Honors Reading Seminar Leader Guide
UH 4104 | Spring 2016
Submit proposal form
Two weeks before semester starts
Respond to the call for proposals by Reading Seminar Coordinator, Amber Smith. The Honors staff will review your
proposal and suggest revisions. Complete these revisions before the semester begins.
Speak at organizational meeting
First day of classes
The Reading Seminar Organizational Meeting is where you will pitch your topic to interested Honors students, who
will then sign up for a particular reading seminar section. Practice your short speech in advance, and be ready to
answer questions. Bring your laptop so students can sign up for your section at the meeting. Do not leave this
meeting without deciding on a meeting time and place.
Attend leader training
After organizational meeting
This one-hour training meeting will teach you the basics of leading discussions about literature and managing group
dynamics. You will hear advice from former seminar leaders, and we will discuss the mid-semester leader training.
Finalize class list
Week 2
Make sure that everyone in your section is enrolled in UH 2124 on Hokie Spa and that they are listed under your
section on the Google doc sign-up sheet. After the last day to add a class, update the Google doc so that it accurately
reflects your class list in alphabetical order. Do the same with your Excel grade book.
Prepare and distribute reading schedule
Week 2
Figure out exactly what your group needs to read each week in order to cover all of your main texts and
supplementary material on time. Give these reading assignments to your group on the first week that you meet.
Have students sign up for CPs and DSs
Week 2
Pass around the sign-up sheet for context presentations and discussion starters. Make sure that every student is
signed up for one of each and understands what they need to do. Update this sheet if students add or drop your class
later. If you have a small section, and your students would like to sign up for additional weeks, they may do so. You
may also reserve unclaimed weeks for make-up classes or presentations, or you can lead those classes on your own.
Facilitate 13 class meetings
Throughout semester
Each reading seminar needs to meet 13 times: ideally once a week minus the first and last weeks of the semester. If
you cancel a class meeting, schedule a make-up meeting that everyone can attend. Record information about
attendance, participation, discussion starters, and context presentations in your Excel grade book every week.
As the seminar leader, you are responsible for creating an environment that fosters interactive, engaging discussions
about the literature you selected. Prepare thoroughly for each class. Find ways to engage all of your students, and be
creative. Do activities with your students to learn more about the books. Outside of the regular discussion starters,
you could ask students to bring in passages that interested them or outside articles.
Invite guests to your seminar
Early and often
Each seminar is required to invite at least one faculty member to join their discussion for a single seminar meeting.
We strongly encourage inviting two or more guests. Guest faculty can enhance the quality of your discussion by
introducing new perspectives or sharing relevant information. Invite your guests early in the semester when their
schedules are more flexible. Prepare them before they arrive. Tell them what an Honors Reading Seminar is, describe
what you will be discussing, and explain why you have invited them to join you. Do not ask them to prepare a lecture
for you (unless they want to)—they should be participants in your regular class discussion. Prepare your students for
guests by making sure they know who the guests are, their background, when they are coming, and what they might
be able to add to the discussion.
Submit midterm assignments on Scholar
Friday, February 26
Submit your Excel Grade Book. You should have the first half completed. Do not delete these records because you will
need to submit the whole semester’s grades at the end of the semester.
Submit a two-page leadership reflection. Use these questions to guide your narrative:
 Describe your leadership experience so far. How do you typically interact with your group? What have been
your best accomplishments? What has challenged you, and how are you approaching those challenges?
 Describe your students’ level of engagement. How do they interact with each other? Are any particularly
outstanding or concerning?
 How do you feel about the quality and intellectual rigor of your discussions? What do you think has led to that
level of quality and rigor? What do you think could improve it?
 What else would you like to share about your reading seminar?
Attend mid-semester leader training
Week 8: Date TBD
Share your successes, moments of learning, and questions with fellow reading seminar leaders and Amber Smith at
this mid-semester leader training (approximately 2 hours). We will focus on your development as leaders and work
through issues in your seminars. If you cannot attend, you will have a separate meeting with Amber Smith.
Pay attention to e-mail
Throughout semester
Amber Smith will contact you throughout the semester for time-sensitive updates about your group. For example, you
will need to update your class list after the last day to drop a class, and you may need to report whether anyone is
failing around Week 13. Please be ready to respond to these messages promptly.
Submit final assignments on Scholar
Submit your completed Excel Grade Book.
Monday, May 2
Submit your final two-page leadership reflection. This reflection should expand on your earlier reflection, note areas
of growth and change, and reflect on the semester as a whole. Use these questions to guide your narrative:
 What changes did you make based on feedback from the mid-semester training, Honors staff, or other
sources? What were the results of those changes?
 How did your conversation evolve over the course of the semester? What new critical questions did your
group discover? What were the overarching themes and conclusions of your discussions?
 How did your guests affect your discussions? When did they attend? Who did you invite, and why?
 Reflect on the overall engagement of your group. How did the group dynamics change over the course of the
semester? Was anyone particularly outstanding or concerning?
 Reflect on your experience as a leader of this group. What have been your best accomplishments? What
challenged you, and how did you approach those challenges? How will this experience influence your next
leadership role?
 What else would you like to share about your reading seminar?
Thank you for leading a University Honors Reading Seminar!
Please contact Amber Smith with any questions or concerns.
 azsmith@vt.edu
 (540) 231-4591
 Hillcrest 116 (appointments preferred)