WHAT IS
ADVISORY? The Advisory
Program addresses the emotional needs of young
adolescents, while fostering family and community
partnerships, strong teacher-student relationships, and a
positive school climate. It provides an avenue for adult
guidance and peer support as young adolescents cope with
one of lifes more confusing periods.
Through Onekama Middle
Schools Advisory Program, we are seeking to address
the particular concerns of middle school students during
this crucial time in their lives. Advisory meets every
day for 25 minutes in the morning. Students are divided
into small groups of approximately 20 students and paired
with an advisory teacher. Each student has an advisor to
listen, to help, and to react to difficulties as they
arise. It is a preventative program, but also, it
represents an effort by teachers to know and value young
adolescents as individuals. Our advisory program follows
the model and philosophy advocated by the National Middle
School Association.
Sixth
grade students work to form numbers, shapes, and
words with
their bodies WITHOUT SPEAKING!
OBJECTIVES OF ADVISORY
PROGRAM:
- To provide an adult
advisor for each student who is a mentor to and
an advocate for the student. This insures that
every student is known well by at least one adult
in the middle school. This adult is able to
support the student in times of difficulty, to
recognize the warning signs of teen problems, as
well as to celebrate the students
successes.
- To meet students
need to belong to a group, and to help students
feel accepted and valued by teachers and peers.
- To foster a positive
school climate as students develop positive
relationships with teachers and with one another
through organized team-building activities.
- To provide a forum to
address topics of concern for young adolescents:
physical changes common to middle school
students, peer relationships, family
relationships, study skills, school rules and
student responsibility, health and nutrition,
goal setting, career exploration, problem solving
and decision making, sexuality, substance abuse,
respect, current events, and community service.
- To secure a time to
address significant and unexpected events
a death in the school, violence in the community,
national tragedies in an arena with a
higher level of trust and concern than is found
in the average classroom.
- To prepare students for
academic success by discussing study skills,
organization, and time management.
- To improve home/school
communication and relationships.
- To promote good
citizenship through comprehensive community
service projects.
- To support programs
that foster health, wellness, and safety.
Eighth
grade advisory students show their spirit!
MONTHLY THEMES:
Each of the ten themes
explored in the Advisory program follows a
curriculum written and developed by Onekama
Middle School teachers. SEPTEMBER: "Getting
Acquainted"
OCTOBER: " Problem Solving and Conflict
Resolution"
NOVEMBER: "Decision Making"
DECEMBER: "Community Involvement"
JANUARY: "Self Esteem"
FEBRUARY: "Career Planning and Goal
Setting"
MARCH: "School Spirit"
APRIL: "Relationships"
MAY: "Respect"
JUNE: "Accepting Responsibilities/ Positive
Attitudes"
Thursdays are a
unique day in our Advisory program. On Thursdays,
our Advisory period is combined with the
following period to allow us an extended length
of time for special projects. Advisory classes
meet every Thursday for 70 minutes, and rotates
through four special activities:
- Team Building -- To
foster a sense of belonging and team identity
within an advisory group, each group has selected
a team name and a designed a logo. On the first
Thursday of each month, students participate in
intramural games. The focus is on teamwork,
cooperation, and unity. Students also organize
and take part in a Spirit Day and a Field Day.
- Service Learning
Each advisory class selects a service learning
project based upon the needs of our community.
Students, teachers, and parents go into the
community to give their time and talents, and to
learn important lessons about compassion,
commitment, and the power of service to others.
Projects for the 2000-2001 school year included:
recycling; cleaning parks and the riverbed;
helping senior citizens at their homes by raking,
planting bulbs and flowers, shoveling snow, and
visiting; and designing, planting, and caring for
a school garden.
- Guest Speakers and
Assemblies Thursdays also allow us an
extended period of time to bring students
together for guest speakers on topics related to
our theme for the month.
|
As part
of a monthly community service project, sixth
grade students make wreaths to deliver to older
citizens in ourcommunity. |
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