Advisory Program Helping the Affective Nature of Middle School Students

Advisory ProgramAdvisory Program

Helping the Affective Nature of Helping the Affective Nature of Middle School StudentsMiddle School Students

The ProgramThe Program

Designed to focus on the social, emotional, Designed to focus on the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, psychological and ethical physical, intellectual, psychological and ethical development of studentsdevelopment of studentsProviding a structured time during which special Providing a structured time during which special activities are designed and implemented to help activities are designed and implemented to help adolescents find ways to fulfill their identified adolescents find ways to fulfill their identified needsneedsIntended to provide consistent, caring and Intended to provide consistent, caring and continuous adult guidance at school through the continuous adult guidance at school through the organization of a supportive and stable peer organization of a supportive and stable peer group that meets regularly under the guidance of group that meets regularly under the guidance of a teacher serving as advisora teacher serving as advisor

The Fourth ‘R’The Fourth ‘R’

Traditionally, the schooling process has Traditionally, the schooling process has emphasized the three R’s – reading, writing and emphasized the three R’s – reading, writing and arithmetic – as the key curricular areas for arithmetic – as the key curricular areas for middle level programs. In the complex and middle level programs. In the complex and technological world of the Information Age, technological world of the Information Age, however, a fourth R, referred to as however, a fourth R, referred to as “relationships” has taken on new meaning and “relationships” has taken on new meaning and new responsibility. School advisory programs new responsibility. School advisory programs must play a major role in helping our young must play a major role in helping our young people through the turbulence and hurdles of people through the turbulence and hurdles of early adolescence.early adolescence.

Bridging the Gap – Elementary to Bridging the Gap – Elementary to High SchoolHigh School

The advisory program helps bridge the gap The advisory program helps bridge the gap between the self-contained elementary between the self-contained elementary school and the independent world of high school and the independent world of high school. It offers middle school students school. It offers middle school students the best of both worlds because it provides the best of both worlds because it provides every student with an advisor who has every student with an advisor who has special concern for the student as an special concern for the student as an individual and encourages independence individual and encourages independence and personal growth needed for high and personal growth needed for high school success.school success.

Building our StudentsBuilding our Students

An advisory program is needed to help students An advisory program is needed to help students feel good about themselves and the feel good about themselves and the contributions they can make to their school, contributions they can make to their school, community and society. It can serve as a community and society. It can serve as a prescriptive antidote for the unmotivated learner prescriptive antidote for the unmotivated learner or the at-risk student who can be coerced into or the at-risk student who can be coerced into negative behaviors. In the years ahead, society negative behaviors. In the years ahead, society will be dependent on the middle level students of will be dependent on the middle level students of today. An effective advisory program will help today. An effective advisory program will help young adolescents become happy, fully young adolescents become happy, fully functioning citizens of our world. functioning citizens of our world.

DefinitionsDefinitions

Affective – “relating to, arising from, or influencing Affective – “relating to, arising from, or influencing feelings or emotions”feelings or emotions”Affective education – addresses the issues that affect Affective education – addresses the issues that affect student emotional health, self-esteem, confidence, and student emotional health, self-esteem, confidence, and maturity, and it is important that we not diminish its maturity, and it is important that we not diminish its value. When emotional health is threatened, all learning value. When emotional health is threatened, all learning is difficult.is difficult.Consistency – Meeting times are scheduled so that Consistency – Meeting times are scheduled so that students can count on a home base. Also regarding the students can count on a home base. Also regarding the manner in which the advisor relates to the students. manner in which the advisor relates to the students. Aiming for consistency doesn’t mean that an advisor Aiming for consistency doesn’t mean that an advisor can’t change his or her mind. It does mean that an can’t change his or her mind. It does mean that an advisor will establish an atmosphere of trust by avoiding advisor will establish an atmosphere of trust by avoiding unpredictable behavior.unpredictable behavior.

More DefinitionsMore Definitions

Communication – ability to make one’s Communication – ability to make one’s thoughts and feelings known is a valuable thoughts and feelings known is a valuable component of self-esteem.component of self-esteem.

Egocentric – limited in outlook or concern Egocentric – limited in outlook or concern to one’s own activities or needs. This is to one’s own activities or needs. This is normal for middle school students. normal for middle school students. Advisory tries to broaden that perspective Advisory tries to broaden that perspective by creating a caring community.by creating a caring community.

Types of Programs – choose your Types of Programs – choose your focusfocus

Advocacy emphasis Advocacy emphasis Addressing students’ individual needs and Addressing students’ individual needs and

personal concerns in the development of personal concerns in the development of close relationships between the student and close relationships between the student and teacher in delivering a developmental teacher in delivering a developmental guidance program.guidance program.

Community focusCommunity focus Emphasis on addressing students’ social Emphasis on addressing students’ social

needs; providing a feeling of belonging for needs; providing a feeling of belonging for students by developing a family atmospherestudents by developing a family atmosphere


Skills programSkills program Helping students develop skills in the areas of Helping students develop skills in the areas of

understanding self and others, problem solving, understanding self and others, problem solving, decision making, academic success, community decision making, academic success, community involvement, and career awareness.involvement, and career awareness.

Invigoration typeInvigoration type Activity emphasis where students and teachers Activity emphasis where students and teachers

engage in fun activities to reduce the stress engage in fun activities to reduce the stress associated with academics with offerings such as associated with academics with offerings such as intramurals, club activities or service projectsintramurals, club activities or service projects


Academic advisoryAcademic advisory Promotes academic growth through activities Promotes academic growth through activities

such as sustained silent reading or the such as sustained silent reading or the introduction of study skills.introduction of study skills.

Administrative emphasisAdministrative emphasis Much more like a homeroom situation where Much more like a homeroom situation where

students are given information or money is students are given information or money is collected for lunch or field trips – mainly collected for lunch or field trips – mainly involves housekeeping tasksinvolves housekeeping tasks


Or take the best of everything!Or take the best of everything! Monday: relationship buildingMonday: relationship building Tuesday: intramuralsTuesday: intramurals Wednesday: silent readingWednesday: silent reading Thursday: relationship buildingThursday: relationship building Friday: tutorial or independent studyFriday: tutorial or independent study

What is the focus of this program?What is the focus of this program?

Characteristics of a Quality Characteristics of a Quality ProgramProgram

Meets for a minimum Meets for a minimum of 20-30 minutes at of 20-30 minutes at least 3 times a weekleast 3 times a week

Manageable in sizeManageable in size

Activities are varied Activities are varied and student-centeredand student-centered

Has its own name, Has its own name, logo, and identitylogo, and identity

Advisees look forward Advisees look forward to advisory time and to advisory time and taskstasks

Sessions have a Sessions have a common core common core curriculum with curriculum with flexibility in flexibility in implementationimplementation

Characteristics of a Quality Characteristics of a Quality ProgramProgram

Teachers support the Teachers support the concept and work to concept and work to increase their own increase their own knowledge and knowledge and understanding of understanding of advisoryadvisory

Advisory periods are Advisory periods are help the first part of help the first part of the school daythe school day

Teachers are highly Teachers are highly informed about the informed about the unique needs and unique needs and characteristics of their characteristics of their adviseesadvisees

Teacher becomes the Teacher becomes the single most important single most important adult in the school for adult in the school for his or her advisory his or her advisory studentsstudents

Idea Check!Idea Check!

Time for some Four Corners Time for some Four Corners discussion groups!discussion groups!

FAQ’sFAQ’s

Who will be the advisors, and who will be Who will be the advisors, and who will be exempt? exempt? All teachers and administrators should be All teachers and administrators should be

advisors except for the principal and the advisors except for the principal and the guidance counselor. These two people guidance counselor. These two people coordinate and monitor the entire program.coordinate and monitor the entire program.

Is training required for teachers who will Is training required for teachers who will be advisors?be advisors? Training should be given to all staff members Training should be given to all staff members

prior to implementation of the programprior to implementation of the program

FAQ’sFAQ’s

If there are one or two teachers who adamantly If there are one or two teachers who adamantly oppose their involvement in the advisory oppose their involvement in the advisory program, should they be required to participate?program, should they be required to participate? Any teacher who would not benefit the program or Any teacher who would not benefit the program or

may cause harm should be given alternative may cause harm should be given alternative responsibilities which could range from supervisory responsibilities which could range from supervisory tasks to clerical taskstasks to clerical tasks

Should advisors keep their students all three Should advisors keep their students all three years or should they change each year?years or should they change each year? Yes, although moving students can be successful if Yes, although moving students can be successful if

the structure of the school mandates such an the structure of the school mandates such an arrangement.arrangement.

FAQ’sFAQ’s

How big should the groups be?How big should the groups be? No more than 20-22 studentsNo more than 20-22 students

Which grades should be included?Which grades should be included? All grades within the schoolAll grades within the school

How often should the groups meet?How often should the groups meet? Daily for 20-30 minutes or a minimum of 2-3 days Daily for 20-30 minutes or a minimum of 2-3 days

each weekeach week

Which part of the day should the groups meet?Which part of the day should the groups meet? First thing in the morning to start of the school day First thing in the morning to start of the school day

and establish the climate for the day’s activitiesand establish the climate for the day’s activities

FAQ’sFAQ’s

How should advisees be assigned?How should advisees be assigned? Students should be allowed to choose their advisory Students should be allowed to choose their advisory

teachers when possible through a formal selection teachers when possible through a formal selection process. If students are assigned, a process must be process. If students are assigned, a process must be in place for moving students if it becomes necessaryin place for moving students if it becomes necessary

How should the time be used most effectively?How should the time be used most effectively? The program should have an established curriculum The program should have an established curriculum

that is followed by all advisors with optional materials that is followed by all advisors with optional materials and experiences available for variety and change of and experiences available for variety and change of pacepace

How to Prepare for your role as How to Prepare for your role as ADVISORADVISOR

It is more important to listen than to give advice. It is more important to listen than to give advice. Don’t feel frustrated if you can’t instantly solve a Don’t feel frustrated if you can’t instantly solve a student’s problems. Realize that you are student’s problems. Realize that you are helping – by listening and by responding helping – by listening and by responding positively to the student.positively to the student.It takes time for an atmosphere of trust to evolve It takes time for an atmosphere of trust to evolve within a group. Don’t expect too much too soon.within a group. Don’t expect too much too soon.Teach yourself to facilitate discussions that are Teach yourself to facilitate discussions that are not simply question-and-answer sessions. not simply question-and-answer sessions. Learn to ask open-ended questions that Learn to ask open-ended questions that stimulate thinking.stimulate thinking.


Develop and practice good observation skills. Develop and practice good observation skills. Be sensitive to student attention spans, health Be sensitive to student attention spans, health and social habits, mood swings, and body and social habits, mood swings, and body language.language.A sense of humor will get you through the year. A sense of humor will get you through the year. You may be a comedian, and that is perfectly all You may be a comedian, and that is perfectly all right. A fine and useful sense of humor simply right. A fine and useful sense of humor simply means that you don’t take yourself to seriously means that you don’t take yourself to seriously and that you choose to see humor in a situation.and that you choose to see humor in a situation.Learn to be tolerant of the values of your Learn to be tolerant of the values of your students if they differ from your own.students if they differ from your own.


When working with young people, it is much When working with young people, it is much more effective to model good coping skills that it more effective to model good coping skills that it is to give lectures. Attention to your own is to give lectures. Attention to your own personal growth may be the best gift you can personal growth may be the best gift you can give your students.give your students.Give students time to think. There is nothing Give students time to think. There is nothing wrong with a little silence as a child is groping wrong with a little silence as a child is groping for a way to express a feeling or idea.for a way to express a feeling or idea.If you can make a special attempt to understand If you can make a special attempt to understand the uncertain position of an adolescent, you will the uncertain position of an adolescent, you will become more accepting and nonjudgmental.become more accepting and nonjudgmental.

Brainstorm!Brainstorm!Create an interesting/exciting acronym Create an interesting/exciting acronym

or name for a school or district wide or name for a school or district wide advisor/advisee programadvisor/advisee program

BibliographyBibliography

Forte, I. & Schurr, S. (1993). Forte, I. & Schurr, S. (1993). The definitive The definitive middle school guide: A handbook for success.middle school guide: A handbook for success. Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications.Nashville, TN: Incentive Publications.

Knowles, T. & Brown, D.F. (2000). Knowles, T. & Brown, D.F. (2000). What every What every middle school teacher should knowmiddle school teacher should know. Portsmouth, . Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.NH: Heinemann.

Wormeli, R. (2001). Wormeli, R. (2001). Meet me in the middle Meet me in the middle. . Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

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Advisory Program Helping the Affective Nature of Middle School Students