Digging Deeper: Advisory at Neuwirth

In the last issue of The Neuwirth Times, an article relying heavily on my own experience was published critiquing the structure of advisory and questioning the policies behind creating the curriculum. In this follow-up article, I want to dig deeper into how the advisory lessons get made, and how they are received by other students at Neuwirth. To do so, I spoke to various scholars and teachers who have expressed their own opinions on the advisory curriculum.

In order to gain some insight into the purpose of the curriculum, it seemed necessary to start with the people who make the curriculum: so I spoke with the Junior class representative on the Advisory team and Art/Advanced Art teacher, Ms. Stobart. 

The Neuwirth Times (NT) What is the purpose of advisory for students?

Stobart The purpose of advisory for students is to build culture. That is the place where everyone gets the information they need, where they get to bond at a grade level. It's the idea of a homeroom but with more. So, it's where you get to know each other, you get to talk about things you may not be talking about in your regular content classes.

NT Who makes the advisory curriculum? 

Stobart Me, Ms. Gray, Ms. Valerie, Mr. Lu, and Ms. Fernandez.

NT Why did you want to be a part of creating the advisory curriculum?

Stobart This is my sixth year as a Grade Level Lead, it's always been something that I wanted to be involved in because I love our school so much. If there’s a way I could help impact culture on campus, even if it's a further reach. I’m not in all those advisory classrooms, but I can still participate in that and help the school.

NT How are advisory lessons chosen and created?

Stobart. They are chosen based on grade level and what everybody would enjoy most, unless it's information that needs to be disseminated school wide. I know there’s been a time management lesson for everyone, and I know it may be, “ugh, another advisory lesson,” but let’s be real: a lot of students don’t manage their time and don’t turn assignments in on time. Another thing is life skills, and right now they may not seem super fun or relevant, but they are important takeaways, as well as important moments of bonding through circles.

After talking with Ms. Stobart, it made sense to see how this curriculum is received by others. 

Some staff members believe that while advisory is beneficial for scholars, there is a lot that the curriculum is trying to achieve all at once and consistency is a struggle in the advisory curriculum. After speaking with various teachers, we understand that the experience of advisory is different for everyone. 

NT Do you feel like the advisory lessons this year help your scholars?

Teacher 1: Yes. Because, at this time it’s actually structured compared to the past. It’s a mixture of life skills and at the same time it helps them develop their academic skills, especially with their reading and some of the additional activities. It helps the teacher as well, not just the student, giving us the sense that there is something to do on certain days.

NT How do you think advisory time should be used most effectively?

Teacher 2 We are trying to accomplish a lot currently with advisory. Like a lot. There’s something to do everyday. I think to use time most effectively would be to give students a time, place, and consistency to feel safe and secure to express themselves.

Many staff members may find themselves aligning to one statement or the other, however it’s been clear that the curriculum is still a work in progress. The Neuwirth Times also asked for the opinions of scholars, while some of these interviewed scholars may agree on the lessons providing life skills, others believe that the advisory curriculum is lacking in some ways.

NT Do you feel like the advisory lessons this year help you be a better scholar?

Student 1 I think in some ways it’s beneficial for not just me but for other scholars. In my class we discussed oppressive language in a circle where we talked about how certain words and actions are harmful, especially because the majority of us are minorities. I think it's important for us to learn about this because not everyone is like us, and it’s important to learn about change.

Student 2 I feel like they do help, but it seems like they go over the basic stuff that we should know by now. 

Student 3 Yes, but no. The lessons seem basic, and they seem repeated from last year. 

While most advisors still have a positive attitude about the direction the advisory curriculum is taking this year, it’s worth noting that many scholars are disappointed. The advisors who were interviewed commented on the goals that advisory is trying to accomplish and how consistency in the curriculum is necessary, but overall, advisory seems to be beneficial for scholars by giving space for lessons aimed at developing life skills. 

Ms. Stobart also commented further on the purpose of advisory, stating that the advisory team works relentlessly in order to provide a safe space for scholars to bond and learn together. The scholars who were interviewed, however, have differing opinions, some seemingly disenchanted by the lessons. 

My personal experience with advisory has gotten better since the last issue, but my argument on needing time to do assignments, study, and work with partners rings even more true in the month of December because of finals week. I respect the hard work of the advisory team and their passion for creating a curriculum that benefits all scholars regardless of grade level. I only wished that I had sufficient time to study and complete assignments because of having no time at home. I’m sure that many other scholars can relate. 

For the advisory curriculum, I agree that its main purpose is to provide a consistent structure and a safe space for students, but I also believe that scholars should be given at least a day for classwork.