You’ve Been Advised? How Advisory Improves Your College C - PowerPoint Presentation

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You’ve Been Advised? How Advisory Improves Your College Counseling Program

Bob Bardwell, Monson Innovation High School, MA

Destination Equity

April 11, 2014Slide2

What is Advisory?

Small group advisory is an opportunity for all students to connect with an adult school staff member in small groups (10-12) on a regular basis. Students may participate in team building and interclass activities as well as participate in discussions about important school-related topics (i.e.: bullying, cheating, appreciation of differences, goal setting, future planning). Advisory can also act as a time for teachers to "check-in" with students in one-on-one meetings while other students complete school work. Advisory creates opportunity to foster ongoing relationships in hopes of improving the climate and sense of connectedness within the school. Advisory is not to be solely implemented by the counseling staff. It is an entire staff initiative

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The research shows…..

One caring adult in a child’s life can make a lasting impact on his or her developmental trajectory (Rutter, 1990)

Being known and having a sense of connectedness has positive effects on academic achievement and keeps students coming to school (Blum &

Libbey

, 2004)

Advisory connects students and staff in ways that can decrease the pervasive anonymity in large high schools that has been correlated with dropout (Youth Transitions Task Force, 2006)

When schools provide access to extracurricular opportunities for development, students are more likely to succeed and even more important for students from under-served families and neighborhoods (

Croninger

& Lee, 2001

)Slide4

Research continued

In schools where school counselors are overburdened and personalized attention is not always the norm, advisors play a critical role in answering questions, writing recommendation letters, and ensuring that students are on track to graduate (Malone, 2009)

Advisors help to effectively engage students and weave career skills into the curriculum (

DeMartino

&

Wolk

, 2010)

Students in small schools report a greater sense of belonging, leading to more positive social behaviors, have improved academic performance, higher graduation rates, and lower dropout rates (Center for Collaborative Education, 2003)

Teachers are not provided with enough resources and professional development to adequately deal with issues of social and emotional development (Darling-Hammond, 1997, 2002

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Advantages of Advisory

Provides another adult in addition to the school counselor in the school to get to know each student

Makes a large school feel smaller

Can help to deliver the guidance curriculum and other skills not taught elsewhere in the curriculum

Increases morale & improves school climate

Provides opportunity for class spirit and friendly competition

Provides team building opportunities

Provides opportunity for school wide dissemination of information quickly and in a small group environment

Delivers a college counseling

programSlide6

Advisory Delivery Models

Daily

Once per week

Every couple of weeks or as needed

Homeroom

Alphabetical

By interest area (i.e.: knitting, basketball)

Clubs/activities (i.e.: Student Council, NHS, Rocket Club)

By teacher/shop

Random/mixed grades

Can provide class meeting or activity timeSlide7

Challenges with Advisory

Strike a balance between curriculum and fun activities

Unengaged advisors

Staff who do not participate

Staff who do not conform to the expectations

Advisors who do not follow directions

Seniors may get tired

Students who do not get along in the same group

Creating student and staff buy in

What happens when discipline problems arise

Finding topics relevant to all

studentsSlide8

Monson

Innovation High

School

350 students, grades 9-12, Public

2 school counselors

4 X 4 extended block schedule

Limited opportunity for classroom guidance

85-90% attend college yearly, about 50% to 4 year & 40% to 2 year

95% white

95% attendance rate

1.4% drop out rate

21% low income

10% special

educationSlide9

Advisory at Monson

Innovation High

School

Started in 2003 with freshmen only

In 2008 began adding sophomores, then juniors, then seniors

Started with volunteers from the staff; now all participate voluntarily

Created a separate bell schedule taking 7 minutes from each block

Meets once per week on Fridays in between 1

st

& 2

nd

periods

Can meet more often if needed

27 minutes; 45 minute schedule also is available

Adults stay with students all four years

Curriculum is organized by volunteer committee

Work to achieve a balance between formal curriculum and fun activities

Year end survey data consistently indicates student & staff benefit from our Advisory

programSlide10

College Prep Advisory Curriculum at MIHS

All grades

Door decoration contest

Grade 9

Major focus is on transition

Alumni Day 1

st

year grads come back to speak with freshmen

Grade 10

PLAN

Understanding your GPA

Building your college resume – activities, grades,

attitudeSlide11

College Prep Advisory Curriculum at MHS (con’t)

Grade 11

PSAT

Field Trip to local community college for

Accuplacer

College planning calendar

SAT/ACT

Letters of recommendation

Grade 12

Essay writing

Common Application demonstration

Vision Boards & goal setting

Transition to

collegeSlide12

For More Information

Bob Bardwell

School Counselor & Director of School Counseling

Monson High School

55 Margaret Street

Monson, MA 010157

413.267.4589x1109

www.bobbardwell.com

bardwellr@monsonschools.com

bardwellrSlide13

References

Blum, R. &

Libbey

, H. (2004). School Connectedness – Strengthening Health and Education Outcomes for Teenagers. Journal of School Health, 74(4). Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/wingspread/Septemberissue.pdf

Croninger

, R.G. & Lee, V.E. (2001). Social capital and dropping out of high schools: Benefits to at-risk students of teachers’ support and guidance. Teachers College Record, 103(4), 548- 581.

DiMartino

, J. &

Wolk

, D. (2010). The Personalized High School: Making Learning Count for Adolescents.

Jossey

-Bass: San Francisco, CA.

Malone, H. J. (2009, Fall). Build a bridge from high school to college: Transition programs are essential for many disadvantaged students. Phi Kappa Phi Forum. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4026/is_200910/ai_n39234016/.

Rutter, M. (1990). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. In J. Rolf, A.S.

Masten

, D.

Cicchetti

, K.H.

Nuechterlein

, & S.

Weintraub

(Eds.), Risk and protective factors in the development of psychopathology (pp. 181-214). New York: Cambridge University Press

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References continued

Youth Transitions Task Force Report. (2006). Too Big To Be Seen: The Invisible Dropout Crisis in Boston and America. Boston, MA: Boston Private Industry Council.

Schanfield

, M. (2010). Practical approaches to advising: High school programs create support systems for students transitioning from high school to college. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/high-school-advisory.htm

Darling-Hammond, L. (2002). Redesigning Schools: What Matters Most and What Works School Redesign Network.

Center for Collaborative Education. (2003). How are Boston Pilot Schools Students Faring

?