director, Math Department Chair, Course Coordinators, SPT Coordinator, Math Department Faculty, SPT Coordinator and Lead SPTs). SPT Coordinator, Lead SPTs and SPTs are held to high standards of integrity and honesty. SPTs are expected to complete their class/SPT session preparation as well as their electronic documentation (eBinder) on time every week. SPTs report to their Lead SPT, SPT Coordinator, and Dr. Susan Carver. Discrimination Cleveland State University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and education. As a member of the Student Employment Program, it is essential that you respect the diversity that every individual brings to the University. No person at the University will be denied opportunity for employment or education or be subject to discrimination in any project, program, or activity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, handicap or disability, disabled veteran, Vietnam era veteran or protected veteran status. Any student employee who violates any portion of this protocol will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. Any student employee who believes he/she has been subjected to discrimination may contact the Office for Institutional Equity at 216-687-2223. At the time of employment, SPT must complete a Student Employee Confidentiality Agreement and Certificate of Understanding. FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that guarantees the confidentiality of student records. Employees must not, under any circumstances, release student information to anyone (including parents and employers) unless they have been given permission to do so by the student. Any student employee who violates any portion of this law will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. SPTs must complete a BlackBoard training module (FERPA Tutorial and Knowledge Check) at the start of their employment and can retake it annually. SPTs are expected to adhere to the policies and regulations set forth by FERPA at all times.

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Getting Started Welcome Aboard! Whether you are a veteran SPT or a new hire, we welcome you to an exciting new semester. This employee manual is designed to answer your questions, clarify protocol and give you the tools to be the most effective SPT you can be while you are employed with OpSTEM. Mandatory SPT Training All SPTs are required to attend mandatory training sessions prior to the start of each semester. Training is designed to cover the basics, provide updates on policies and procedures, familiarize you with our documentation systems and give you an opportunity to meet and bond with your section team, meet with your respective course team members, and get to know your course’s Lead SPTs. Your Office OpSTEM provides shared office space for SPTs. Each office is designated for a specific OpSTEM course. SPTs who teach together will have their desks in the same office. If possible, the SPTs for each of the courses are together in one office. For large courses, it may be necessary to divide course SPTs between two offices. Each office is to be kept locked when no one is in the office, including if you step out for a short errand. Keys are kept in a keyholder on the office door. Only SPTs sharing the office should know the code for your keyholder. Keeping this information confidential is essential for the safety of everyone and security of each other’s belongings. If you forget your office code or, for some reason, need entry into another office, please see Dr. Carver or Juan Amador for assistance. Each SPT is responsible for ensuring that your whole office is orderly, clean and sanitary. Before leaving the office for the day, ensure your papers are organized, sensitive information is secured and trash/recyclables are in the proper receptacle. Every week you must wipe or dust all surfaces and vacuum the floor. Trash is collected daily – just leave the trash can outside your door for disposal. Recycling bins are located in the hallways. Please be kind to the cleaning staff and be sure not to leave uncontained liquids in your trash cans. Daily & Weekly Checklist To assist SPTs in organizing their weeks, we have created SPT Daily & Weekly Checklist posters to remind you of essential tasks that should be completed on a daily or weekly basis. The posters are on the walls of each SPT office, on the copy room wall and on OpSTEM’s bulletin board. Checklist items address things such as:

➢ Scheduling planning and rehearsal sessions ➢ Adding to the agenda for and attending office RCT meetings ➢ Attending office hours ➢ Creating lesson plans, concept reviews, knowledge checks, solution keys and weekly review homework ➢ Ensuring attendance, class logs and SPT session logs are uploaded to the eBinder ➢ Ensuring all materials, checklists and other documentation is uploaded to the eBinder ➢ Completing your timesheet ➢ Cleaning your office space

Checking In Upon arrival to your workspace, take the time to say hello to Dr. Carver as well as one or both of your Lead SPTs. If you cannot attend your scheduled SPT sessions, class sessions or RCT meetings due to illness or emergency, you must call (not text) your Lead SPT and text Dr. Carver as soon as you possibly are able.

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Personnel File on OneDrive OpSTEM has created files for each of you that will be shared through your CSU email account. In these files will be all of your personnel records, any kudos you receive as a SPT and anything you personally would like to add. These files will be kept in the OneDrive and shared with: Dr. Carver, the SPT Coordinator and your Lead SPTs. FERPA protections apply. SPT Session Records on Google Drive All SPT course records and information is kept in the Operation STEM Google Drive. You will log into the drive with an identifiable Gmail account. We suggest that you use an account solely for your SPT work with a name such as Jacobs.opstem@gmail.com (for Jacob Schwab) so that we can identify who is on the system and what edits you’ve made to your documents. The electronic copy of this document, your eBinder and all of the documents you need to do your work are stored on the Google Drive.

Operation STEM Manual Dress Code Exhibiting professionalism extends to one’s dress. Therefore, on days of SPT sessions, SPTs are expected to appear in apparel that is neat, clean and pressed. On days that you teach, you are required to wear your SPT polo shirt or SPT zip-up hoodie. On rare occasion, this may be substituted for a dress shirt. Acceptable bottom attire is:

▪ Khakis, cargo pants, cargo shorts, cropped pants, dress slacks, skirts that are mid-thigh length or longer.

▪ Black or solid-colored clean tennis shoes, casual shoes, boots, sandals or dress shoes. Unacceptable attire for the classroom includes:

▪ Blue denim or very worn denim of any color. ▪ Yoga pants or leggings without a shirt or sweater that covers your rear end. ▪ Bandanas, headphones or any distracting clothing such as goofy hats or provocative t-shirts.

If you have questions about the appropriateness of your attire, please check with Dr. Carver. Dating co-workers If you are dating a fellow co-worker in which there is a conflict of interest or one is supervising the other, then the couple needs to be disclosed to Dr. Carver. Call-offs IF you must call off for class, SPT Session, RCT meeting, office hour or planning session, you first need to call one of the Directors, THEN you need to inform three entities with your reason about when you need to miss a responsibility: a) fellow SPTs, b) Lead SPT and c) a Coordinator. If any of these three do not get notification of your absence then there will be consequences in the form on an infraction. Communication Operation STEM prides itself in having open and direct communication between staff, faculty, SPTs and students at all times. When problems arise, it is best to deal with them directly. First, talk things through with your SPT section team or your Lead SPT. From there, you will have informed guidance as to the next steps to take and/or how to approach a student or get information to your course’s professor to address problems. Communication is the lifeline of being an SPT and you will be required to keep constant communication with your fellow SPTs along with your Mentees, Lead SPT, and your course Professor. You will be required to prove your communication to your mentees and your Professor weekly. You must send your Lead SPT proof of communication to ensure you are communicating effectively. Before each start of the

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week, 1 SPT per group must email your Professor to let him/her know the activities you plan to conduct during SPT session as well as aid any questions your professor may have about your session. Twice each week you are also required to message your Mentees to keep in touch with them on how they are doing in the class and how they are doing with their homework. Infractions As Operation STEM has grown, we realize that we must have a formal process for acknowledging and correcting when staff have neglected job duties or had moments of inappropriate behavior. The InFraction Form (IFF), aka the “If and Only If”, is our formal documentation of corrective actions taken during the semester. InFractions are noted, acknowledged and actions taken are all spelled out as well as a due date for the correction. We do not enjoy giving out infractions, however, if a bad situation begins to repeat itself, we will have no choice but to fill out the infraction form. There are 4 tiers for a rule violation. 1st Offense: SAR is noted 2nd Offense: SAR is noted and meeting with SPT Coordinator is required to correct the problem 3rd Offence: Infraction #1 4th Offence: Infraction #2 and a meeting with Dr. Carver is required A total of 4 infractions in one semester will force a suspension from SPT duties to try and correct the problem Proctoring You may be asked to help proctor another section for an exam or proctor your own section for an exam. While you are proctoring, the first thing you should do is talk to the professor and see what he would like you to do. You should talk to the professor about what should happen if a student raises their hand or if a cheating situation arises. After you talk to your professor about what steps you should take, during the exam you should walk around the classroom, looking to make sure you do not spot any cheating. Any signs of cheating must be brought to the professor’s attention immediately unless told otherwise by the professor. Remind Remind is an online tool that will help SPTs become more accessible to your students. Instead of giving out personal phone numbers, we require students to sign up for remind. This gives a medium between students and SPTs so that there is an easy way to ask questions or check in with your mentees. Your lead SPT will set up each individual group and help you get the students signed up for the class. Remind is a powerful tool to help SPTs keep in touch with students. Each SPT must send a personalized text, twice a week, to their Mentee to ask about how they are doing with homework. You may not copy and paste the same response to each student. This may take some time, which is why you are allotted 30 minutes per week for communication on your timesheet. Announcements are not to be counted as personalized texts. Substitute SPTs You may be asked to sub in for another SPT who cannot make their session because of an illness or other related event that has been approved by Dr. Carver. In that instance, you are merely another body in the classroom to help the other members of that particular session. It is the responsibility of the other SPTs to pick up the slack that will be missed. As a substitute SPT you are not required to do anything other than assist the other SPTs in the room. A solution key should be provided for you, and you should not have to attend the lecture. You must inform your Lead SPT that you are covering for another SPT.

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SPTs who are in SPT session SPTs are expected to model the ideal student AT ALL TIMES. Students look to SPTs as role models in class and around campus. This includes when you find you have your students or former students in your own courses. SPTs are expected to exhibit the positive behaviors and body language that we, in turn, expect from our students. In line with setting an example for students, SPTs should be cognizant of what their nonverbal behaviors and body language communicate to students, particularly in the classroom. Sitting passively, tardiness, eating in class, slouching in desk, etc., convey an attitude of apathy to students which can be hypocritical since these are behaviors we expect students to also follow. SPTs must be the perfect role model for students. You now represent so much more than just yourself. You represent our university and our organization. If you display bad student behavior in any of your classes, that will be taken up by your leads or Dr. Carver and an infraction will be given out. Timesheets SPTs are allotted a maximum 12 hours per week for each class section. It must be understood that any time worked over that amount is voluntary. SPTs must communicate with Dr. Carver if circumstances arise that require him/her to work more than these allotted hours. Dr. Carver must approve all additional hours. The approximate breakdown for a typical 10-hour SPT workweek is as follows, regardless of the number of SPTs assigned to your session: Class & SPT Sessions: 4-6 hours* Planning & Rehearsal: 2.0 hours Regular Office Hour: 1.0 hour Communication with mentees: 0.5 hours Preparation of Homework Completion Challenge Data: 0.5 hours Respective Course Team (RCT) Meeting: 1.0 hour TOTAL: 12 hours per week *This number varies because it is not necessary to have all three SPTs in the class. Therefore, at least one if not two SPTs can be planning during class time. SPTs are expected to keep an accurate and honest record of their hours worked by recording their time in a spreadsheet on the Google Drive. Additional Hours SPTs are allotted a maximum of twelve (12) hours per week for each class section that they are assigned to during the semester. Please understand that any time worked beyond those twelve hours is unpaid work time. SPTs must communicate with Dr. Carver if circumstances arise that require you to work more than these allotted hours. Dr. Carver must approve all additional hours. Lead SPTs will look to make sure there are no overages. There will be no over hours awarded to SPTs if their basic job description is not complete. Missed Hours If you must miss scheduled work hours please notify your Lead SPT and Dr. Carver in advance if possible. Illness, university holidays, personal emergencies and vacation time reduce your work hours and will reduce your paycheck. It is possible to make up these hours substituting for another SPT or we offer you the opportunity to help with special projects or office tasks to make up the time. Make-up hours that are not discussed with supervisors in advance will not be accepted.

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Operation STEM (OpSTEM) Structure Introduction Operation STEM began through a STEP grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help CSU students who are pursuing a degree in a STEM field pass their calculus classes by developing necessary math skills, engaging in the support network necessary to pass calculus, and becoming successful in their major. OpSTEM is made of several components: Summer Institute (CSU’s calculus bridge program for STEM majors), OpSTEM Precalculus and Calculus classes with SPT Sessions, schedule advising, yearlong OpSTEM Cohort meetings and OpSTEM Tuition-free Summer Calculus I. In addition to the original grant, we also have funding through the NSF’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation initiative to support underrepresented populations achieve degrees in their STEM fields. While this funding is specifically for African American, Alaskan Native, Native American, Native Hawai’ian, Native Pacific Islander and Hispanic students, it fits seamlessly into the mission and goals of OpSTEM and students receive the same benefits regardless of funding source. MTH 497 – SPT Skills and Strategies Course MTH 497 – SPT Skills and Strategies is a required course for all SPTs. The class is held on Tuesdays from 11:30

a.m. – 12:20 p.m. during the Common Hour. SPTs may opt to take the course for credit or, if their load

precludes taking it for credit, can audit the course. While all SPTs are treated to similar material and

homework, the course is divided in to two sections – one for Precalculus SPTs lead by Dr. Carver and one for

Calculus SPTs lead by Mr. Amador. Assignments include SPT Observations, Internal Memos, Lesson Plan

development and weekly homework. The classes are designed to be interactive, hands-on classes in which

SPTs share teaching and mentoring techniques and/or engage with invited guest speakers.

Accessing Timesheets You can find your timesheet by visiting:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTS → 3 - Timesheets → 2018-2019 → Fall 20188 Each semester a timesheet (spreadsheet file titled with your name) will be created for you. Our Graduate Assistant will process your payroll every other week through Kronos, CSU’s online payroll portal. It is essential that you be timely with entering your weekly hours into your spreadsheet to ensure you receive your check. CSU sets a maximum number of hours worked per week for student workers. Should you miss submitting your hours for a pay-period, you may not be able to submit those hours until either a break week in the semester or after the semester ends. We will send one text reminder that your timesheets are due. In your spreadsheet, you have four Time In/Time Out columns for each date, as SPT duties often are spread out over the day. Provide a brief description for each Time In/Time out. Be careful not to change any of the imbedded formulas in this spreadsheet, as it is set up to automatically sum up the hours that you enter. To reiterate: If your hours are not entered in the Sunday before they are due, you will not get paid on time for the previous two weeks of work. You will receive the pay – perhaps spread over the next few pay periods; perhaps during the semester break. You will, however, miss a pay check for the period that you missed submitting your hours! This could create financial stress for you, so submit your hours on time! Accessing Timesheets

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SPT Section Record Keeping – Your eBinder Each OpSTEM section of a math course is assigned an eBinder that will contain all of your course and SPT records and documents. The eBinder is an essential tool for organizing your course and recording overall progress. Your eBinder is on the Operation STEM Google Drive and can be found on this path:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTS → 1 – SPT eBinders → MTH 1xx → 2018 Fall

Once you have entered your current course folder, you will see several folders as shown below. These include the eBinder for your particular math course section. The other files will be discussed in the section of this manual entitled SPT Session Time.

The eBinder for your specific SPT Session includes the following folders and files:

▪ A folder with Course/SPT Syllabi & Course Calendar; ▪ A folder for Homework Completion Challenge (HCC) Power Point Slides; ▪ A folder for each week of the semester; and ▪ Any template files used by your RCT.

Each weekly folder contains the following folders into which SPT Session files must be uploaded every time you teach. Your Lead SPT will set a weekly due date for this upload at which time s/he will review the files for completeness and clarity using the SPT Accountability Review (SAR) form. Your weekly eBinder folder will look generally like this:

Accessing eBinder

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Weekly Task Grid (WTG) This document is essential for planning who does what among your SPT team. It is particularly useful when your team first begins working together. The WTG is also very helpful for organizing your team during very busy times during the semester. The WTG is completed each week and reviewed by your Lead SPT. While you may find that you are utilizing the same grid week after week, Dr. Carver recommends that you rotate who does which task in order to keep things fresh and that all SPTs are cross-trained. We do understand, however, that as you become busier during the semester, you may assign your tasks to your team members based on individual strengths. In any case, the WTG should be the first thing you discuss at your planning meetings to ensure everything needed is accomplished in the most smooth and timely manner. Class Documents This folder contains your Class Logs for the class conducted by your professor. These logs are completed for every class session and should record everything pertinent that occurred in your professor’s session. Please be mindful of FERPA. No FERPA protected information should be in the logs. If you must refer to a student, use initials only. Class logs are to be completed in the classroom during the class. SPT Documents This folder contains all documents used in your SPT Sessions. There is a folder for each day’s session. In this folder you should find Agendas, PowerPoint Slides, Lesson Plans, Concept Reviews, Worksheets, Solution Keys, Knowledge Checks, etc. A Folder for Each Week: Weeks 1-15 Folders contain the following files:

✓ Weekly Task Grids ✓ Lesson Plans ✓ Class Logs ✓ SPT Session Logs ✓ Class Agendas

✓ Algebra Content Reviews (ACRs) ✓ Handouts/Worksheets with Solution Keys ✓ Knowledge Checks ✓ Weekly Algebra Homework & Prof Sign-Off

Other folders as needed Each OpSTEM course and section has its own set of eBinders with slightly different configurations as determined by the Lead SPT. Our standardized folder arrangement is subject to change as we remain a learning organization and strive for continual improvement. SPTs are required to file their SPT Session documents in the appropriate week’s eBinder folder after each and every class. We have created a color-scheme that will allow quick identification of when a folder is ready to review; when it needs revision and when it is complete Gradebook For each SPT section, there is a corresponding gradebook that you will have access to. This will be shared with you in the One Drive because that data is FERPA sensitive. This gradebook will contain the attendance sheet and SPT participation sheet for you to log on. It will also contain all the students grades from homework up to test scores. Your leads will update the grades while you are free to update the attendance and participation. Gradebook

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Planning Your SPT Session Dividing Responsibilities for Students in Your Classroom (Assigning Mentees) One of your first tasks with your new class is to assign each student to a mentor SPT. During pre-semester training, SPTs partners each “adopt” half or a third of their respective students and become mentors for these students during the entire semester. Each SPT is expected to meticulously track the progress of their mentees during the semester. After the first two weeks of the semester, SPTs partners can re-assess their mentees and switch if necessary. Historically, OpSTEM uses “adoptees” and “mentees” interchangeably. Developing personal supportive relationships between SPTs and your students is what sets OpSTEM/LSAMP course sections apart from other classes. The purpose of this is to support students, hold self-accountable, and scaffold their successes to build for their future. The progress of your mentees is your key responsibility as an SPT. SPTs are to monitor each of their mentee’s development closely – surveying their progress and celebrating it or if your mentee is struggling, providing the needed extra help, encouragement and support for success. Respective Course Team (RCT) Meetings Your RCT meetings will serve as opportunities to discuss issues with your professor or students and offer/receive feedback that will help you run your particular SPTs sessions. Issues will be “bubbled up” to Dr. Carver and Mr. Amador at the Lead SPT Meetings as needed. RCT meetings are for sharing information, planning SPT sessions, providing consistency between classes and allowing collaboration between the SPTs of a particular course. RCT meetings are held once or twice weekly, depending on SPT schedules and availabilities. For large courses there are many SPTs with different schedules, so it may be necessary for the Lead SPTs to hold the RCT meetings at two different times during the week. Attendance at RCT your weekly meeting is mandatory. In preparation for your RCT Meeting, you are to read and contribute to the week’s agenda and have your weekly SPT session solution keys prepared for discussion. RCT Meeting agendas can be found in the Operation STEM Google Drive at:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTS → 4 - RCT Meetings Adding to RCT Agenda Planning & Rehearsal Meetings It is estimated that you and your SPT team will spend 2 hours weekly planning and rehearsing for the activities in your SPT sessions. These meeting times must be formally scheduled to ensure everything necessary is covered during the meeting and you are well-prepared for class. You may wish to invite on or both of your Lead SPTs, particularly to the rehearsal meetings. The first order of business at the beginning of planning is to review the weekly task grid. In addition, your planning time should include:

✓ Addressing any questions or concerns that your Lead SPT has with last week’s eBinder records ✓ Reviewing the upcoming syllabus and homework for your course ✓ Determining what activities, handouts, power point slides, etc., need to be created or copied ✓ Determining what materials you will need for the week’s activities ✓ Determining what classroom set-up you will use for each activity ✓ Completing your Solution Keys ✓ Determining who will do all required tasks and completing your weekly task grid

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Once you have made these decisions, spend time rehearsing how the day will go and practice your individual roles for the day. Be sure to invite your Lead SPTs to your rehearsal time so that they may offer feedback and constructive criticism as warranted. As soon as you finish your planning session, upload your Weekly Task Grid (WTG) to the appropriate section and week’s eBinder (along with any materials you plan to use). Lead SPTs review your eBinders for completion of weekly task grids, class logs, SPT logs, solution keys and materials throughout the week. Dr. Carver and your leads may regularly spot check your eBinder records, so be sure to stay on top of this important record keeping! Solution Keys One of the most important tools you have as a math instructor are your solution keys. Working them out serves as your reminder of what could be confusing, difficult or very important for your students to know. You needn’t work out every problem for the day, but be certain your team has solved every type of problem before walking into that classroom. Even if you’ve been an SPT for the course in the past, your team should take the time to do produce new solution keys. Each session’s solution key should be stored in the eBinder before the respective SPT session. Your solution keys should be:

✓ Thorough ✓ Legible ✓ Correct ✓ Includes diagrams

You can utilize them even better by: ✓ Adding conceptual notes ✓ Showing other ways to solve problems ✓ Making notes of where the math is used in

STEM fields of study

SPTs in the Traditional Classroom General Notes on OpSTEM Classroom Structure It is typical that the SPT session immediately follows the traditional class offered by the professor of record. Sometimes, your SPT session is in the same classroom; occasionally, it is in a different room. This semester, OpSTEM is experimenting with “flipped sessions” – where the SPT sessions will precede the traditional class. Regardless, you are required to attend both and we have made certain that your schedule allows it. You will be responsible for monitoring tests and final exams and providing review sessions for your students. You also hold professional responsibilities for communicating regularly with your professor, with your Lead SPT and with the SPT supervisor mentors, Dr. Carver (Precalculus) or Mr. Amador (Calculus) regarding any issues that arise in the classroom. You are the advocate for your students and a conduit for your professor. One way to start on good footing with your professor, is to ask for his or her approval for your posing questions to help clarify concepts. “Professor Kan …... would it be alright with you if I pose an occasional question during class about concepts, problem-solving steps or things related to what you are presenting in order to provide further clarification for the students and get them to ask questions themselves?” As an SPT you must also know the syllabus forward and backward; know how credit is awarded and student work is weighted; understand how participation and attendance impact student grades; and be aware of homework due dates, test dates and any pertinent information that your students need to know. Ask your professor for his or her policy on classroom electronics. Be ready to enforce it.

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During Your Traditional Classroom Session If your section follows the traditional pattern of class followed by SPT session, you are expected to arrive at 5-7 minutes before class time begins in order to adjust the classroom for easy circulation and that students can view the board from any desk. Also, take time to assist the professor – ensure the boards are cleaned, greet students BY NAME and organize any class materials, etc. If the professor happens to be late, address the class at the exact start time of the class. (If there is not a clock in the room, report it immediately to Dr. Carver. In the meantime, use your cell phone to keep track of time.) As students filter in to the classroom, begin to banter with them. Ask about their week, their weekend plans, or how their other classes are going. You can use this time to inform students where the class stands with their Homework Completion Challenge (HCC). Ask them (don’t tell them) – “When’s your homework due?” or “When is your Test 1 (2, 3 or 4)?” Be sure to write the day, date and time of the next test on the chalkboard and remind students how many days they have until the next test. Because we often do testing in flipped sessions, it will be important to clarify the time period during which the test will be given. Class time is the professor’s time. He or she will decide how that time is used. Utilize email, the professor’s office hours and the time immediately after class to communicate anything relevant to your professor. Perhaps define specific tasks and/or roles that would help class run more efficiently. During class, SPTs:

▪ May not ever congregate in one area of the room. This is distracting to both students and professor. ▪ Assist the professor when he or she needs assistance distributing materials or anything similar. ▪ Move through the classroom and encourage students to take notes and actively participate in class. If

students are not paying attention (sleeping, on their phones, doodling, seem to be losing focus) discretely talk to the student and encourage them to participate. Monitor students and enforce all policies such as rules about electronics.

▪ Help students understand concepts by asking occasional clarifying questions. This is an art! Your willingness to ask questions creates a culture of inquisitiveness and learning for your students and before you know it, they will begin asking as well. (It is an art to demonstrate asking questions in class while encouraging students to do the same. They need to learn the importance of asking questions!)

▪ When the professor presents exercises for students to complete or a classroom activity, remember you are there to help. Guide students and elicit discussions on the content.

▪ Be prepared for the unexpected. Sometimes due to unexpected changes in the classroom, you may need to modify or change your SPT session entirely. Do your best to plan for those changes.

▪ Assign an SPT to begin completing the class log at the beginning of class. ▪ Ensure each SPT has taken attendance for his or her own mentees, making note of absent or late

students. It is essential that each and every SPT in the class (and SPT session) be a model student at all times. Do not congregate, be distracting or use your personal electronics in the classroom. Pay attention, take notes and stay engaged! Be mindful of your body language, facial expressions and tone of voice in the classroom. Taking Attendance and Participation Student attendance is mandatory and counts toward student grades for both main class and SPT sessions. Tardiness of greater than 15 minutes is considered an absence. Attendance (main class) and participation points (SPT session) are recorded electronically using a secure Excel file through SharePoint via the One Drive. This file will be shared with SPTs prior to the start of the semester. Each course section has two tabs, one for class and one for SPT sessions (see example below). Record students’ attendance and participation on the appropriate course section tab.

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The first two weeks of class are considered a “shopping period” at CSU. SPTs should still take attendance but the spreadsheet is configured to not count absences during this time (but your students don’t need to know this). To record attendance, open the SharePoint file, click on “Edit Workbook” and select “Edit in Excel Online” in the drop-down menu.

Comments can also be recorded in order to flag students for supervisors by going to the “Review” tab found on the top main menu. Select the appropriate cell(s) and click on the “Comment” button located in the center of the menu to bring up a comment box.

By the end of the second week of the semester, you will color code your mentees so it is easy to identify who belongs to whom. This color coding should be updated if there are any changes to mentee-mentor assignments in your classroom. System for Recording Class Attendance When recording attendance, use the following system in the spreadsheet:

▪ Present and on time → leave cell blank ▪ Less than 15 minutes late → late <15 ▪ More than 15 minutes late → late >15 ▪ Absent → A ▪ Absent (excused by instructor) → A(ex) can be added at a later date

System for Scoring SPT Session Daily Participation This is recorded in the same SharePoint spreadsheet in which you record attendance. Students are scored on a scale of 0-2 based on their participation in the session. Full participation means paying attention and being on-task during the whole session. Off-task behavior can include, but it is not limited to: excessive talking, distracting classmates or talking/texting on a cell phone.

▪ On Task = 2 points ▪ Partially on task = 1 point ▪ Not on task = 0 points * ▪ Absent = A ▪ Absent (excused) = A(ex)**

*Note that a “0” does not reflect absence. **If a student is absent from both a lecture and SPT session and the professor excuses the absence, the SPT participation should also be recorded as an excused absence.

The tab for the SPT sessions also has two columns to denote mandatory office hour appointments. The first, is for the required 15-minute Office Hour appointment to take place before Test 1. The second is one that you highlight for students who have an overall grade of “C” or lower following Test 2. (Both are discussed in this manual’s section entitled “Communication with your Students.”) Attendance Participation

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Class Logs SPTs submit logs for each class and SPT session. Class Logs serve as a record for your class and will be useful for you and your team to review should any issues arise or changes happen in course delivery. Class Log templates (along with SPT log templates) are in the home folder of your course’s eBinder. It is usually possible to complete your class log during the class itself. Once complete the day’s Class Log is to be uploaded into the appropriate week and day folder in your eBinder. Sections of the Class Log include:

▪ Content Scheduled: Create a bullet list of topics that are to be covered according to the syllabus. Highlight topics that are, in fact, covered in class. Should the professor cover topics not scheduled for that day, list them and note the date the syllabus intends them to be covered.

▪ Content Issues: This section is to highlight content with which students are struggling. If referencing an individual student, use at most initials as your students privacy is FERPA protected.

▪ Mood of the Room: Capture the pulse of the classroom – how is the rapport between the professor and the students? Is the professor reaching the students or having a bad day? Are students cranky or engaged? Can you identify a cause? If so, make a note of it.

▪ Behavior Issues: This section is for absences, tardiness, off-task or distracting behaviors, etc. Be mindful not to violate FERPA.

Filling out Class and SPT Log

Your SPT Session Setting the Tone for SPT Sessions If your class has “flipped sessions,” you must arrive at your classroom 15 minutes before the start of the class to begin set-up. If you are following the traditional class, the 15 minute break time between class time and your SPT session is precious time that is to be spent preparing your classroom in order to be able to actively engage your students. Please be sure you have the necessary equipment for the display of your day’s agenda. You will need a laptop, HDMI cord, a projector and a clean projection area or screen. Most classrooms are equipped with projectors and screens. Be certain that at least one of your team brings their laptop so that you can project the day’s agenda. That laptop can also be used to complete the SPT Session Log as the class progresses. New Semester… What’s this SPT Session? Getting to Know You (It’s What We’re All About!) The first two SPT Sessions of the semester are focused on introducing students to Operation STEM, explaining the role and purpose of a STEM Peer Teacher, distributing the SPT Syllabus (which you will create in the All SPT Training immediately before the start of the semester with your SPT teammates), meeting with your mentees and explaining the role of the SPT as mentor, scheduling students’ mandatory office hour visits, permission to text forms and icebreaker activities. All of the new semester activity sheets can be found here:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTs → 7 - Introduction Materials First SPT Session OpSTEM/LSAMP introduction PowerPoint presentation: This presentation introduces the OpSTEM program, the need behind the program’s development and its goals. SPTs should review the entire presentation to make sure the information provided is relevant to their course section. Update the last two slides of this presentation with the following information: ✓ SPT Office Hours and SPT Contact Information ✓ SPT Session Days and Times

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Review the Course Syllabus, Important Dates and present your SPT Session Syllabus: This handout needs to be updated with SPT contact information, SPT office hours, and professor office hours. Hours for the Math Emporium and Math Learning Center (MLC) need to be confirmed and updated if necessary. Permission to Contact/Permission to Photograph Forms: This half-sheet handout is evergreen (that is, general enough that it requires no changes). Print on colored paper and cut them in half.

Permission to contact students via email and/or text is critical to the success of our program. Have students fill out and return the form during the first SPT Session and carry additional forms during the first two weeks of class for students that add the course during the add/drop period. Scan the signed forms and place them in the appropriate folder of your eBinder. Notify Dr. Carver right away about students who are reticent to sign the Permission to Contact form

Mandatory Office Hour Appointment Sign-Up: You need two documents. ✓ Office Hour Sign-Up Sheet: This sheet needs to be updated with SPT office hours (one for each SPT) along

with corresponding dates and time slots. ✓ Office Hour Reminder Slip: A half-sheet that briefly explains the office hour appointment and has a place

for students to write in the date and time they signed up for (on the Office Hour Sign-Up Sheet). This document does not require any updates and can be used “as is.”

Icebreakers: Icebreakers create bonds between students, help you remember students more easily and stimulate participation and cooperation in the classroom. Some icebreaker activities work best using the entire class, others in smaller groups. A selection of great icebreakers can be found here:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTs → 7 - Introduction Materials → Icebreakers When splitting the class into groups, it is recommended that each SPT take their student mentees. Also, during the icebreaker is a great time to circulate the Office Hour Sign-Up Sheets.

Second SPT Session Syllabus Quiz: The Syllabus Quiz familiarizes students with the syllabus and reinforces important course information. During the quiz, students work in groups of three or four, using the syllabus to answer a series of questions. SPTs should create a copy of this presentation (and save in their course section folder) and update as necessary using the course syllabus. Calendar Assignment (optional): Students are asked to identify important dates during the semester (homework deadlines, test dates, etc.) using the syllabus and course calendar and mark them on the provided calendar. You may also instruct your students on how to record dates in the calendars on their smartphones and/or link the CSU Office 360 calendar to their smartphone. SPTs usually assign this activity as homework and have students return it by the next SPT session. SPTs “grade” the calendar by making sure that all deadlines have been accurately marked on the calendar and return to students. Communicate with students that this is a good resource to keep and reference throughout the semester. This assignment has two documents that must be updated each semester:

▪ Calendar Assignment Description (half-sheet): This document needs to be updated with the appropriate course and semester. Scan the syllabus and course calendar to find deadlines and due dates for homework (ALEKS/WeBWork), practice tests, tests and the final exam. Also include the number dates that correspond to each deadline/due date. For instance, if there are six Chapter deadlines in ALEKS for MTH167, reference this on the assignment sheet as: “(6) Chapter deadlines in ALEKS.”

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▪ Blank Semester Calendar: This three-page document needs to be updated with the appropriate course/semester, calendar dates and observed university holidays. Print the calendar double-sided on colored paper and staple the half-sheet Calendar Assignment Description on top.

Assign this activity for homework and ask the students to return it by the next SPT session. Review the calendars to ensure that all deadlines and test dates have been accurately recorded and return them to the students. Remind the students that these calendars are a great resource and suggest they keep the calendars with their course syllabus. Classroom Arrangements for SPT Sessions Any two consecutive SPT sessions must have different classroom set-ups. Why? Different activities need different sent ups and differing our methodologies of teaching math helps students learn the concepts more thoroughly. Also, students need the element of change and surprise! They will wonder, “What’s happening today?” when they see the set-up. Some will not like the change. Share with them you appreciate his or her increasing ability to be flexible. “It’s an important life skill.” Part of your weekly planning will be identifying the appropriate classroom set-ups and ensuring that your room has what is needed to create them. If your SPT session follows in the same room as the preceding professor’s class, ask your students to exit the classroom so that you can arrange it for the day’s activities. (Certainly, invite a few students to remain to help you move the chairs. You’ll know who is willing after the first week.) Ensure that all eyes can see the board, PPT slides from their seated locations, whether they are working in pairs, small groups or individually. Agendas and Concept Reviews Agendas are a way for SPTs present their organized lesson plan to their class and provide reminders of upcoming due dates. Agendas must be created as a PowerPoint slide or a Word document and are projected at the beginning of class. Each day’s agenda is to be stored in the appropriate day’s folder nested in the week folder of your eBinder. Algebra Concept Reviews (for Precalculus classes) and Calculus Concept Reviews (for Calculus Classes) are short check-ins given at the beginning of each SPT Session to ensure your students are comfortable with the foundational skills for the math you will be covering. They can be half-sheet “quizzes” that students fill in when they arrive, use ABCD cards to show answers, group work or individual work. If you do use hand-out half-sheets, they should be in place and on each student’s desk when they arrive. Typically, students may begin their concept reviews as soon as they arrive to the SPT session. Creating an Agenda Lesson Plans and Knowledge Checks While lesson plans are coordinated by your Lead SPTs, there is a variety of ways in which the material can be delivered. The primary tools you will use to develop your lesson plans are in the Operation STEM Google Drive. The Resource Library, where tried and true lesson plans are stored, is located here:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → SPTS → 2 – Resource Library The Lesson Plan Template is located here:

OpSTEMCSU Google Drive: My Drive → 8 – Template LIbrary At the end of each SPT session, you want to drive home the most important concept of the day with a Knowledge Check. This serves as a quick way to see if your students are keeping up with the material. Did they

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get it? Are they with you? You will find ample knowledge checks in the Resource Library, but you needn’t rely solely on a quiz-like structure. You can use any methodology your RCT approves of, but make sure you record which students are with you and which are lost and develop a plan to help those who are lost. Creating a Lesson Plan SPT Session Log Recall that there is a separate file pre-populated for the semester with all of the templates and forms you need for each week. You SPT Logs are no different. Within this log, you will record the following information:

▪ Content Covered: This section should include a list of topics covered during the SPT Session. ▪ Objective: Statement of the intended goal(s) of the SPT Session. ▪ Session Activity Description: This should include a brief description of the activity and any instructions

or directions. Also include a summarization of the activities as they played out in class. ▪ Materials Used: List the materials used during the session. Include any handouts used. ▪ Content Issues, Mood of the Room, & Behavioral Issues: Same as Class Log.

When completed, your SPT Session Log should be immediately uploaded to your eBinder in the Google Drive. Except in an unimaginable emergency, this should be done the same day as your SPT Session. Homework Completion Challenge (HCC) The HCC will be introduced to all SPT sessions during the 5th week of the semester. The goal of the HCC is to encourage students complete as much of their homework as possible and to do so well before its due date. Homework progress on ALEKS (Precalculus) or WeBWork (Calculus) and the SPTs will engage students in intra- and inter- section competitions to complete the most homework correctly. Winners of the HCCs will receive prizes which may include OpSTEM t-shirts and pizza parties.

Office Hours and Communication with Students Drop-In Study Center and SPT Regular Office Hours The OpSTEM Drop-In Study Center is located in RT 1402 and available to all students to work on math or related STEM homework. The Drop-In Study Center is perfect for meeting students during office hours. We ask that you hold your office hour there and serve to help students that come in should they have any questions should you not be working with students of your own. As an SPT, it is essential that you are available to meet with your students outside of class and, so, we ask you to schedule a regular weekly office hour when you are available for your students to drop in and get help. You may meet with your students in your office, but we suggest that you plan to meet them in the Drop-In Study Center to leave your co-shared offices as a quiet sacred space where you can work, plan and think. When students stop by for help: You may ask that students to come to you having tried the homework and with specific questions about the problems. It is the responsibility of the SPT guide the student to answer his or her own questions by clarifying concepts. Self-Help Questions are posted in your offices and are a great tool for developing this technique. Remember that you are their guide and you cannot learn math for them. This will teach them to be independent thinkers and how to learn math skills to ensure the best success in their subsequent classes. An unattended Office Hour:

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Office hours are not a time for personal tasks or homework if a student does not happen to show. Instead, this time should be used to complete administrative tasks and/or as additional planning (see examples below).

▪ Finish any incomplete Class or SPT Session Logs in the SPT eBinder. ▪ Update the electronic Lesson Plan to include difficult content and strategies for addressing it. ▪ Check in on students’ progress in ALEKS/WeBWork. Identify students who are struggling and plan time

to talk to them after class. Invite these students to attend your office hour. If You Must be Absent for your Office or Drop-In Study Center hour(s): Ideally, you should make arrangements for another SPT to cover your office hours. If no such arrangements can be made, place an announcement on your office door (or ask a colleague to do it) to alert students about the cancellation and any rescheduling. You must let Dr. Carver and your Lead SPT know via text that you will not be able to make your office hour and explain your alternative arrangements. Student(s) Who Miss Scheduled Office Hour(s): If your student makes arrangements to meet with you at a particular day or time, ensure he or she understands that it is his or her responsibility to keep track of their appointment time, attend the appointment (or reschedule if a conflict arises). If a student has not arrived after five minutes of their scheduled time you should text the student right away and let them know that it is their responsibility to reschedule their appointment time. Also, please insert a comment on the attendance spreadsheet about the missed appointment to alert Dr. Carver of the problem. SPT Mandatory Office Hours The initial mandatory office hour appointment helps students feel more comfortable meeting with SPTs as the semester progresses. Students begin building their relationship with their mentor SPT, learn where to get help as issues arise and learn about additional resources (BlackBoard, ALEKS, WeBWork, etc.) available to them. Having accomplished this meeting, your student will find the steps to set up an appointment with another professor more comfortable; particularly for an inexperienced college student. In order to facilitate a good understanding of the resources available to your students, each student is required to meet with you for a short 15-minute office hour prior to the first test of the semester. Students sign up for this meeting during one of the first two SPT sessions. The main elements of this meeting are to:

▪ Reiterate the importance of the office hour and visiting before trouble starts. ▪ Discuss class tools and requirements:

✓ Confirm ALEKS or WeBWork access ✓ Confirm that ALEKS email is linked to CSU email ✓ Offer a tutorial on BlackBoard Learn

▪ Discuss college life ✓ Discuss the importance of using the CSU Vikes email system to communicate with professors ✓ Learn about their schedule, extracurricular activities, work and commute schedules

▪ Tour the 14th and 15th floor and introduce your student mentee to Dr. Carver, your RCT and Lead SPTs as available. Show them and invite them to make use of the Drop-In Study Center.

Follow-up Mid Semester Meeting – If after the second test, a student has a course grade of C or lower, Dr. Carver, along with your course’s Lead SPT, will conduct a one-on-one meeting with the student during your SPT session. In order to keep from embarrassing your student during this time, both course managers will make a regular habit of visiting your course to give your students kudos, pep talks or “Read ‘em the Riot Act.” Completion of these meetings will be recorded on the SPT Session tab in the SharePoint Attendance Spreadsheet. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot_Act

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Weekly Texts The progress of your mentees is your key responsibility as an SPT. SPTs are to monitor their mentee’s development closely – surveying their progress and celebrating it or if your mentee is struggling providing the needed extra help, encouragement and supports for success. One of the primary tools you will use is your weekly text to your mentees that is personalized to their current status and progress in the class as well as their personality. Each SPT should set aside a half-hour each week to communicate with adoptee students via text about homework deadlines, test reviews, reminders course progress, etc. Even if there is not something due, your texts are an imperative communication tool to establish a relationship with your mentees. Therefore, you MUST spend at LEAST 30 minutes a week, communicating with your mentees. All texts should be cc’d to SPTAssignments@gmail.com so that there is a record of your communications in case any problems arise and to protect you, your students and the university from any issues resulting from miscommunications. CSU Email Signature In keeping with the professional image OpSTEM/LSAMP strives to project, SPT emails should include an electronic signature that reflects his/her position. Items to include in the signature: Examples Long Signature Short Signature Lindsay Pier Lindsay Pier Mathematics & Education Minor Mathematics & Education Minor STEM Peer Teacher – MTH 167 STEM Peer Teacher – MTH 167 CSU Dept. of Mathematics – Operation STEM CSU Dept. of Mathematics – Operation STEM Rhodes Tower 1502 (Office Hrs: W 12-1pm, Th 10-11am) Rhodes Tower 1446 C| (216) 544-1606 (call or text) c| (216) 544-1606 (call or text) lpier@csuohio.vikes.edu lpier@csuohio.vikes.edu WeTeach Vice-President, CSUTeach

All email communication with students must come through official channels in order to ensure the identity of the student being contacted is correct and also to assure students that communication is originating from a legitimate source. You may communicate to your students through these sources:

Source Description Used In

CSU Email Account

Only use your CSU email account. Do not use personal

email accounts to contact students or professors

Any Course

ALEKS

ALEKS is connected directly to students’ email accounts. SPTs and Faculty can email students

directly from ALEKS

MTH 167 & 168

BlackBoard

Registered students connect automatically. Email can be sent from BlackBoard. Homework can

be posted in BlackBoard

MTH 167 & 168 (Optional), MTH 181-182

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Setting Limits and Boundaries The Student Contact Information Permission Form should be completed by students during the first SPT Session. SPTs should also carry additional forms with them during the first two weeks of class for students that add the course during the Add/Drop period. SPTs are advised to firmly state to their students an appropriate time frame for communication (texts, emails, phone calls, etc.). Repeated violations of the set time frame by student(s) can be declared as harassment. Declaration of said charge can result in a student’s temporary removal from the course until a time in which the student in question can meet with the office of Judicial Affairs. We ask that SPTs communicate any uncomfortable situations to their Leads SPTS and Dr. Carver (167-168 SPTs) or Mr. Amador (181-182 SPTs) Inappropriate Communication and Activities with Your Students Disparaging remarks about the professor, fellow SPTs, and students’ classmates. While students may vent about a particular course instructor, SPTs should refrain from adding their own personal opinions. Instead, an SPT should focus on helping the student identify strategies on how they can still learn effectively even in a situation they do not believe is ideal. The same advice applies to partner SPTs. Talking about students with their classmates is particularly dangerous as it undermines the approachability of SPTs as a safe, judgment-free resource. Moreover, this type of gossip potentially puts FERPA protected student information at risk. Sharing any student information that is protected by FERPA. Be sure that FERPA guidelines are being followed prior to sharing protected information to anyone but the student themselves. Directing anger toward students. Do not take any student’s actions (or lack thereof) personally. As we are all human, this is obviously easier said than done. Should an incident occur that you as an SPT “lose your cool” with a student, you may need to take a few moments outside the classroom to reset. Additionally, wait at least 24 hours before addressing the issue with the student. When an SPT does discuss the issue with the student, it should be in done in person (never via email). Additionally, you may wish to apprise Dr. Carver of the situation and what steps you plan to take to resolve it. Intimate relationships with students. To protect SPTs, students, and the reputation of OpSTEM, intimate relationships between an SPT and a student in their section are prohibited. Inappropriate Communication from Students. In all these situations, be sure to alert both the course professor, Dr. Carver and/or Mr. Amador immediately to expedite discussions on how best to handle the situation.

▪ Unwanted advances ▪ Requests from students for preferential treatment (i.e. changing attendance, exam answers, etc.)

▪ Language or behavior that violates CSU’s Student Code of Conduct (i.e. cheating, harmful threats, sexual harassment/assault, etc.).

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Operation STEM Team OpSTEM prides itself in our open-door policy between all our staff. Dr. Carver is the primary mentor and supervisor for all Precalculus SPTs and Mr. Amador is the primary mentor and supervisor for all Calculus SPTs. Never-the-less, we are both here for each of you, so feel free to walk-in and share with us any issue with which we may be of help.

Lead SPT Meetings Each week, the Lead SPTs meet with Dr. Carver and Mr. Amador to discuss the progress of our Operation STEM classes and any developing problems or administration issues.

Weekly Admin Questionnaire, Update & Interesting Info/MTH 497 ACR Rather than spend 10-15 minutes reviewing “Administrivia” during class, we prefer to have an electronic document that you can read on your on time and refer to when needed. So, during the Monday morning Lead SPT Meeting, we will create the WAQUI (yes, that’s pronounced “wacky”) that will be required reading for all SPTs prior to arriving at your MTH 497 Course on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. The WAQUI will be delivered via Google Forms and you will be required to respond to or acknowledge items therein. Your response will be time-stamped and one question on the WAQUI will serve as the SPT Content Review portion for the MTH 497, SPT Skills and Strategies Course. Kudos A Kudo is a form that SPTs can fill out when they deem that a fellow co-worker did something that requires recognition. This template can be found in the template library on the google drive and should be filled out whenever you see that an action is deserving of a kudo. After you finish filling out the prompts, you will send the kudo to your Lead. Creating a Kudos - Informational Video Internal Memorandum Created as homework for your SPT Skills and Strategies Course, the Internal Memorandum is designed to communicate how the professor for your course is doing engaging students in the classroom. It covers areas of excellence as well as areas for instructional improvement becomes part of the overall course record.

Personnel Files Each OpSTEM student staff person will now have a personnel file that they can use to store important records, kudos, letters of recommendation, hiring documentation, course certificates and all important records related to your employment (including each document listed below). Your file will be stored in the OneDrive and made accessible to you and your current Lead SPTs via SharePoint. All documents will be stored in PDF format to ensure the integrity of the information. File access will be modified each semester as section configurations change.

Classroom Observations Classroom Observations are another requirement of the STP Skills and Strategies Course. Each SPT is required to observe at least one SPT session facilitated by other SPTs and write a critique of the class. Additionally, your Lead SPTs, the SPT Coordinator, and Dr. Carver will regularly observe classes to provide feedback. Following each observation, the SPT Team will meet with the observer to discuss the elements of their visit.

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SPT Accountability Report (SAR) The SAR is a familiar document used by Lead SPTs to record that all of the required SPT documentation, forms and records are up-to-date and thorough.

Performance & Evaluation At the end of each semester, you will be asked to complete a self-evaluation and submit it to Dr. Carver (Precalculus) or Mr. Amador (Calculus) for their review. Following the submission of your self-evaluation, you and Dr. Carver or Mr. Amador will have a one-on-one meeting discuss elements of your self-evaluation and reflect on the semester as a whole. PDF copies of your self-evaluation with supervisor comments will then be placed in your personnel file.

Office Equipment Printing and Photocopying in RT 1444a There is a black and white Xerox machine in RT 1444a that you may use for printing, copying, scanning and emailing documents. You can print directly from your personal laptop, you must add the printer. The name of the printer you want to install is 1447-5955-PS.

➢ Mac Users – go to the Printers Menu in System Preferences ➢ PC Users – go to Devices and Printers in the Control Panel ➢ Choose “Add a Printer” (PC) or the “+” sign on your Mac. Google “Xerox 5955 Printer Drivers”

and you will see the download page. Go to the page and download the “Web-Based Print Driver Installer.” When the installer is finished downloading, double click it to begin installing the driver.

➢ The driver software will search for the printer, but if it isn’t located, you must add the printer driver. Choose the “Enter IP Address” tab and enter 137.148.126.37. Follow the instructions to complete the installation and you are ready to go!

In order to use the printer, you must be connected through the 4CSUUseOnly Wi-Fi rather than CSU Guest Wi-Fi. Log in to the Wi-Fi using your CSU ID and CampusNet password. Remember that if you have recently changed your CampusNet password, you must change your Wi-Fi login password as well. In the Copy Room (RT 1444a) you will find ample supplies of white paper, colored paper as well as staplers, paper cutters and the supplies for creating classroom handouts. Toner cartridges are kept in the room as well as all of our kitchen equipment such as a small refrigerator, microwave, hot water kettle, toaster and Keurig coffee machine. If you have any questions about how to use the equipment, please another SPT or Mr. Amador for help. Copy Room Use Rules

▪ Treat all office equipment and appliances with care. ▪ Be courteous of your colleagues when using equipment -- collect what you need immediately, put the

equipment back where it belongs, clean up after yourself, refill empty supplies, etc. ▪ Do not leave print jobs to run by themselves – it is very disconcerting to try to print and find that a

colleague has left a job incomplete because the printer ran out of paper or there is a jam. If you can’t fix it, find someone to help you.

▪ Print only what you need to minimize waste. Recycle paper that you no longer need. ▪ Do not remove equipment from this room. ▪ Be certain to pick up your materials as soon as they are printed – particularly FERPA protected

materials.

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▪ If you have very sensitive material to print, you might ask Dr. Carver or Mr. Amador to print for you as they have printers at their desks.

▪ Do not use OpSTEM printers to print lengthy materials or texts from your other classes. We have a budget.

Refrigerator Rules Feel free to store your perishable food in the fridge. Write your name on the food as well as the date. All perishable items will be thrown out every Friday afternoon – we are neither approved for nor have we taken the required CITI training that would allow us to participate in biological experimentation.

Privacy and Ethics (FERPA) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act SPTs must complete a BlackBoard training module (FERPA Tutorial and the associated Knowledge Check) at the start of their employment. We require our SPTs to retake the training annually. Everyone is expected to adhere to the policies and regulations set forth by FERPA at all times. This is a federal law that guarantees the confidentiality of student records. Student Employees must not, under any circumstances, release student information to anyone (including parents and employers), unless they have been instructed to do so by their supervisor. Any student employee who violates any portion of this law will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. CSU’s Expectations As an employee of Cleveland State University, there are expectations that we are all, as a community, required to fulfill. Student Code of Conduct All students should be familiar with and abide by the University’s Student Conduct Code. This is available on the CSU website. csuohio.edu/compliance/student-code-conduct. Confidentiality The files and records that you may view during the work day are protected by FERPA. They are confidential and should not be discussed outside of the office. In the course of your job, you may see such things as class registration, grades, and employment information for fellow classmates. Federal law requires you to keep confidential any information you have access to. Any student employee who violates this rule will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. Discrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement As a member of the Student Employment Program, it is essential that you respect the diversity that every individual brings to the University. Cleveland State University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and education. No person at the University will be denied opportunity for employment or education or be subject to discrimination in any project, program, or activity because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, handicap or disability, disabled veteran, Vietnam era veteran or protected veteran status. Any student employee who violates any portion of this protocol will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. Any student employee who believes he/she has been subjected to discrimination may contact the Office for Institutional Equity at 216-687-2223. Drug Free Workplace As a recipient of Federal grants, CSU has developed a drug-free workplace statement, which can be found at: http://www.csuohio.edu/sites/default/files/media/police/documents/12PoliciesSaferCampus.pdf

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Complementary Trainings Offered to SPTs Student Safe Space Training The purpose of Cleveland State University’s Student Safe Space Program is to create visible peer support and awareness of, for, and among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) students. Learn more at: http://www.csuohio.edu/studentlife/safe-space

A.L.I.C.E Training According to the latest FBI statistics dated 24SEP14, there have been 160 incidents of Active Shooters from 2000 to 2013. In the first seven years of the millennium there was an average of six incidents per year, the last seven years show an increase of sixteen per year. Twenty-nine percent of those incidents have occurred at Academic Institutions, including higher education. Cleveland State University Police have acknowledged and responded to this statistic by introducing ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Information, Counter, Escape) training to our campus in 2013. We feel that in today’s world the Active Shooter or Active Killer, as we teach it, is the greatest threat/danger that our students, staff, faculty, and visitors will face while on campus. https://www.csuohio.edu/police/alice-training Mental Health First Aid by Recovery Resources Just as CPR helps you assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help. http://www.recres.org/Trainings

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Veteran Tips for New and Returning SPTs On Learning ▪ Be open to suggestions. ▪ Try to understand how a struggling student learns. This is the first time they are seeing this material. ▪ Always have a learning attitude. No matter how good you are with the material and SPTing, you will always

get to learn something new. You will get the opportunity to make yourself better every day. ▪ Listen carefully when sitting in on each lecture. It will give you a good understanding of how the material is

being presented to the class and you can go from that to make sure what you say isn't conflicting or confusing.

▪ Expect to learn more from teaching than just sitting through a lecture. You'll find that the material is clear and more understandable from an instructor's perspective. Try to get the students to do the same. You learn so much more when you teach the material because a step-by-step understanding is a must. Each one teach one.

On Students ▪ Get to know your students, joke with them, converse non-mathematically with them. The more

comfortable they are with you, the more they'll respect you and be willing to learn from you. ▪ Students’ misbehavior or poor performance is not a reflection of you. ▪ If you do not project respect, you will not receive any from an adolescent. ▪ At the end of the day, you can't help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves. What you can do is

help them realize that they do and that's what you are there for. ▪ Hold students accountable. Sometimes, students will say they will do something, such as study harder or

get homework done earlier, but won't. Check in on them periodically and ensure they do what they say. ▪ Students are like spiders. They are more scared of you than you are of them. BUT they will swarm if given

the opportunity. You have to be versed in the content or they'll eat you alive! ▪ Try to instill confidence in your students. If students lack confidence or motivation in the work they are

doing, they will not do well. ▪ Treat students as equals as this will bridge the gap between mentor and mentee and will create a mutual

respect. ▪ Build a relationship with your students beyond the classroom and they will be more open to your advice in

and about the class. On Communication ▪ Communicate what you need (with a partner SPT, instructor, and OpSTEM supervisors). ▪ Be sure to clearly state your hours for communication to all of your students. ▪ Always communicate with your partner SPT and your Lead SPT. ▪ Remember to take time for yourself and don't be afraid to ask for help if the work load is too much ▪ Talk to others around you and use the resources we have for you. If you ever get stuck there is always

someone else with an idea that can help you out. ▪ Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes it takes an outside view to know what will and won't work. ▪ Do not be afraid to ask questions... we are all in the same shoes and love to help one another out. ▪ Talk to your students. Having a good relationship (though kept professional) is key to making them feel

comfortable with coming to you with questions they have. It also allows you to see the points they are struggling with easier so you can better help them.

▪ A good SPT has to be a good communicator. Communication comprises of both speaking and LISTENING. ▪ Make sure to communicate with your fellow SPTs and split work evenly. Have the sessions planned out in

advance and know what your role is.

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On Preparation & Planning ▪ The solution keys are imperative. Yeah, who wants to do them? They are essential for teaching and,

anyway, you MUST know the tricky steps in the problem in advances to best help your students. ▪ The first couple weeks are always crazy. Don’t let it intimidate or stress you out. You will find your routine,

just give it some time. ▪ Fake it till you make it works on everything but the material, make sure to review before you go into

session. ▪ Don’t procrastinate, it will come back to bite you hard. ▪ Time management; it is very important to lay out a schedule of all of your responsibilities as an SPT and as

a student. It will be much more challenging to succeed if you don't. Trust me. ▪ Try to handle your responsibilities as they are assigned. This is something to keep in mind with both SPT

work and your personal classwork. Both have a habit of snowballing if you put them off too much. The sooner you handle things (i.e., homework, 'the eBinder', projects/papers) the faster they are out of the way, and the less you have to stress about them.

▪ Make sure to be prepared for class with all the materials you need in advance. Always have a backup plan. Prepare more than you think they can do in one session. They’ll surprise you.

In the Classroom ▪ Set a tone at the beginning of the semester. Yes, you're there to help as much as possible but students can

intimidate a new instructor in various ways. Show them right away that this is your class and it will be run your way, even though we're always up for suggestions. Respect is earned and is hard to establish once disrespect presents itself. So, establish mutual respect right away. You will make mistakes in front of students. Don’t freak out. It shows them that you, too, are human and messing up is okay, giving up is not.

▪ If there is ever time when, for whatever reason, you feel uncomfortable being in front of your class be sure to let someone know.

▪ A precedent is the most important tool you have, but if you fail to use it the first time, or you slack off with it, then you can consider it useless until the next semester.

▪ Maintain a positive attitude. When you exude positivity it becomes easier for others to exude positivity. This in turn actually causes you to think positively.

▪ You are allowed to be wrong. Showing your students you are human will make them more likely to approach you with questions.

▪ Be confident. How do you get there? Know the material, practice, know what you want to communicate. ▪ Just be helpful as you can to your students. It is all we can really do. ▪ Try to boost your students’ math confidence by giving them problems that they already know how to solve

before introducing new topics. Concepts in math build on each other so it is important to make sure that the students understand the necessary prerequisite ideas. Sometimes students have the ability to solve math problems but lack the confidence because of math anxiety.

▪ When helping a student try not to always just answers their questions, but instead try to guide them to the answer by asking them questions, [such as how do we get x alone? (multiply, divide, subtract, add. Whatever it may be for the specific problem.) How can we add/subtract fractions with different denominators? (Get a common denominator)] By asking students questions you are teaching them to access their own knowledge on the material and helping to solidify the concept in their memory. Don't be afraid to repeat rules and concepts over and over. Repetition is a very powerful learning tool!

▪ Make sure you and your partner(s) establish yourselves in the classroom. Set ground rules such as contacting hours from day one. Good teacher-student relationships make the SPT sessions much easier.

▪ Take notes of your own during the lecture. These may serve as a refresher for material that hasn't been touched in a while. You may be more confident in your approach of the material after relearning it via the professor, seeing the professor teach it a different way, or just by doing answer keys yourself.

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▪ Always keep the students engaged in the discussion by asking a lot of questions at every step in a math problem but don't overdo it or they will feel like you are doubting their knowledge.

On Keeping Your Sanity ▪ Focus on the job and your students, but not too much, remember that your own course work is very

important and that you are a student also. ▪ Have a game plan. Whether it's for the day's lesson, the week's responsibilities, or the entire semester,

having a game plan from the start will help keep you on track and moving forward without feeling overwhelmed.

▪ Work with your partner. The other SPTs are there to help you as much as they are there to help the class. If you are having trouble keeping up with a task, knowing the material, answering a question, or even just feeling uncomfortable standing in front of the class for a day, talk to your partner SPT and work something out. We're all here for each other.

▪ It is okay to not know all of the answers to questions the students ask. You can seek help from your fellow SPT's, the professor, or look to google for help!

▪ You are not perfect. You may mess up on an explanation but you're paired with fellow SPTs for a reason. They are your rock. Your support! You love them and they love you! (*Disclaimer* The previous statement may not hold true for all SPT pairings/group.)

▪ Don't let training overwhelm you. The job is not only manageable, it is fun

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Glossary of OpSTEM Acronyms ACR/CCR – Algebra (or Calculus) Concept Review: This is a quick test of the student’s comprehension of an essential topic or ability to perform an essential math skill for the material(s) at hand.

ALEKS – Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces: ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to provide the artificially intelligent lessons specifically designed for students in our Precalculus courses. All grading is conveniently kept in ALEKS.

ALICE – Alert, Lockdown, Information, Counter, Escape Training: ALICE Training is offered through the CSU Police Department and teaches CSU staff, students and faculty how to handle an active shooter situation.

FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: FERPA protects the privacy rights of adult students. We offer on-line FERPA training each semester.

HCC – Homework Completion Challenge: The HCC is designed to encourage students to do all of their homework on time every time.

IFF – InFraction Form: The IFF (or the “if and only if” for the logicians among us) is OpSTEM’s internal documentation form for disciplinary action. If and only if you hadn’t …

LSAMP – Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation: LSAMP is a program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support underrepresented populations working toward degrees in STEM fields.

NSF – National Science Foundation: is the Federal government agency that provided the initial funding for OpSTEM and ongoing funding for LSAMP.

OpSTEM – Operation STEM: OpSTEM is CSU’s unique program supporting our STEM majors through their calculus classes and beyond!

RCT – Respective Course Team: This is the group of people who all SPT for the same MTH course, e.g., there are RCTs for each of MTH 149, 167, 168, 181 or 182.

SAR – SPT Accountability Report: The SAR is the report that Lead SPTs file regarding the progress of SPT teams.

SPT – STEM Peer Teacher: SPTs are the lifeblood of OpSTEM. See your job description for more info.

STEM – Science Technology Engineering and Math: Degrees in these fields are why we are here!

WAQUII – Weekly Admin Questionnaire, Update and Interesting Info: This is a Google Form you read and respond to each week prior to the SPT Skills and Strategies Class that updates you on all things OpSTEM Administration

WeBWork – Is an open-source homework system for math and science used at CSU for all of the Calculus series.

WRH – Weekly Review Homework: A short little ditty assigned by SPTs to ensure students understand the foundational mathematics for new concepts.

WTG – Weekly Task Grid: The WTG a form used by your SPT team to organize yourselves for the week and document getting it done.