VANCOUVER ISLAND U N I V E R S I T Y
Peer Success Coaching Training: Collaborative Coaching Skills
2013/14
Collaborative Peer Coaching Model*
Peer Coach
Student
Defining Issues
Brainstorming
Possibilities
Exploring
Resources
Developing an Action Plan
The Key to effective Peer Academic Coaching is the Collaborative Process:
1. Focusing Questions – asking focusing questions to define the problem
2. Exploring resources – collaborative discussion of resources
3. Brainstorming Possibilities – student’s previous strengths and successes
4. Developing an Action Plan collaboratively and then following up with student
*adapted from “Collaborative Peer Coaching” by Janet Sinclair, 2006
Engage Encourage Enlighten Empower
VANCOUVER ISLAND U N I V E R S I T Y
Peer Success Coaching Training: Collaborative Coaching Skills
2013/14
Collaborative Peer Coaching
An academic coaching session is a short one-to-one interaction between a Peer Academic Coach and a
student who may be having academic difficulties. The intention is to collaboratively assist the student
in assessing and reflecting on various learning skills and study techniques. The Peer Academic Coach and
student discuss these issues with the end goal of developing an action plan which will be continually
refreshed and revised as the student continues to learn and improve. The discussion is broken down
into the following sections:
1. Defining issues – focus on a specific concern or goal
2. Brainstorming possibilities
3. Exploring Resources
4. Developing a specific goal and action plan
Skills developed by coach:
 Accepting collaborative relationship with student (caring with focus)
 Developing Listening skills (without judgment, not rushing to solution)
 Verbal & Nonverbal communication–SOLER
 Paraphrasing & Clarifying
 Focusing Questions: Think like an Anthropologist
 Making appropriate referrals (knowing VIU Resources)
 Encourage and support Action for change
Benefits to students:
 Empowering and developing skills and strategies
 Time sensitive in terms of current issues and resources
 Taking responsibility for their own learning
 Action oriented
What coaching is NOT:
 Tutoring, advising, counselling
 Problem solver
 Crisis counsellor
Understanding your role as a Peer Coach:
 Provide general information to students in a front-line, or in-person situation
 Translate academic and learning resources to tangible and applicable tools
 Provide leadership & guidance to students
 Keep in regular contact with your assigned student
 Be an academic role model to your peers
 Be an ambassador and a representative of the University
 Know your limitations - If necessary, crisis intervention and referral to appropriate services
 Share your knowledge, wisdom and leadership with new students
 Engage, encourage, enlighten, Empower your peers
Engage Encourage Enlighten Empower
VANCOUVER ISLAND U N I V E R S I T Y
Peer Success Coaching Training: Collaborative Coaching Skills
2013/14
Academic Success Checklist:
The following is a list of statements that show habits of successful students. Please read each statement
and identify how each area most closely reflects your academic study performance.
Time Management
_____ I regularly go to class.
_____ I have an agenda/day timer/blackberry and schedule specific study times.
_____ I record all my mid-term exams, assignments, and due dates in my agenda.
_____ I refrain from surfing the net, e-mailing, and Facebook etc. during class or while studying.
_____ I get enough sleep, 6-8 hours a night.
_____ I have healthy eating habits and exercise regularly
_____ I have developed coping strategies for dealing with procrastination, perfectionism or anxiety
_____ I have developed coping strategies for dealing with distractions like facebook and texting
_____ I have developed clear goals, both short term and long term.
Critical Thinking
_____ I identify the concepts in each course that are difficult or problematic for me, ones for which I
will seek clarification or help.
_____ I visit the Grade First Aide website to check out all resources available to help me be
academically successful.
_____ I visit my professor/TA during office hours.
_____ I discuss course content with my peers.
_____ I refer back to my course outlines or syllabus throughout the term.
Note Taking
_____ I have exchanged e-mail addresses with 2 people in each of my courses so that we can share
lecture notes if one of us misses class.
_____ I record only the important points while taking notes in class.
_____ I have developed note taking strategies that work for me for each class.
_____ I review my class notes at least once a week.
Exam Preparation
_____ I organize my lecture notes into a binder/folder/duo tang. (Clip it. Don’t slip it!)
_____ I make chapter summary notes for each course.
_____ I keep up with my reading.
_____ I study regularly so that I do not have to cram.
_____ Each week I make up a few questions that I think may be on an exam. Then, I check with the TA.
or my classmates to see if I’m on track.
_____ I study with classmates, teaching each other the material, and engage with the course content in
many different ways.
Engage Encourage Enlighten Empower
VANCOUVER ISLAND U N I V E R S I T Y
Peer Success Coaching Training: Collaborative Coaching Skills
2013/14
Practice: Coaching & Feedback
Focusing questions (examples):
 What area do you feel accomplished?
 What study strategy do you need to improve?
 What do you think is the biggest challenge to be a successful student?
 What is preventing you from being successful?
 Do you have a study method?

Collaborative Brainstorming
 What has worked for you in the past?
 What is stopping you from being effective?
 What resources do you know about?
 What are some possible solutions?

Practice Triads:
A. Student
- Identify an area of that you would like to improve from the Academic Success Checklist
B.
-
Peer Coach
Establish rapport with student
Help student to focus on a specific area of improvement for term one
Brainstorm possible solutions and resources
Help student develop an action plan – what is their first step?
C.
-
Observer - Give feedback to coach on the following:
Rapport & SOLER – non-verbal listening
Focused questioning
Collaborative brainstorming
Identifying barriers and possible resources
Collaboratively develop solutions
Closing Reflection:
1. How did you contribute to yours or another’s learning today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What did you learn that will help you as a Peer Coach?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Engage Encourage Enlighten Empower
VANCOUVER ISLAND U N I V E R S I T Y
Peer Success Coaching Training: Collaborative Coaching Skills
2013/14
Semester Action Plan
GOAL
Possible
Obstacles
Possible Solutions and
Resources
WHAT do I want to
accomplish?
Action Plan
FIRST STEP:
HOW to get there:
WHO am I going to
involve?
Evaluation: How is my
action plan working?
My Peer Success Coach:
Name
Email:
VIU Resources:
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WHEN?
Dates:
WHEN