ABSTRACT
Many Small Schools create structures to facilitate adult-student relationships in addition to, and sometimes in lieu of, creating smaller class sizes and smaller student loads. One common example is an “advisory” class, in which every adult is assigned a small group of students to be their counselor, advocate, and school liaison for the students’ families. The advisories meet periodically (daily in some schools, less frequently in others) and provide a setting for relationship-building through group activities and conversations. Advisory content can vary, ranging from academic content and skills (sex education, test-taking strategies, study skills, literacy and math support, postsecondary planning) to social skills (handling peer pressure, managing responsibilities, and resolving conflict). Advisories can be constructed across grades or within a single grade, but students generally remain with the same advisor for multiple years to maintain a long-term relationship with the adult and to build a tighter sense of community among their fellow advisees.
