I had some difficulty deciding what I wanted to do for my Honors Contract for the Fall 2023 semester. This would be my very first Honors Contract as well as my first semester in the Honors College. It was a brand new world to me and I didn't know how to explore it. I decided to get down to business and think up my first Honors Contract as soon as I could so that I would have plenty of time to perfect my work. With the help of my friend, I choose to transform my Organic Chemistry course into an honors course by making study guides and hosting study sessions our tests.
I was very lucky to have the professor that I did. Dr. Ward was more than helpful in getting me started even though it was also her first time working with an honors student. We decided that I would create the study materials for two out of the three tests. I went about this by creating weekly condensed notes. A week before the tests, I collected my materials and began composing a study guide. With the help of Dr. Ward's reviews, I finalized the study guides and sent them out to the class.
In the days before the test, I hosted a study session. In this session, I answered any questions that other students had about the material and guided them through practice problems. I had to have a thorough understanding of the material to do this. I spent extra time every week of the semester in order to prepare myself for not only these sessions, but also the tests. I was praised by both Dr. Ward and the students that I helped on my ability to do so. They admired my dedication to learning and helping others learn.
I loved doing this Honors Contract. It helped my in multiple ways. I passed an extremely difficult class with an exceptional grade and I helped other students to improve their understanding of Organic Chemistry. I was a little surprised to see that I enjoyed teaching my peers. I have been the "go-to" for help in science courses for many years so at this point, I knew that I learned through teaching. The difference with this situation was that I enjoyed seeing the improvements of others. One of the students I helped told me that I was one of the reasons their grade improved. Of all the results this project brought, that was the most satisfying.
After completing Organic Chemistry in my sophomore year, I applied to to a Peer Led Team Learning Leader (PLTL) for the course. I was delighted to receive the position and start working in my junior year. By the time I graduate, I will have taught five different sections of Organic Chemistry 1 PLTL. This has been a meaningful and rewarding role for me. I love being able to help students through a difficult course, seeing them grow and succeed over the course of a semster. This position has helped me develop my leadership and mentoring skills.