Advisory Program Practices: Planning Advisory Sessions

 Email Article  

Tweet  

  

  

  

 delicious  

  

Blogger: Denise Wolk

Using a standard format for creating advisory session plans makes it simple to put them together.  Whether you are inventing an activity from scratch, or adapting one from other sources (like The Advisory Guide) it is important to have a plan.  Here is a simple format for creating advisory session plans:

Gathering – a short activity to get the group going (see my blog entry on using gatherings for ideas).

Activity – be sure to introduce any activity by explaining why you are doing it, in addition to the instructions so that advisees will be clear.

Debrief – it is important to debrief any activity so that advisees have an opportunity to express what they have learned/experienced, and provide feedback on how it went (this can be useful for assessment) A simple go-round or popcorn share out will usually suffice.

Closing – a ritual that signals the end of the advisory session, and sends the advisees out to the rest of their school day.  Sometimes when I’m pressed for time I fold this into the debrief.

I suggest that you put in time allotments for the different sections so that you stay on track to get everything in.  If an activity will take more time than you have for a single session, look at ways to break it into multiple sessions, but be sure to mention this to your advisees and reflect on the prior session before launching into the next one (I incorporate that reflection into the gathering).