Jenn Fantasia, Chemistry SI Leader

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

Jenn: I am a Biology major with a minor in Chinese Language. I have been an SI leader for two semesters, during which I worked with Professor Hirzy's General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II sections. Yes, my favorite show growing up was The Magic School Bus. In fact, it might still be my favorite TV show.

Q: What do you do as an SI leader? How do you prepare, and how do you run your sessions?

Jenn: As an SI leader I try to help the students fully understand the material covered in lecture--and that means making sure they can apply concepts and problem solving strategies by themselves, on practice problems. My sessions generally include a little review of the lecture and then working over the concepts/problems on the homework that students had trouble with. We work as a group to solve problems, and after each problem, we'll review the step-by-step strategy. It's a very relaxed, comfortable setting, peer-to-peer.

Q: What do you like best about SI, and what do you like best about being a leader?

Jenn: I like that SI teaches students strategies for learning that can be applied to any subject or course. One of those strategies is teaching people how to work together in a group. Each person may understand one aspect of the problem, and if they work together as group, each individual will leave the session knowing how to solve the problem by him- or herself and will be prepared for the test. That's active learning and that way the students retain the strategy or the process. SI is a really comfortable environment to work out any kinks or confusion, without the stress of grades. I really enjoy being an SI leader because I love science, and it makes me sad when students allow some confusion about a topic to turn into a dislike of the topic. I believe that everyone secretly loves chemistry; they just don't realize it yet. The best moments are when you are explaining something, for the third time, a third way, and you see the "Ah-ha" expression.

Q: What do you plan to do after you graduate? How helpful will your SI experience be?

Jenn: After I graduate, I plan to apply to medical school, with a strong interest towards biomedical research. Or I might take some more time to teach English in China. Either way, SI has taught me a lot about being a leader, being sensitive to group dynamics, and how to think differently. You'll definitely come out with better interpersonal skills than you have before and you'll be more confident about yourself and your own skills. For me in particular, working as the SI leader for the General Chemistry courses also helped me study for the MCAT (the medical school entrance exam) because the best way to truly understand a topic is to be able to teach it well.