How do we ensure that every student has an adult advocate who understands and guides his/her academic and social development? In this session, we will answer that question by examining how we build strong advisory and advocacy programs in our middle schools.

1. Building for Middle
Level Success:
Advisory &
Advocacy Programs
www.amle.org
As you come in, please take a
sticky note, write down what
you want to learn from this
session, & post it to the wall!
Thanks!


2. Who is AMLE?
The Association for Middle Level Education
•Where you can find us:
– www.amle.org
•Who we are:
– The Association for Middle Level Education is
the leading organization advancing the
education of all students ages 10 to 15, helping
them succeed as learners and make positive
contributions to their communities and to the
world.
•What we do:
– We provide vision, knowledge, and resources to
over 30,000 middle level educators and leaders
around the world. We help middle grade
educators reach every student, grow
professionally, and make great schools!

3. Who is AMLE?
VIsit AMLE at
www.amle.org
Follow on Twitter:
@amle
DTomlin@amle.org
Follow on Twitter:
@DruTomlin_AML
E
AMLE2014
AMLE’s
Annual Conference
for Middle Grades
Education
November 6-8, 2014 in
Nashville, TN!

4. How is advisory
part of
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment?

5. How is
advisory part
of Leadership &
Organization?

6. How is
advisory part of
Culture &
Community?

7. What do we know?
5 Characteristics of the Young
Adolescents We Serve
1. Physical
2. Cognitive-Intellectual
3. Moral
4. Psychological
5. Socio-Emotional
How can advisory
serve these student
achievement areas?
Snowball!

8. What are the threats to Advisory?
Lack of
focus for the
program
Lack of
professional
development
Organization & size
of advisory groups
Lack of shared
vision & norms
Teachers’
discomfort with
subjects raised by
students
Inadequate length of
time for advisory
Lack of district
support
Lack of
coordination
with families

9. 1. Who teaches/coaches each advisory “class”?
2. How do we assign students?
3. What’s the curriculum going to be?
4. How do we orient students & staff at the
beginning of the year?
5. How do we prep families & community?
6. How will we evaluate the success of the
program?
Key Decisions for a Successful Advisory Program

10. The Inquisitive Parent Scenario!
Why does every adolescent need
an adult to be his/her advocate
daily in school?
What does that really provide?
What’s advisory about anyway?

11. TEAM Time!
How did it all happen?
(1)Teachers in the building were thirsty for a better
“homeroom” concept. It was 20 min at end of the day with
low fidelity and high frustration;
(2) A committee of teachers, counselors, and the principal met
before the school year to discuss the vision, mission, and
logistics of the advisory program –when in the day, days of
the week, who would do it, number of students per group,
curriculum for program, staff development;
(3) A special meeting during pre-planning was had with all
staff members about the advisory program. The principal
led the meeting, took questions, etc.;

12. TEAM Time!
(4) The counselor and the committee worked on the
curriculum for the advisory by linking it with a weekly
character ed program.
How did it look?
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
S.O.A.R.=
Success is
Openness
About
Readiness
Coach
Approach!
D.E.A.R.=
Drop
Everything
And
Read
Coach
Approach!
ETC.=
Eagles are
Talking
Collaboratively!

13. 1. A committee of teachers and administrators decided that the current
advisory program needed to be changed. Was homeroom.
2. Film Clips resource was explored as a way to infuse character
education and increase dialogue between staff & students. The
committee decided that all staff members would have a WATTS Up
group. Theme-based WATTS Up plans were created to help teachers
& staff conduct conversations about film clips.
3. Master schedule was created so there was a compromise between
instructional time and advisory. Decided to rotate WATTS Up and
DEAR Time every Thursday for 25 min. in the afternoon.
4. Climate survey was given to students before & after WATTS Up to
measure effectiveness.
How did it happen?
Websters Are Talking Together!

14. TEAM Time & WATTS Up?
1. Staff development should include video examples of what an
effective advisory looks, sounds like.
2. You must monitor teacher/staff implementation.
3. When it’s not working for a certain teacher/staff, pair him/her up
with an effective advisory teacher.
4. Maintain a committee of people to work on the curriculum for the
program.
5. Get feedback from students and parents, too –but be careful what
you do with it.
6. Need to have spaces for student concerns if you go with a
curriculum (like Film Clips).
What did we learn?

15. An Advocacy Program is…
Key Questions to Ask:
1.Why do you want to do it?
2.Who are you serving?
3.How will you identify the students in the program?
4.How will inform parents of selected students?
5.Who is going work with the students?
6.How do you train your volunteers?
7.What activities will you have for students in the
program? Who will monitor each one?
8.How will you involve community agencies?
9.When does it happen? –afterschool, during day, both?

16. An Advocacy Program is…
•PATHWAY:
•Who? Recommended & identified discipline kiddos. Letter to parents
•When? During and after school. Sometimes with YMCA
•Monthly events: 1 – 2- 3
•Basis: relationship only –no grades examined/discussed at length
•CHECK & CONNECT
• Who? Recommended & identified kiddos
•When? During school
•Quarterly check-in events (one week @ end of quarter; mentor selected the day
w/ mentee)
•Basis: relationship and skills

17. 1. What does the school’s mission statement say regarding
advisory and advocacy?
2.What does the advisory program mission statement say?
3. What does “advocacy” mean? What are the parameters?
4. Who in the school will “manage and maintain” the
advisory and advocacy programs?
5. How and when will the advisory and advocacy programs
be evaluated?
The following are some questions that may prove
useful for purposes of discussion, implementation,
clarification, direction, and evaluation…

18. AMLE’s 16 Characteristics of
an Effective Middle School from This We Believe

19. Questions, Comments, etc.?
Thanks for being a part of the
magnificent middle level!
www.amle.org
Dru Tomlin,
Director of Middle
Level Services
Dtomlin@amle.org