PTY Mentorship Immersion – Peer Guide Opportunity
Department: Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth
Program: Mentorship Immersion: A Virtual Research Experience
Job Title: Peer Guide Teaching Assistant
About Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth (PTY):
PTY is a department within Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. PTY provides accelerated academic programming for students in grades K-12 as well professional development for teachers and administrators. In a typical program year PTY supports over 1000 students through Saturday and summer on-campus opportunities, including middle and high school residential experiences. PTY now offers online opportunities as well. More information about Programs for Talented Youth can be found on the department website: https://pty.vanderbilt.edu/
About the Mentorship Immersion Program:
The Mentor Immersion program through Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth is a unique virtual experience that offers high school students in-depth exposure in a field and the opportunity to engage in scholarly research with a content expert. This rigorous online program is designed for students in grades 10-12. This is the inaugural program session, and the first cohort runs from January 2021 to June 2021.
Our unique mentorship experiences are outlined on the PTY website. After a competitive application review, students are selected for a mentorship. We encourage students to apply for a mentorship based on their interest. Admitted students will work with their mentor throughout the program and spend 2 hours each week engaging in synchronous learning and discussion with their mentor and 2-5 other students in the same mentorship experience. The peer guide will be present in all session meetings and will support the mentor and student participants through a variety of tasks that promote engagement, project activities, and feedback. The weekly synchronous sessions will allow students to learn more about the content area and what it means to work in the selected field of study. The experiences and conversations in the early weeks of the program will lay the foundation for each student to complete an independent research or culminating project, under the guidance of their mentor with support from the peer guide. Participants will present their completed projects to their mentor, peer guide, and other Vanderbilt faculty and staff either virtually or on campus during Summer 2021. Peer guides are not required to travel to campus for the student culminating projects but will be asked to attend virtually. If in-person presentations are an option, peer guides will have the option to attend in person as well, although travel is at their own expense.
To learn more about the Mentor Immersion program, visit the Mentor Immersion webpage.
Job Description:
The Peer Guide for Mentorship Immersion works virtually with one of the assigned mentors (a content expert who is typically an advanced graduate student or professor) and PTY staff to ensure that students are appropriately challenged and supported during their time in the virtual program. Peer guides will receive a paid 2-hour training (conducted virtually) prior to the start of the program that will detail how to support their mentor and the mentees. Peer mentors are required to be present for the weekly 2-hour mentor/mentee live virtual session as well as be available for a one-hour virtual “office hour” each week. The 2-hour weekly meeting time varies by mentor. However, all mentors have listed their session times with their mentorship descriptions: https://pty.vanderbilt.edu/for-students/mentor-immersion/mentor-immersion-experiences/
Peer guides can expect to work an average of 3-5 hours per week.
We ask that those interested in the peer guide position show interest through the link at the bottom of this document. We ask that those interested only show interest in mentorships that align with their background and that meet during a time they are available. The one hour weekly office hour will be scheduled later once the mentor and peer guide have been partnered. The mentor and peer guide will work with the mentor to determine an office hour time that works well for all parties, including the mentees.
Why Be A Peer Guide?
You can:
● Make a difference through investing in the lives of academically advanced and passionate
high school students in a mutual area of interest.
● Assist advanced high school students with independent research or project creation.
● Learn alongside a mentor who is an expert in their field.
● Immerse yourself in an area of strength and passion with others who are also excited about a specific content area.
Expectations:
Within their wide array of duties and responsibilities, Mentorship Immersion Peer Guides will have four domains of responsibility:
1. Program Support
• Supervise students in the virtual setting
• Provide accountability to students and support the mentor in honoring program schedules and policies
• Implement program and university policies about the protection of minors
• Provide additional support as determined by PTY administrative staff
• Communicate program concerns to PTY administration in a timely manner
2. Logistical Support
• Assist with technology requirements of virtual sessions
• Assist with set up for virtual labs, discussions; support students with technical issues
• Fulfill other duties necessary to assist with smooth operations of the virtual classroom
3. Pedagogical Support:
• Assist with differentiated instruction or material distribution
• Work with the mentor to develop short teaching/breakout models as appropriate
• Coordinate meetings with mentors prior to the program and throughout the program to help prepare for the sessions
• Troubleshoot with the mentor as instructional concerns or issues arise
4. Student Support
• Liaise with appropriate staff about students’ socio-emotional and academic concerns
• Support students during office hours with the support of the mentor
• Assist with motivation and progress check-ins for final projects/independent research
Qualifications:
• Master or PhD students preferred. Those showing interest must have a background in the specific mentorship course/field
• Those showing interest may be internal or external to Vanderbilt University
Other information:
• Pay: $14.50/hour
• Weekly time commitment of 3-5 hours January 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020
Questions: mark.m.shivers@vanderbilt.edu
To show interest in this opportunity, please complete the survey link below. Be prepared to upload a resume and cover letter.
Survey Link