Contact Us
Room : E-Building, 115Q
Phone : (718) 482-5215
api@lagcc.cuny.edu
Academic Peer Instruction (API) is a peer program modeled after a nationally recognized Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. We are proud to say that API has helped students succeed in their courses at LaGuardia since 1993. It is free to all students enrolled in “high-risk” API – linked courses.
The program’s mission is to improve students’ academic performance in high-risk courses and foster independent learning to prepare students to become high-performing students in future courses.
The application for Spring 2025 is now open.
How Does API Work?
API aims to pair high-performing students with students enrolled in high-risk courses and, through this collaboration, foster independent learning. We arm our tutors with techniques to facilitate their student’s learning experience and tailor their review of the material to different methods and preferences.
API is modeled after an internationally recognized program called Supplemental Instruction (SI), which takes a non-remedial approach to learning by integrating “what to learn” with “how to learn.” Traditionally SI consists of regularly scheduled, voluntary, out-of-class group study sessions. Sessions are facilitated by trained peer leaders who utilize collaborative activities to ensure peer-to-peer interaction in small groups.
SI is not peer tutoring; instead, the SI model was adapted to fit new, potentially best practices that serve the complex needs of the LaGuardia College student population. As an Academic Peer leader, you are expected to:
- Audit class hours to connect with students and take notes
- Provide voluntary, out-of-class tutoring sessions
- Attend weekly check-in and weekly group training
- Prepare Topics for your session
We hire students before the start of a semester and provide a pre-semester and weekly check-in and training during the semester in collaborative learning techniques. All tutors are observed and mentored throughout the semester. Since all of our tutors start as LaGuardia students, they know their students’ needs.
Mathematics
MAT 115
Chemistry
SCC 201
Biology
SCB 201
How Does API Work?
API aims to pair high-performing students with students enrolled in high-risk courses and, through this collaboration, foster independent learning. We arm our tutors with techniques to facilitate their student’s learning experience and tailor their review of the material to different methods and preferences.
API is modeled after an internationally recognized program called Supplemental Instruction (SI), which takes a non-remedial approach to learning by integrating “what to learn” with “how to learn.” Traditionally SI consists of regularly scheduled, voluntary, out-of-class group study sessions. Sessions are facilitated by trained peer leaders who utilize collaborative activities to ensure peer-to-peer interaction in small groups.
SI is not peer tutoring; instead, the SI model was adapted to fit new, potentially best practices that serve the complex needs of the LaGuardia College student population. As an Academic Peer leader, you are expected to:
- Audit class hours to connect with students and take notes
- Provide voluntary, out-of-class tutoring sessions
- Attend weekly check-in and weekly group training
- Prepare Topics for your session
We hire students before the start of a semester and provide a pre-semester and weekly check-in and training during the semester in collaborative learning techniques. All tutors are observed and mentored throughout the semester. Since all of our tutors start as LaGuardia students, they know their students’ needs.
Mathematics and Engineering
MAT 115, MAT 120, MAT 200, MAT 201, MAT 231, MAE 213
Business
BTA 111, BTA 112
Biology/Anatomy and Physiology
SCB 201, SCB 202, SCB 203, SCB 204
Chemistry and Physics
SCC 110, SCC 201, SCP 231
Nursing
SCR 110, SCR 210
Computer Science
MAC 101, MAC 125, MAC 190
Become an API Leader
Our Application is open for the 2023-2024 academic year!
- Your GPA is 3.0 or above
- You completed a “high risk” or challenging course and received a grade of B+ or better
- You can devote about 10 hours a week of your time to help others
Please email your current resume or CV, most recent unofficial transcript (obtained through your CUNYfirst account) and one letter of recommendation to API@lagcc.cuny.edu.
- Develop leadership skills
- Strengthen your knowledge in the subject you tutor
- Enjoy the good feeling of having helped other students improve their grades
- Join a community of other excellent students – API Leaders
- Gain valuable teaching/tutoring experience and strengthen your self-confidence – many of our leaders have successfully transferred to top colleges thanks to their role as API leaders
- Be paid for your efforts
- If you are hired, you will be contacted by the API team via phone and email
- You will need to choose a section and fill out the paperwork with human resources
- You will need to attend two days of training before the semester starts to learn about how the program runs
- When the semester starts, you will choose tutoring hours that match your schedule and your student’s
schedule - You will attend all of our weekly training meetings to work on professional development and troubleshooting
- Have fun helping your fellow students succeed in a course you did well in
- Students sitting around a table
Department Contacts
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Julian Adames-Ng | Director and Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Engineering, and Computer Science |
| Md Abidur Mollah | Program Assistant |
| Ivana Kragul | Program Assistant |