Changing Systems to Personalize Learning The Power of Advisories THE EDUCATION ALLIANCE at Bro wn University Changing Systems to Personalize Learning The Power of Advisories Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory (LAB) The Education Alliance at Brown University is home to the Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory (LAB), one of ten educational laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. Our goals are to improve teaching and learning, advance school improvement, build capacity for reform, and develop strategic alliances with key members of the region’s education and policymaking community. The LAB develops educational products and services for school administrators, policymakers, teachers, and parents in New England, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Central to our efforts is a commitment to equity and excellence. Information about all Alliance programs and services is available by contacting: The Education Alliance Phone: 800.521.9550 at Brown University Fax: 401.421.7650 222 Richmond Street, Suite 300 E-mail: [email protected] Providence, RI 02903-4226 Web: www.alliance.brown.edu Contributing Partners: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL), based in Portland, Oregon, was contracted by the U.S. Department of Education to lead a national network of regional partners in providing information and technical assistance to Smaller Learning Communities grantees. The LAB at Brown was one of four regional educational laboratories working with NWREL on this project and much of the material in The Power of Advisories workshop was developed through this contract. Authors: Debbie Osofsky, Gregg Sinner, Denise Wolk Editor: Sherri Miles Designer: Patricia McGee Photography: Photographs on divider pages were taken by David H. Wells Narrative Photography, Providence, RI, with the exception of the Key Dimension #2 divider page, which contains a photo by PhotoDisc®. Copyright ©2003 Brown University. All rights reserved. This publication is based on work supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Education, under Contract Number ED-01-CO-0010. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IES, the U.S. Department of Education, or any other agency of the U.S. Government. ii The Power of Advisories About the Authors: Denise Wolk is a program assistant at The Education Alliance/LAB at Brown and managing editor of this workshop. She has worked as a researcher/writer on a school reform mapping project for the National Alliance on the American High School, as managing editor of Personalized Learning: Preparing High School Students to Create Their Futures (Scarecrow Education, 2003), and as an editorial consultant for Dr. David Kessler’s book, A Question of Intent (Public Affairs Press, 2002). Debbie Osofsky is currently the Advisory Coordinator of the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School. She is a former middle and high school teacher and has worked extensively with advisory programs at the schools in which she has taught. Debbie has a MA of Education in Risk and Prevention focusing on Adolescence (11- 19) from Harvard University and a BA in History from Brown University. Dr. Gregg Sinner is a Program Planning Specialist for the Student Centered Learning program area of the Education Alliance/LAB at Brown. He has over 30 years of experience as a professional educator and innovative leader in public secondary schools. He has a PhD in Molecular Biology from Dartmouth, a MEd from Antioch College, and a BS in pharmacy from the University of Minnesota. Acknowledgments: The Power of Advisories workshop, as one of six workshops in the Changing Systems to Personalize Learning series (Personalized Learning, The Power of Advisories, Teaching to Each Student, Integrating Curriculum to Meet Standards, Flexible Systems and Leadership Roles, and Engaging the Whole Community), is designed to help teachers and school leaders develop and assess advisory programs in their own schools. The workshop is a product of applied research and development conducted by the LAB under contract number ED-01-CO-0010 from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the LAB’s initiative focusing on student-centered learning in high schools. The authors thank the many individuals who offered their review and guidance throughout the development of this workshop, including Dale Worsley, Joan Landzberg, Michael Trofi, Francie Lindner, Adissa Nicolas, Ted Sizer, Nancy Sizer, and the members of the Student-Centered Learning team: Joseph DiMartino, Patti Smith, Edmund Hamann, Ron Millican, Denise Wolk, Sidney Okashige, and Gregg Sinner. The Power of Advisories iii Contents About This Workshop..................................................................................................1 Discover the Power of Advisories...........................................................................5 What is an Advisory?...............................................................................................6 The Theory Behind Advisory Programs: What the Literature Says.........7 Successful Advisory Programs: What the Research Says........................10 Five Key Dimensions of Successful Advisory Programs..........................13 Key Dimension #1: Purpose...........................................................................13 Key Dimension #2: Organization.................................................................14 Key Dimension #3: Advisory Program Content......................................14 Key Dimension #4: Assessment....................................................................14 Key Dimension #5: Leadership.....................................................................15 Key Dimension #1: Purpose...................................................................................17 What the Literature Says About Purpose.....................................................17 Key Dimension #2: Organization.........................................................................27 What the Literature Says About Organization............................................27 Key Dimension #3: Advisory Program Content ..............................................43 What the Literature Says About Content......................................................43 Key Dimension #4: Assessment...........................................................................55 What the Literature Says About Assessment..............................................55 Key Dimension #5: Leadership.............................................................................65 What the Literature Says About Leadership................................................65 Bibliography.................................................................................................................79 iv The Power of Advisories Protocols 3 : 2 : 1...........................................................................................................................81 Chalk Talk.......................................................................................................................83 Determining Program Emphasis: A Card-Sorting Approach.....................85 The Focusing Four.....................................................................................................93 Carousel Brainstorming...........................................................................................97 Connections/Reflections.........................................................................................99 Continuum Exercise................................................................................................101 Text-Based Seminar Guideline............................................................................103 Jigsaw...........................................................................................................................107 Strategy Shuffle........................................................................................................111 The Charrette.............................................................................................................115 The Power of Advisories v Sample Assessment Tools Sample Assessment Tools: Advisee........................................................................1 ADVISORY CHECK-IN (SELF-ASSESSMENT)....................................................................2 ADVISORY CHECK-IN (ADVISOR ASSESSMENT)............................................................3 SOPHOMORE CORE PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS.......................................................4 SOPHOMORE CORE PORTFOLIO RUBRIC........................................................................5 ADVISORY RUBRIC...................................................................................................................6 PLP PRESENTATION AND CREDIT DETERMINATION....................................................7 TEACHER WORKSHEET FOR SENIOR PLP PRESENTATION.........................................8 NOBLE SEMINAR: EXPECTATIONS....................................................................................10 Sample Assessment Tools: Advisor......................................................................11 RUBRIC FOR ADVISORS.......................................................................................................12 ADVISOR ASSESSMENT.......................................................................................................15 ADVISOR OBSERVATION FORM........................................................................................17 PARENT/GUARDIAN FEEDBACK FORM.........................................................................18 PRHS PARENT CONTACT LOG............................................................................................19 Sample Assessment Tools: Advisory Group .....................................................20 ADVISORY COMMUNITY SERVICE PLAN.......................................................................21 ADVISORY OBSERVATION...................................................................................................22 ADVISORY GROUP EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT....................................................23 Sample Assessment Tools: Advisory Program and Leadership.................24 LEADERSHIP TEAM ASSESSMENT....................................................................................25 ADVISORY PROGRAM ASSESSMENT GENERAL MEASURES OF SCHOOL CLIMATE.....................................................27 ADVISORY PROGRAM ASSESSMENT GENERAL MEASURES OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.......................................28 vi The Power of Advisories About This Workshop
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