I think we are coaching our students not because they are unable to come up with answers but because faced with an assignment and a blank piece of paper they find it hard to come up with questions.
So my MO has simply become to ask them questions - to give me three reasons why such and such should be happening. When they give me answers I just say Write that down. Then give me an example for each one of the three to provide color, movement and texture. Write that down. These are the middle three paragraphs. Then ask the student whether he/she thinks all this is a good thing or a bad thing. Write that down; this is paragraph 5. Now, what is this all about? Write that down; this is paragraph 1.
I notice that when I say Write that down it takes them a few moments to adjust to the idea that what they have just said is in fact worth writing down.
Peter Geraghty, first-year coach
