Learning Assistant Assignment

Many college students struggle in math because they are not used to the fast-paced classes and challenging work. Boise State University offers learning assistants to guide students and help them understand the concepts taught in class.

Josie Derrick is a sophomore at BSU and currently majoring in mathematics. She began conducting math sessions in the 2016 spring semester. The opportunity to be a LA was one she couldn’t pass up. “I want to be a Math teacher, so being able to help student understand concepts is really helpful, and it’s better than being a tutor because I get to help them understand the process.”

Learning assistants come from a variety of departments, including math and science. They attend the class they are assigned to, along with their regular classes. Here, they act as a

Although this may seem comical at first, she explained that the reason she loves whiteboard markers is because they allow everyone to see a problem and make changes. Grinning, she added; “You can also make other people come up and write on the whiteboard.”

One element of learning sessions that Josie especially dislikes is that “it’s supposed to be more student guided than teacher guided, but the students want the learning assistant to guide them because that is how class is run.” This can be seen during the actual sessions. In the beginning, some students are hesitant to actively participate; however, when they do, the sessions flourish. The students are willing to hearing other’s ideas and the tips that Josie has to share with them.

Josie is a supporter. She nudges the students in the right direction and gives hints, without revealing everything. For some students, they just need help understanding the concepts that are taught during class. Others want to know why different techniques are used. Being a learning assistant provides Josie the opportunity to improve in her field while helping others