Wikipedia:Admin coaching/Coaching methods

This page is a place where admin coaches can find and share exercises and techniques you have found useful for coaching. You are welcome to use any techniques listed, add your own, or comment on the existing ones. This should be particularly helpful for new coaches who aren't sure what to do with their students, or for coaches who are looking for different ways of approaching the coaching process. As with all things on Wikipedia, this page will best grow with collaboration, so feel free to share even the smallest of hints with your fellow coaches!

Before you take on a student, cover your conditions first

Here's a sample invitation:

I noticed you signed up for a coach. I'm available. I do have a couple of conditions though, and they are that you...

1. don't go for your RfA or accept an RfA nomination until I think you are ready.
2. take the advice provided by me and your fellow students to heart (this will be a group effort)

Please let me know if you agree, and we can get started.
I look forward to your reply.
(signature)

The reasons for the RfA condition above are to reduce load on the RfA process, and to save the student from an unneccessary agonizing experience. RfA can feel a lot like a firing squad (I'm guessing here). Failed RfA's often affect subsequent RfA attempts, and so it's best to avoid them if possible. The whole process is likely to go much smoother and be much more enjoyable for the nominee if he is ready for the mop and meets the community's qualifications for adminship before he accepts an RfA nomination. If he waits until he is sufficiently trained, in your opinion, it will save him and you, undo embarrassment. It will also provide you with the opportunity to nominate or co-nominate your students. The Transhumanist   18:05, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Analyse the student's contributions

Like at Wikipedia:Editor review, look over the student's contributions and make recommendations on how they can improve.

Involve your students in the process. Have them analyse themselves, each other, and you. Teach them about contribs and edit counters, etc., if they don't already know.

The Transhumanist   18:05, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Some assignments you can give your students

Base the tasks you give your students on their experience level and to improve on areas in which they need more exposure. Some examples of student assignments are:

• "Sign up at Wikipedia:Editor review"
• (If they have enough editing experience under their belt): "Proofread the pages on the Wikipedia:List of policies."

If you provide assignments, you'll need to watch your students very closely to coach them every step of the way. Your feedback is extremely relevant in these cases. And keep in mind that you are in part responsible for whatever happens to the pages you have them work on.

The Transhumanist   18:05, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Asking the default RfA questions

While admin coaching isn't necessarily about helping your coachee pass an RfA, asking them the three default questions for RfAs are often a good technique for finding out more about your student, why they want to become an administrator, what it is that they do on Wikipedia, etc.. I've often used these questions near the beginning of the coaching, mostly so I can get to know the student a bit better. So you don't have to go searching for them, the default questions are:

1. What sysop chores do you anticipate helping with? Please check out Category:Wikipedia backlog and Category:Administrative backlog, and read the page about administrators and the administrators' reading list.

2. Of your articles or contributions to Wikipedia, are there any with which you are particularly pleased, and why?

3. Have you been in any conflicts over editing in the past or do you feel other users have caused you stress? How have you dealt with it and how will you deal with it in the future?

EWS23 (Leave me a message!) 01:20, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Speedy deletion exercise

For the benefit of my coachees (and others!), I've created a speedy deletion exercise to test your student's knowledge of the speedy deletion criteria. It's relative short at the moment (6 articles), but it's based off real-life cases from CAT:CSD. If you have any questions or comments about the exercise, feel free to let me know or place comments on this page. EWS23 (Leave me a message!) 01:20, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Petros471 and I reused this at least once and it was quite good. The user didn't get through all 6 exercises as we were focusing on the whys and the thought processess.. it's plenty long enough. ++Lar: t/c 23:50, 13 December 2006 (UTC)