Advisory Program Practices: Gatherings

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Blogger: Denise Wolk

Using gatherings is a great way to get your advisory session off to a good start. Rachel Poliner, one of the co-authors of ESR’s The Advisory Guide, recently sent me this on gatherings:

Gatherings are the opening experiences that bring the group together, mark the transition into advisory, are a low-threat way to learn about each other, get everyone’s voice in the room and everyone’s focus united. In the long run, they serve to equalize participation, build comfort and a sense of community. For a particular activity, they can help calm advisees before a serious discussion, energize them before an interactive activity, or get them thinking about the topic to come.

Gatherings set the tone for the whole advisory session, and vary in the tone that they set. In order to choose well, think about:

• The main topic for the advisory session.

• The tone or energy level that will best serve the session’s goal.

Here are a few gathering examples:

Gatherings that help advisees become calm, focused, and quiet
If your advisory meeting will include academic reflections, journal-writing, or a discussion on a sensitive topic, you can help advisees be in a calm mode by using a gathering that is quiet and focusing. Examples:

Ten:  The goal is to count to ten out loud, one digit at a time, with one voice at a time. I will say “one,” someone needs to say “two,” “three,” etc. If more than one person says a number, we’ll start at one again.

Three deep breaths or stretching neck and shoulders.

Gatherings that are lively or energizing
If you are going to do role-plays or tasks that might prompt advisees to feel vulnerable or self-conscious during the advisory meeting, you can help advisees transition to a risk-taking mode by starting with a gathering that is lively and involves everyone.

Stand up / sit down exercises, as in, stand up if you saw a movie this weekend, …if you have a pet, …if you like puzzles, etc.

Go-rounds with a funny question:

What’s the weirdest sandwich you ever ate?

Are you more like a drama or a sitcom?

Gatherings that open a topic
It often works well to connect the gathering to the main topic or exercise of the advisory session. For example:

Before a report card reflection, have a go-round about one interesting thing that advisees learned last week or one helpful study habit.

Before an activity conflict resolution skills, spread out numerous paint chips and ask: Pick the paint chip color that represents conflict to you.

Before a discussion about exclusion and cliques, ask a go-round question: What’s the best number of friends to have? Or What’s the difference between “friend” and “friendly”?