PAUSE. REFLECT.
Middle School Advisor/Advisee Conferences
Between sports practices, music lessons, the constant wave of schoolwork, and many other extra-curricular activities, the life of a GA middle schooler can sometimes feel like a locomotive that takes off in September and only picks up steam until the final stop at summer break in June. This locomotive can feel overwhelming, and for most middle schoolers it is hard enough to stay on top of their current material, let alone take time reflect on their progress through the school year thus far.
But then come the reports cards and comments…
Students read over their progress reports, proudly boast of their A’s, try to avoid any talk of the C’s, and, if they had it their way, life would move on the next day without a further thought to the slight bump in the road. But what most middle school students don’t recognize is that the interim presents an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the year. The locomotive pauses for two seconds, and if you blink, you’ll miss it. In the Middle School, we don’t let this opportunity go unnoticed. Last Thursday, the Middle School carved out time from the typical schedule for Advisor/Advisee Conferences -- a time where advisors talk with each student individually about their grades, comments, and any other issues from the first interim. Students are asked to pause and reflect.
As I walked down the hallway last Thursday, overhearing one-on-one conversations between advisors and advisees, I was struck by just how meaningful this time was. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen-year-olds stopped, and with the help of their advisor, thought about and discussed the first few months of the school year:
“Are you on-pace to achieve the goals you set for yourself in September?”
“Are there any classes where you could be/should be putting in greater effort?”
“How about your behavior? Study habits? Preparation?”
“Are you feeling socially connected and happy?”
Advisor/Advisee Conferences embody what I find to be special about GA’s Middle School and why I enjoy teaching here so much. Here, as math teachers, history teachers, language teachers, etc., we care about our subject area, but even more so, we are passionate about helping middle schoolers develop and mature as learners and as individual young men and young women. We take special effort to make sure we are in constant dialogue with each child so they can continue to work toward their best throughout their middle school years and beyond. We are intentional about developing students who are independent in thought, confident in expression, compassionate in spirit, collaborative in action, and honorable in deed.
Formal advisor/advisee conference days occur just a few times a year, but each time, I am reminded afresh of how important it is to stop the locomotive for a brief moment and help students to pause and reflect.
Between sports practices, music lessons, the constant wave of schoolwork, and many other extra-curricular activities, the life of a GA middle schooler can sometimes feel like a locomotive that takes off in September and only picks up steam until the final stop at summer break in June. This locomotive can feel overwhelming, and for most middle schoolers it is hard enough to stay on top of their current material, let alone take time reflect on their progress through the school year thus far.
But then come the reports cards and comments…
Students read over their progress reports, proudly boast of their A’s, try to avoid any talk of the C’s, and, if they had it their way, life would move on the next day without a further thought to the slight bump in the road. But what most middle school students don’t recognize is that the interim presents an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the year. The locomotive pauses for two seconds, and if you blink, you’ll miss it. In the Middle School, we don’t let this opportunity go unnoticed. Last Thursday, the Middle School carved out time from the typical schedule for Advisor/Advisee Conferences -- a time where advisors talk with each student individually about their grades, comments, and any other issues from the first interim. Students are asked to pause and reflect.
As I walked down the hallway last Thursday, overhearing one-on-one conversations between advisors and advisees, I was struck by just how meaningful this time was. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen-year-olds stopped, and with the help of their advisor, thought about and discussed the first few months of the school year:
“Are you on-pace to achieve the goals you set for yourself in September?”
“Are there any classes where you could be/should be putting in greater effort?”
“How about your behavior? Study habits? Preparation?”
“Are you feeling socially connected and happy?”
Advisor/Advisee Conferences embody what I find to be special about GA’s Middle School and why I enjoy teaching here so much. Here, as math teachers, history teachers, language teachers, etc., we care about our subject area, but even more so, we are passionate about helping middle schoolers develop and mature as learners and as individual young men and young women. We take special effort to make sure we are in constant dialogue with each child so they can continue to work toward their best throughout their middle school years and beyond. We are intentional about developing students who are independent in thought, confident in expression, compassionate in spirit, collaborative in action, and honorable in deed.
Formal advisor/advisee conference days occur just a few times a year, but each time, I am reminded afresh of how important it is to stop the locomotive for a brief moment and help students to pause and reflect.
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