Chapter 5a

An advisory program has the opportunity to make or break a student's middle school career. Advisory, sometimes known as homeroom, is short period of time (usually 15 to 30 minutes in length) that each student attends a class with the same group of peers and the same teacher. Advisory can be a daily or weekly occurrence. This communal time together is when a teacher may take attendance, share announcements about the day or week, get to know students on an individual level, promote belonging and relationships, guide students in activities, and develop each student's sense of well-being before sending the students to their classes for the rest of the day. If the time spent is not personal and helpful, a student may distance themselves from specific teachers, not get to know their peers, and grow to dislike school. Advisory is especially helpful in times of transition, such as when a student just enters middle school and when a student is about to enter high school. During advisory, counselors, school nurses, principals, and even community resources may come into the classroom to talk with the students.

I recall my own middle school advisory time, between the first and second period of the day, when I got to know my teacher, participate in small group activities, and listen to announcements. I remember how close I was with my 6th grade teacher, who still remembers my name to this day when I see her in public, and how much she impacted my personal growth as a student. I would like to get to know my own group of students extremely well when I am a middle school teacher. I believe it will be beneficial to learn students' names and backgrounds, play games and complete activities, and grow trust, honesty, respect, and compassion together as the year progresses. I plan to build this type of community in the middle school classroom because it can help students become more aware of themselves and abilities, more respectful to peers and teachers, and better human beings by building relationships and community.


Resources


Kellough, R., & Kellough, N. (2008).  Teaching young adolescents: Methods and resources for middle grades teaching (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Merrill/Prentice Hall.