Reflections on a "Camp-Style Experience" for New RAs

This fall we brought our new RAs back a couple of days earlier than our returners. This year's Training and Development Committee recently reconstructed RA training from a completely different perspective (see my previous post about evaluation and job description tie-ins) than has been done in recent years and we had a few goals in mind when we decided to bring the new folks back first:

1. We wanted to get them pumped and excited for the coming year without the (sometimes understandable) curmudgeon commentary that returners can bring to the table.

2. We wanted to spare the returners the bare bones training that the new RAs need, such as how to use our computer systems, what being an RA means from a beginner perspective, rudimentary time-management skills and basic policy instruction.

3. We wanted to accurately assess how effective our new training style is without muddying the data with returner input. Basically, the new RAs are the first to go through this training model without any prior knowledge of how we trained RAs in the past and we wanted to get pure data on what they knew beforehand and what they know afterward so as best to assess the value added by the training.*

4. We wanted all of the RAs to get at least a small amount of experience with having a roommate and with community-style baths (most live alone and some live in halls with private or shared baths).

5. We recently added a Senior RA position that taps returning RAs who have demonstrated high levels of aptitude and understanding about the position and why we have it and to provide an opportunity for further professional development for our all-star RAs. We had these SRAs act as the RAs for the new RAs during this camp process and lead them in small-group activities designed to enhance the experience. We wanted to provide the new RAs with mentorship right away and to provide the SRAs with an opportunity to immediately put their leadership skills to use.

Tonight was night one. The camp-style experience is taking place in my building as we speak. Despite my building not being ADA accessible and having a new RA who just injured her leg; despite the RAs (both new and Senior) who don't live in my building not having access because the security swipe panels on my building are undergoing an ill-timed upgrade, and despite the SRA position being completely new and the SRAs only having a half day of training on what we expect from them, the experience has been wonderful.

The RAs all rolled with the access punches. The check-in process was chaotic but, all-in-all, pretty smooth administratively (I'll let you know if I get all of my keys back in the correct spot!). The SRAs are tired but fulfilled because of the experience of leading the small groups. The new RAs are highly energized.

Right now there is a game of UT-themed Mafia happening in my lounge. So far it has been a great return on our investment of time and energy to plan this. And I think we've instilled in the RAs, whether Senior or new, that community is important and that structure mixed with a healthy dose of adaptability is the key to successful programming.

More to come as events unfold!



*For you hardcore assessment folks, no we didn't really build in a step to assess HOW that value was added but we plan to get there eventually.

For People Who Struggle with Evaluations

Sometimes something hits you so squarely in the face that you wonder how you hadn't seen it all along. As a co-chair of our RA Training committee for the past few months, I've had the opportunity to be part of a fabulous process wherein we deconstructed RA training and built it from the ground up on the RAs' job descriptions and on how we evaluate them by, *gasp*, using the RA yearly evaluation to inform what we taught our RAs during training. That has been a phenomenal process and we were even able to streamline and condense a monstrous training into a svelte nine-day affair.

That being said, I recently had to cancel all of my one-on-ones with my summer RAs because it's Hall Coordinator and RA training season and I just didn't have the time any longer. So I instituted weekly reports instead. Now, during the year I meet semi-monthly with my RAs and have them send in a weekly report e-mail during the off weeks. For the summer -- because of its shortness and the fewer residents per RA -- I did away with weeklies to give the summer RAs time to enjoy life at a summer's pace. But I had an epiphany about the weeklies and decided to, *gasp*, use the RA evaluation to inform how I structured the weekly report template.

For example: One of the facets of the position on which we evaluate our RAs is how well they've been a Counselor to their residents. So one of the questions on the template asks them to tell me how they've been a Counselor during the past week and I provide examples drawn from the categories listed underneath "Counselor" on the evaluation. I have the hardest time filling out evaluations with meaningful commentary so I figure this will give me documentation of things they've done (and probably done well if they're volunteering the information!).

Just thought I'd share that nugget of wisdom. I shared it at a staff meeting today and everyone was amazed and took a note, even though I thought I would be the last one to realize we should do things that way.

People of Influence

I saw this quote on a colleague's Facebook wall, and I loved it immediately.
(I hope you do, too.)

"You don't have to be a 'person of influence' to be influential.  The most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they've taught me."      - Scott Adams 

It struck a chord with me.  Sometimes I get caught up in the idea of Trying to Make a Difference, when really, we are people who make a difference every day, just by being who we are.

Strange Social Media Habits

I posted this video/article combo to my Facebook page a few weeks ago, and thought it was worth sharing here, too.  I think it's a different approach to talking to students about what to share/not to share online.  They've all heard the Don't Go Crazy Online schpeal no less than 100 times, and thus have stopped listening to it.  Perhaps if we start from a different angle, they'll be more apt to listen? 

(The video is embedded here for your convienence, though I'd recommend a quick look through the article when you have a chance.  It is quite short and makes some good points.)