Coaching for Success

The role of a coach

Man and woman in business clothes sit at a café in conversation. We can't see the man's expression however the woman appears to be concerned.
Your job as the coach is to be a calm, active listener.

Most important to remember as a coach, is to remain passive in the conversation. That is, a WIL partner should not provide the solution to the problem or steer the conversation in such a way that the student arrives at the desired end-point that the WIL partner has in mind. Instead, coaching is a process that allows the student to arrive at a practical solution or understanding that is based on their own understanding of the situation. In this way, if their idea or answer to their own question is successful or unsuccessful, powerful learning comes as a product of their critical thinking and experimentation in practice. Of course this may not always be practical, for example a WIL placement for a pharmacy student may require more direct feedback from the WIL partner about the answer a student develops from a coaching conversation, as a means of assuring the safety and quality of care for clients is maintained. What is important in a WIL context is to use common sense to balance the operational objectives of the WIL experience with the learning opportunities presented from the WIL relationship.