What is Supplement Instruction?

Supplement Instruction (SI) is a voluntary academic assistance program, available free of charge to A&M-Commerce undergraduate students, that utilizes undergraduate Supplemental Instructor leaders in a group study atmosphere to assist student success in core level courses.  The Academic Success Center (ASC) identifies and targets core courses that typically produce a high rate of grades lower than a C and high rates of withdrawals or drops (DFW), such as Psychology 2301 or Math 1314. 

Supplemental Instruction is not a remedial program, for three reasons:

1. Supplemental Instruction supports high-risk courses, not individual high- risk students
2. All students enrolled in a course with SI are encouraged to attend SI sessions, not just high risk or low performing students
3. Supplemental Instruction starts the first day of the semester and continues to the end of term

What is the difference between a Tutor and a SI Leader?

SI Leaders (also know as Peer Educators) are assigned to a specific instructor and course whereas Tutors support general subject areas.

If you have an SI Leader assigned to your course, they will attend lecture and they will also schedule three to four weekly SI sessions that are specifically for your students.  The study sessions that the SI Leaders hold for your students will be based on the material you present in your courses; they will assist students to compare and clarify lecture notes, review textbook reading and discuss key course concepts.  They may also offer assistance with homework and other assignments. SI Leaders are assigned to assist with course that they, themselves, have successfully completed in a prior term.

Tutors are assigned to general subjects areas such as Biology, Organic Chemistry, or Physics-but they are not assigned to a specific instructors.  Tutors are available to assist all students during open (general) tutoring sessions.  

Syllabus insert:

There are Supplemental Instruction (SI) study sessions available for this course. These study groups are open to anyone enrolled in this course who would like to stay current with the course material and understand the material better. Attendance at these sessions is voluntary, but extremely beneficial and will count toward your required study hall hours. Times and locations for the study session can be found here: www.tamuc.edu/asc Students who attend these interactive sessions will find themselves working with peers as they compare notes, demonstrate and discuss pertinent problems and concepts, and share study and test-taking strategies. Students are asked to arrive with their lecture notes and questions to these informal, peer-led study sessions. 

Faculty SI Leader Handbook(for full document)

Student Disability