Classroom Coaching

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What is a Classroom Coach?

A Classroom Coach (CC) can help students improve academically by assisting with the policies, assignments, and coursework of a particular course. CCs will be able to respond quickly if there are signs that students are having challenges with a particular lesson or assignment.

What are the requirements to become a Classroom Coach?

  • CC must be academically successful and should have previously earned at least a B+ in the course where they would serve as CC.
  • Ideally, the CC should be a former student of the faculty member teaching that course.
  • CC must sign a contract.

What is the role of a Classroom Coach?

  • Attend the class once a week
  • Run discussion groups or peer-review sessions with professor input
  • Emphasize successful behaviors, including time management, class participation, note-taking, study skills, etc.
  • Respond to student questions and provide feedback
  • Invite students to set one-on-one or group tutoring appointments
  • Coordinate and maintain open communications with professor
  • Maintain proper documentation of each session attended
  • Be an active participant in the class
  • Identify and partner with students who are struggling, devise a success plan and refer at-risk students to appropriate services
  • Report to the CAE director (not to the professor)
  • Establish a personal connection between students and university resources (counseling, success coaches, academic advising, etc.), especially for students who may be hesitant to use services
  • Pose questions that reflect student’s level of understanding
  • Share experiences and strategies, including time management strategies specific to assignments and study strategies that complement specific learning types
  • Ask students to reflect on the session

What is not expected of the Classroom Coach?

CCs will not serve as teaching assistants and should not be asked to grade, substitute for the professor when absent, take attendance, or enforce class management/discipline policies.

CCs will not function as a personal assistant to the instructor, sit idle/disengage from the classroom or lab, or do assignments for students.

How can faculty request a Classroom Coach for their courses?

Faculty members who are interested in having a Classroom Coach for their classes may submit a request form by completing this form:

How does a Classroom Coach benefit Students?

  • Help students succeed with skills such as time management, class participation, note-taking, study skills, etc.
  • Improve students’ social and communication skills by participating in discussion groups and peer-review sessions
  • Provides feedback on assignments (drafts of writing, presentations, etc.)
  • Make it easier for students to schedule tutoring appointments
  • Provide opportunities to arrange group tutoring sessions

How does a Classroom Coach benefit the Faculty?

  • Provide additional support in monitoring student feedback particularly when a student has difficulty with the course
  • Facilitate group discussions/activities
  • Help students who need additional support while faculty is teaching
  • Respond to student questions and provides feedback
  • Emphasize and model successful behaviors including time management, class participation, note-taking, study skills, etc.
  • Provide student perspective on the success of teaching methods, activities, and assignments
  • Participate in class to encourage classroom participation and discussion
  • Identify and partner with students who are struggling as early as possible, devise a success plan specific to the course (e.g., a planner for the course assignments), and refer at-risk students to appropriate service
  • Aid faculty in the assessment of students’ needs and poses questions that reflect student’s level of understanding
  • Share successful experiences and strategies in understanding and completing certain assignments
  • Design time management strategies specific to assignments and study strategies using specific strategies that complement specific learning types
  • Assess what students learned and have them reflect on their learnings

How does Classroom Coaching benefit prospective Classroom Coaches?

Working as a CC in the CAE is a paid position with significant benefits. CCs will be working closely with faculty members who may serve as mentors. CCs have the opportunity to work as tutors and working with students in a one-on-one setting.

CC will gain academic, social, and career-related skills; improve their communication and leadership skills; develop a sense of accomplishment, helpfulness, and self-confidence; and learn to work cooperatively with diverse individuals which will prove invaluable in professional settings.

Information for Families

Families can be assured that their student(s) are getting the additional support they need from Classroom Coaching if they are struggling academically and that the University is taking additional steps to ensure that their child is academically successful. Communication and social skills are strengthened as a result of engaging with a CC, and students are more likely to succeed in the course as a result of collaborating with a CC who had previously excelled in the class.

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