What IS an Advise Class?
When deciding what to title this blog, I did a short Google search for “advisory classes”, and one of the first links was to a Yahoo! Answers page where someone was asking the question, “What is an advisory class?”
Another user answered, “It’s basically study hall.” And I had my title.
Advisory classes are categorically NOT study halls. Advisory programs are a separate and distinct part of middle level education, and if implemented correctly, look nothing like the study halls of years past.
Advisory classes are intended to be a time of the day where students can connect with one of their teachers in an essentially non-instructional venue. They can look very different from one school to another, and from teacher to teacher.
Academic counseling, community service projects, bully-proofing, team-building, etc. … all of these are the kinds of activities that one fight find in an advisory classroom.
Sadly, as academic interventions and standardized testing have demanded more and more from our Colorado middle schools, one of the first casualties has been advisory programs.
In this blog, I hope to discuss some of the things that have led to the demise of advisory programs in our middle schools, and to talk about ways that we can hold on to these programs despite the mandates made by the rear echelon.
To get the ball rolling, I’d love to hear what YOU have to say about the status of advisory programs in YOUR schools, and what your experiences with advise have been.
Post away!!!
4 comments Posted in Uncategorized September 19, 2010
