Jane and I attend the NW College Reading and Learning Association conference on Saturday March 2 at Chemeketa Community College.  It was a first for us both and a really useful conference day from CRLA, who’s role is for college professionals working with student academic success in areas of reading, learning assistance, tutoring and mentoring. We visited their learning center/library/tutoring center too, see photos of their version of our flippies in the URWS and other signage. 

Shawn O’Neil an academic coach from UNCG (the school where I use to work ironically!) was the keynote and really good one at that!  He gave a really keen analogy of learning to garden and grow a tomato plant in how we want to grow out students learning. The volunteer plants he got the next season grew into more and more plants – more and more tomatoes – in the end he was able to feed many more people through the growing of very few. His 5 steps to growing your students’ growth especially in the academic coaching area:

• INTENT – guides us to our impact, clear as to why you are there. He suggest a survey to your students:  What did you want? and What did you get?.    He provide some great talking points with students:
  • “you are an expert in your own life – every decisions you made so far is fine with all the data you had at the time”
  • “you are not broken… we are not trying to fix you … we are just the GPS and you drive you own life”
  • “ how can I learn from you, as you are the expert in your life? what experiences got you here today that have been successful; where do you want to go; what are your strengths, goals – we’ll help get you there”
  • (for when they miss a meeting or appointment with you) “ hey we missed you today? Is everything ok? Maybe you are having a hard time prioritizing, can I help?”
• FEEDBACK –
  • Suggest the read: “Thanks for the feedback” book by Douglas Stone.
  • Replace “BUT” with “AND” in your talking points
  • Get feedback from everyone; especially those who don’t like you! and sit with it  a bit – don’t be defensive.
• LEAD THROUGH SERVICE: Know you are an expert; Co mentor each other
• MENTORING – build bridges, students mentor other students. Read “the Spark of Learning”.
• BE HEALTHY – do not burnout yourself or you cannot help others. Middle management is the most difficult – hard to think well with overwhelmed and stressed day in and day out. Some tips:
  • Write down everything you do at work a week – rank it, can you stop it, can you delegate
  • Set up a train the trainer model (peer to peer and staff to staff)
  • Make it visible, what you do, how you are doing it.
  • Stay grounded in your INTENT
  • COMPLAIN IN A WAY THAT SEEKS FEEDBACK! Not just complain to complain.

Session One breakout:  Incorporating High Impact Student Engagement and Active Learning

This session offered a number of small and larger active learning activities.  The Learning Log was given to us to fill out during the session, modeling what they do with students.  Here are some of the examples:

Sole Mates – an icebreaker, find a person who has the same shoe sole as you (what you discuss depends on your session outcome but it’s a way to get people moving and meeting each other)

Names on Table Tents – when using 8×11 paper with folks names  on it here are some options:

• Have them turn it in at the end of the session with any questions they might have written inside the table tent – a way for questions to be asked for those not comfortable asking aloud in front of everyone.
• Have them add other info about themselves on it, one at each corner such as fav book or movie, position, major, etc.
• Use various colors for the name and then use that to break up into groups later

Frayer Model – in small groups, to understand tough words. Picture a square divided in 4ths with the word in the center, in the 4 areas: define, characteristics, example, non-examples

Pre-reads with reading prompt –  have students read ahead of time with PROMPT as to what lens to have when reading, or what sections to concentrate on, or what themes to keep in mind. This helps them be better prepared for the discussion.

Galley walk –  on computers or flipcharts or paper on tables, 3-5 discussion questions for small classes that gauge  knowledge and comprehension; walk in small groups around, comment, review, discussion, rotate station.

Quick Writes – 1-3 min write, often used at the start of every training or meeting; a quick write on the topic before discussing, especially good for touch topics or when it’s an early morning class or to just get in the habit of writing.

3-2-1 exit ticket –  3 questions you still have, 2 new things you learning, 1 thing you will try.

They suggest these other really good options  too  – role playing, scenarios, think/pair/share, giving feedback in small groups, small groups always, students teach trainers, scavenger hunts, observing & reporting back, students create a guide or handout

Session two:  Strengths-based Holistic Approach to Academic Coaching to Neural Diverse Students  (Check out their slides for more info)

Very interesting session from two Gonzaga folks in an area I didn’t know much about!  A plant analogy again – everyone has an environment to thrive in, like a plant, some have different needs, strength and interests.  Let’s all agree the goal is empowering students to be active and independent learnings in pursuit of their academic success. They work with many students but especially those with AS, ADHD, etc:  students who are often frustrated, feel shame about their “deficits” and have low morale. A key with neural diverse students is to flip their deficit to a strength (see HANDOUT: swap this for that)  Or find other strengths they possess to help them more forward.  Book:  Strengths-based Advising: a new lends by Schreinder and Anderson (2005)

Ask students:  why are you here? What have you done in the past to help? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Dialog helps you to pull this out them. Re-framing what they share, make them realize how far they have come vs how far they think they need to go. Many many students are FIXED mindset  – change to growth mindset by focusing on awareness, choice, responsibility  with questions on what and how (not WHY!)  HOW can I help you?  WHAT can you do?  WHAT do you think you can do. NOT “do all I told you and you will be fine”   Look for their speech that denies power!  Accountability and choice.

Try Motivational interviewing  – student is expect and they led the show, foster self-efficacy and self-trust through empathy’ guide them and help them find their strengths.  One key is being this ways as a practitioner & sharing your struggles with the students too.  Consider Intersectionality and power and oppression factors too!   (See HANDOUT: Motivational Interviewing)