Training for the Classroom
Because First-Year Leaders co-teach UT Dallas Freshman Seminars alongside faculty and staff course instructors, they need the best training possible to thrive as leaders, facilitators, and mentors.
Our two-semester training program is designed to teach an important skill set to newly recruited FYLs, ensuring they’re prepared to develop creative lesson plans, lead engaging classroom activities and discussions, and mentor with thoughtfulness and empathy.
Spring Semester Training: UNIV 4074
In UNIV 4074: Student Leadership — a 0-credit, 2-hour training course that meets once a week throughout the spring semester — we teach FYLs the ins and outs of lesson planning, classroom management, student engagement, public speaking, team-based collaboration, and mentoring.
As the semester progresses, FYLs get to know their peers through class activities, group discussions, and one-on-one conversations. The course culminates with several weeks of mock classroom demonstrations, ensuring FYLs put what they’ve learned into practice and gain experience creating effective lesson plans, leading engaging class activities, and facilitating productive discussions.
Fall Semester Training: UNIV 4076
In UNIV 4076: Advanced Student Leadership — a 0-credit, 50-minute training course that meets once a week throughout the fall semester — FYLs continue to hone their skills in teaching and mentoring while learning more about communication, active listening, one-on-one mentoring, conflict resolution, and other important topics.
This course allows FYLs to listen to and learn from their peers as they share stories about their experiences teaching students, leading classroom activities, collaborating with course instructors and their fellow FYLs, and meeting up with their students for one-on-one conversations.