1. How Advisories Can Shape Students’ Futures
Michelle K. Taylor Ed.D., LPC
Adair Public Schools
Coverpage

2. What If?
Every student had “that person” one who really cared and took time to really know him or her?
All kids had career and personal goals toward which they were working. And also understood that their courses were useful in reaching those goals?

3. What If?
All parents personally knew someone at school whom they could call who really knew their child and how things were going.
All school staff had the opportunity to develop close connections and mentoring relationships with a small group of kids.

4. What do Advisories look like?
Homerooms
Study Halls
Seminar
Learning Communities
Guided work periods
Tiger Time
Some are daily, weekly, monthly and almost never!

5. Advisory: Focus or Purpose
No two advisory programs ever look alike AND that is a really good thing! WHY?
The key is to personalize a student’s school experience. HOW?
Research on School Connectedness
Connectedness was found to be the strongest protective factor for boys and girls to decrease substance abuse, school absenteeism, early sexual initiation and violence. (CDC, 2009).

6. Advisory: Organization
ADAIR WAP: 2X per month
Flex Day:
Beginning Goals of WAP:
Community Building with students/faculty
Promote a Positive Peer Culture
Academic Support and Advising
Prepare for Post Secondary Ed and Careers

7. Advisory: Content Should Students Have Input? Goals Grief/loss
Grade Level Specific Crisis
Good News
Celebrations
WAP: Driven by card sorting exercise
Hands on and collective way to determine content.

8. Advisory: Assessment Google Forms Questionnaires Others?
Keep in mind you want outcomes you can measure!

9. Advisory: Leadership School Counselors are the link in
Advisory Programs
School Counselors should direct the curriculum of advisories whenever possible
Discuss buy in, admin support

10. So What is the IMPACT? WAP student reported he “felt less anonymous”.
Some teachers will embrace: 20/60/20 rule.
Connection to Peers
Connection to Adults
Advocacy
Personal Growth
Research shows 20 % of faculty will quickly embrace program
And 20% will be resistant
It’s the 60 % that mak4es the critical difference.

11. What will work in your school?
Strategies
Do you implement all at once?
Or in stages?
Reflect
What will work in your school?

12. Its only a puzzle….

13. Thoughts
“Advisory Periods can be a unifying venue- students own their own education, learning is relevant and achievement accelerates.
-Ryan Champeau, 2009 Wisconsin Principal of the Year
“Think of advisory as the soul of your school. And in everything you do, remember that you teach students before you teach subjects”
-Chris Lehmann, Science Leadership Academy

14. Kid President’s Pep Talk

15. Michelle K. Taylor Ed.D., LPC
Resources & questions??
Michelle K. Taylor Ed.D., LPC