Coaching for Academic Success

1. Coaching for Academic Success Monique Gaudreault Louise Nadeau Nikki Clarke

2. Agenda • Exercise – Goal Setting • Coaching in a University Setting • Coaching versus Counselling • How we see our students • Solution Focused Coaching Process • Exercise – Life Wheel • Benefits of Coaching • Coaching Applications in a Post Secondary Education Setting

3. Exercise IDENTIFY • 2 personal goals & 2 professional goals What do you want to attain?

4. What IS Coaching in a University Setting? • Coaching is an ongoing partnership between the coach and the student that promotes change and a willingness to take action that brings about positive and lasting transformations in the student’s personal, academic and professional life. • Coaching offers a variety of techniques and strategies to help empower the student in their life. • Why is coaching a very effective tool for university students? • Action-oriented • Focuses on the positive • Draws on students’ strengths

5. Coaching VS. Counselling • The Role of the Counsellor: • Providing nurturing and caring support • Promoting healing • Assisting in the development of coping skills • Focuses on the past to improve present and future functioning • The Role of the Coach: • Being a catalyst for action • Acting as a motivator for change • Promoting the identification of action steps • Focuses on the present to improve the future and increase optimal functioning

6. How We See Our StudentsBased on Milton Erickson’s Five Principles • 1. Okayness principle – People are Okay, nothing is wrong • Not a deficit remediation model • Gives the power back to the student • Coach provides a mirror for the student’s strengths • 2. People already have all the resources within to be a success • Coach’s role is to help create awareness of these • Help students learn how to access these resources to increase learning • Atkinson, M, & Chois, R.

7. How We See Our StudentsBased on Milton Erickson’s Five Principles • 3. Behind every behavior there is a positive intention • Helps students understand the deeper meaning/value behind their behaviors • Helps students understand how a behavior is serving them • Helps separate the person from their behavior • 4. People always make the best choice available to them • Focuses on the here and now • Encourages students to see that regret and hindsight are not always helpful, unless it is for the purpose of learning - Atkinson, M, & Chois, R.

8. How We See Our StudentsBased on Milton Erickson’s Five Principles • 5. Change is not only possible, but inevitable • Encourages students to embrace and celebrate change • Helps students develop their flexibility and to learn what they do and do not have control over • Provides hope that change WILL happen, one must simply decide the course of change -Atkinson, M, & Chois, R.

9. Solution Focused Coaching Process 1. Build rapport with student 2. Develop a contract with a clear outcome 3. Create an experience 4. Develop action steps 5. Explore value for the student 6. Appreciate student From the Art and Science of Coaching; Erickson College

10. Building Rapport • Powerful questions • Listening • Being congruent in words and actions • Backtracking

11. Developing the Contract Open Ended Questions to ask students: • What do you want? • How would you know if you got it? • What might be some of the best ways that you could work towards it? • How important is it for you? How might you commit to it?

12. Goals • Is it stated in positive terms? • Is it within their control? • S.M.A.R.T. Goals • Check for ecology both from within and externally.

13. Create an Experience • Miracle question • Mentors Table • Time Shift • Value Clarification • Point of view shift • Wheel(s)

14. Exercise – Life Wheel

15. Action Steps • Develop action steps with the client

16. Explore Value for Student Possible questions to ask: - What are you taking away from our session today? - What are you leaving with? - What was helpful about the work we did together today? WHY? - Allows the student to process his/her own session - Gives the coach increased awareness and insight around the student.

17. Coach Appreciates Student - Coach reflects on what the student accomplished within the session and appreciates the work they did. - Coach is not a cheerleader but instead reinforces observable positive behavior.

18. How coaching relates to the U of O mandate • To facilitate the development of students personally, interpersonally, culturally, and academically • To develop programs and services to improve the quality of university experience • To create a stimulating environment conducive to academic success from year one to graduation

19. Coaching Applications in a Post-Secondary Setting • Mentoring Centres • Supervisor/Supervisee • Academic Advisors • Professors • Career Centres • Counselling Centres • Centre for University Teaching

20. Tips to Make Coaching a part of your life Check in with your values Often Act accordingly Concentrate on what you want Have Fun, Be Passionate Intuition; Trust it Never say never GO FOR IT

21. References • Claridge, M.T. & Lewis, T. Coaching for Effecive Learning. A Practical Guide for Teachers in Health and Social Care. • Atkinson, M, & Chois, R. Art & Science of Coaching : Step-by-Step System. Exalon Publilshing, Ltd., c2007. • Law, Ho et al. The Psychology of Coaching, Mentoring and Learning. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. C2007,. • Whitworth Laura & al. Co-active coaching : New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and Life. Palo Alto, California, Davies-Black Publishing, imprint of Consulting Psycholgists Presss, c1998.

22. Questions? THANK YOU