The purpose of the advisory Wednesday at Bellevue East is to have kids in their assigned GPS so that the teacher can do announcements, review skills and strategies to use day to day, and of course to make sure students are keeping on top of their grades. Sites like greatschools.org talk about the importance of advisory. Advisory is a time where students can build relationships with the people in the advisory which studies have shown to make students do better in school. Trust needs to be built and needs to be able to work for the student.
GPS is sort of like a study hall at Bellevue East. You are able to sign out and work on stuff for other classes. The difference is that on Wednesday we are not allowed to sign out. This may seem like a great idea. Teachers who spend every Wednesday with these kids would be most trusted and so forth.
Yet here is the issue: we do not learn any new skills or have announcements every Wednesday in most of our advisories. I have heard so many students’ frustration at this, which stems from missing out on certain important parts of advisory. Why are we stuck in an advisory when we could be finishing those tests we need to get done or redo? If the point of GPS is to give us time to do homework at school, then why do we stay every Wednesday? We could be doing tests, getting help with homework, or helping out a teacher. If the idea is to build a relationship then why do nothing in advisory?
If we didn’t have to stay on Wednesdays, we would have another day open to be getting closer to our futures and dreams. Some students dislike school, so why should we lock them in a room to further that dislike. Some students are motivated and want to get things done, but being stuck in this room gets in the way of that. Other students who need to work on missing work or need extra help have less of an opportunity to receive that help. We could be studying under other teachers who could further our lives and education. It’s just basically a free period for most kids, especially on these Wednesdays due to their lack of help.
The big problem with us not being able to leave is that kids lose a day during their week to go to another advisory for that help. They lose a day to get them further in their educational path. If we miss out on an opportunity to help students in their path of learning we are not helping them. I am not saying we should get rid of advisory. I’m not saying that GPS as a whole is not of use. I am saying when there is a lesson in advisory we have to stay. I am saying if there is a point to us staying, we stay. I believe it’s ridiculous that we have to stay in our advisory every Wednesday.
So, a solution is that we should have an advisory once every month, or like I said when we know there is a lesson, or something going on that needs to be discussed where we can’t leave. It’s not like the teachers do not know when there is a lesson or skill they need to discuss with their advisory. I believe we need a new solution to advisory, whether that means once a month having advisory or something the students and advisors can come to an agreement on. Students are missing out on valuable educational time, and they are sick of advisory.
