Introduction
Section 1 of this project study established the local problem that prompted this case study examining students’ perceptions of the transition into CMS. Section 1 also included a comprehensive review of the literature as it pertains to the middle school model, developmental needs of the young adolescent, and the impact of the transition into middle school. The research methodology employed in this case study and the research findings were explored throughout Section 2. The data analysis revealed students desired additional support throughout their sixth grade school year, particularly in meeting the academic demands of the middle school. To improve the transition process for students and incorporate an additional means of supporting them throughout their first year of middle school in an effort to increase their achievement, a facilitator’s guide for student support groups was developed. Section 3 begins with a review of the literature on middle school advisory programs and then explores the facilitator’s guide for student support groups in detail.
Review of the Literature
Research regarding the history of the middle school, the developmental needs of adolescents, and the elements of the middle school model were examined throughout the literature review in Section 1. The information contained in this section focuses on middle school advisory programs and the development of student support groups in the middle school.
Search Terms
Multiple sources were utilized to gather information and pertinent literature about middle school advisory programs. Some of these sources include the local public library, Rutgers University Library, and Walden University’s electronic databases. Databases such as Articles First, ProQuest, EBSCO host, and Educational Resources Information Center were utilized to locate online journals and research studies. I also obtained information from websites for organizations that explore current best practices in middle level education, including the National Middle School Association and the National Association for Secondary School Principals. Google Scholar and Google were useful in seeing what other schools around the country are doing to structure programs and support students in transition. Boolean searches included, but were not limited to, the following terms: middle school advisory programs, advisory, student support groups, student counseling groups, middle school teaming, mentoring, program development, and advisory program development. Throughout the research on middle level advisory programs, two researchers’ names regularly appeared, Akos and Galassi. Therefore, I also conducted searches specifically looking for studies conducted by these researchers.
Middle School Advisory Programs
Effective middle schools are measured by more than just student achievement scores. They are also determined by the school’s ability to support the developmental needs of the young adolescents it serves (Jackson & Davis, 2000; NASSP, 2006; NMSA, 2003, 2003b, 2010). As discussed throughout the previous literature review,
developmentally responsive middle schools emphasize learning environments that support physical, social-emotional, and intellectual-cognitive development. Two of the
most prominent organizational structures used by developmentally responsive middle schools to meet the needs of its students are teaming and advisory (Brown & Anfara, 2001). Following the Carnegie Council’s report on Adolescent Development (1989), advisories received a great deal of attention as a way of supporting the various needs of the students in the middle school. NMSA (1995, 2003, 2010) and NASSP (2006) have endorsed advisory programs and have recognized them as a characteristic of an effective middle level school (Anfara, 2006).
Middle school advisory defined. The definition and purpose of an advisory
program appear to depend on who is being asked. Throughout the literature that exists about advisory programs, no singular definition exists. Many studies point to Beane and Lipka (1987) when providing a definition of advisory programs. They described
advisories as follows:
Advisory programs are designed to deal directly with the affective needs of transescents. Activities may range from nonformal interactions to the use of systematically developed units whose organizing centers are drawn from common problems, needs, interests, or concerns of transescents, such as ‘getting along with peers,’ ‘living in the school,’ or ‘developing self-concept.’ In the best of these programs, transescents have an opportunity to get to know one adult really well, to find a point of security in the institution, and to learn about what it means to be a healthy human being. (p. 40)
When describing advisory programs, Jackson and Davis (2000) expanded upon Beane and Lipka’s definition, calling for advisory programs that allow every student in the school to be “well known by at least one adult” (p. 142) who can serve as a role
model, mentor, and student advocate. Nearly 20 years after Beane and Lipka defined advisories, Shulkind and Foote (2009) connected the definitions of six previous studies to develop a broad definition for advisories as follows:
Advisory programs are configurations in which an adult advisor meets regularly during the school day with a group of students to provide academic and social- emotional mentorship and support, to create personalization within the school, and to facilitate a small peer community of learners. (p. 21)
While there is no one specific definition of middle school advisory, many definitions contain similar phrases including: creating positive relationships between advisors- advisees (NMSA, 2010), developing meaningful relationships (Shulkind & Foote, 2009), designating a staff member to be responsible for a small group of students (Burkhardt, 1999), regularly scheduled sessions that take place during the school day (Burkhardt & Kane, 2005; Galasssi et al., 2004), ongoing conferences with advisors and advisees (Burkhardt & Kane, 2005), establishing high levels of connectedness (Shulkind & Foote, 2009), addressing affective, cognitive, and administrative aspects of the child’s learning and learning environment (Anfara, 2006), shaping positive identity development and assisting in organization of academic goals (Akos, 2005), developing a trusting and caring community with an advisor providing support for student growth and development (Knowles & Brown, 2000).
Advisory programs are different from counseling groups. In counseling groups, the emphasis is on specific problem-solving or addressing individualized personal issues (Jackson & Davis, 2000; MacLaury & Gratz, 2003). Advisory groups allow the adults of the school the opportunity to build relationships and support students, possibly
identifying those students who require more intense one-on-one counseling from the school counselor or a professional counselor outside of school (MacLaury & Gratz, 2003).
Purpose of advisory programs. Just as there are multiple definitions of middle
school advisory programs, the purpose of advisory programs is equally debatable. Brown and Anfara (2001) identified the purposes of advisories as: creating opportunities for social development, establishing an academic support system, establishing the potential for positive rapport development between students and staff, allowing each student to have an adult advocate in the school, and promoting a positive school culture (p. 2). Anfara (2006) also noted the purpose of advisories as follows: provide individual attention to students, create a caring community where all students have the opportunity to develop a sense of belonging, allow teaching staff to address the affective development of students, allow students the ability to develop interpersonal and social-emotional interaction skills (p. 2). Throughout the literature on middle school advisories, there is agreement that effective advisory programs have advisors that support the academic and social-emotional development of the young people in the group. Galassi et al. (2004) identified the purpose of advisories is to create a sense of belonging or community development without the pressure of grades or assessments.
Characteristics and benefits of effective advisory programs. The
organizational structure of advisories varies greatly. Jackson and Davis (2000) promoted advisories that meet on a daily basis, during the school day, at a specific time. They explained:
Ideally, these groups meet for 25 to 30 minutes each day, or, at the least, three times a week. The advisory often takes place at the beginning or end of the school day; it should not be squeezed into a lunch period, scheduled irregularly as time allows, or conducted when another activity is cancelled. (p. 143)
Much literature on advisory programs supported daily contact time for advisors-advisees. The actual implementation of programs varies tremendously from school to school. Rottier et al. (2009) found that when done daily, advisory periods create flexible time for tutoring, teambuilding, academic and social skill building, and development of a caring community.
When one is considering the number of students and the grouping of students for an advisory, again, variation is evident. The overarching goal is to develop small groups; therefore, groups should consist of between 10 and 15 students. NMSA (2003b)
recommended no more than 20 students in order for a group to still be effective. Burkhardt (1999) noted, “an ideal advisory group contains ten to twelve students. Advocacy takes time, and the smaller the group size, the more effective the advisor can be” (p. 4). Because much of the research on advisory programs promotes a whole school approach where every student receives an adult advocate, there are various configurations of the student groups. Arrangements include groups of the same gender or same age. Some groups are determined by the students’ team affiliation. Others explore multi-age grouping. There is also debate as to whether or not an advisor should remain with the same students throughout their middle school experience to maintain the positive relationships developed throughout the course of the initial year.
Advisors play a key role in guiding students toward success in the academic setting. Sessions can include providing students with instruction on effective study habits, organizational strategies, effective note-taking, and developing academic responsibility (Atkins & DeBoard, 2003; Burkhardt, 1999; Convery & Tremble, 2003; Galassi et al., 2004; MacIver & Epstein, 1999). Additionally, advisories can build communication skills including: active listening, speaking, writing, and electronic communication (Galassi et al., 2004). The advisor should also be actively involved in monitoring students’ progress in their classes by reviewing student grade reports, mid-term progress indicators, and final marking period report cards (Anfara, 2006; Anfara, 2006b; MacIver & Epstein, 1999).
Effective middle school advisory programs also include activities that support the development of the affective domain in students (Jackson & Davis, 2000; NMSA, 2003, 2010). Burns (1995) indicated that the role of a middle school is not just to focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, but to also develop the fourth R, relationships. Middle school advisories allow for the development of meaningful relationships between students and staff, as well as among the students themselves. Strong advisories foster a sense of connectedness and belonging (Shulkind & Foote, 2009). Student advisory programs support student identity formation, social awareness, and foster a caring environment (Akos & Martin, 2003; Shulkind & Foote, 2009). Through advisory activities that emphasize character education, students can learn to positively interact with other members of the school community and the community at-large (Deitte, 2002). As Burkhardt and Kane (2005) stated, “advisory programs that focus on the needs of
young adolescents provide such attention and support. As the adage goes, ‘Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care’” (p. 69).
The success of an advisory is contingent upon there being a clear vision and goal for the specific advisory group (Burns, 1996). Without a clearly developed focus, the advisory group may not reach its fullest potential (Anfara, 2006; MacIver, 1990). Some advisory groups follow clear lesson plans or structured activities (Rottier et al., 2009), while others leave room for student input on advisory topics. Deitte (2002) noted the importance of allowing students the opportunity to reflect on the activities conducted during advisory. The self-reflection and self-analysis often results in students thinking about the activity as it applies to the world around them, thereby potentially impacting their choices in the future.
Burkhardt and Kane (2005) provided narratives of schools that implemented advisory programs. Participants in one of the schools remarked that students in the advisory groups had less discipline and provided a peer support network with academics and social issues. Akos and Martin (2003) revealed a positive relationship between the use of student support groups and the impact of the transition into the middle school setting from the elementary school environment. Burhardt (1999) indicated “schools that have instituted and maintained successful advisory programs note increased academic achievement, less vandalism, greater attendance, fewer alienated students, more student- centered learning, and a better climate permeating the building” (p. 2). Several
researchers recognized that because of the inconsistent application of advisory groups, measuring their effectiveness is difficult and has not been done often (Anfara, 2006; Anfara 2006b; Brown & Anfara, 2001; Burkhardt, 1999).
Drawbacks to student advisory groups. Many authors presenting information
about the implementation of middle school advisory programs recognized that while research suggests there are many positive outcomes of advisory programs, they remain one of the most difficult middle school programmatic components to implement and most problematic to sustain (Anfara, 2006; Anfara, 2006b; Brown & Anfara, 2001; Jackson & Davis, 2000; NMSA, 2003b; Rottier et al., 2009). The ideal implementation of whole school advisory programs requires time during the school day. With NCLB regulations requiring additional emphasis on academic achievement, many middle schools have pushed social-emotional development to the side, despite the research that indicates students who feel connected and supported are more successful in school (Shulkind & Foote, 2009). Galassi et al. (2004) indicated that in schools that implemented advisory groups, staff often began enthusiastically, but as shifts in personnel occurred, the focus of the groups became unclear and advisories tended to vanish or become nothing more than an administrative homeroom period. Because the intention of advisory programs is to reach all students throughout the school, there is often difficulty with teacher comfort level and ongoing professional development to support staff with continued
implementation of support groups (Rottier et al., 2009).
Approaches to program development. Research suggests various steps in the
development of effective student mentoring programs. The exact steps and the exact number of steps that are followed vary from one study to the next. Although the number of steps and the specific definition of each step vary between studies, there are clear commonalities that guide the development of student mentoring programs. For instance, Drapen and Iserhagen (2005) defined two stages to developing a student support
program. The first stage included garnering the support and approvals from stakeholders, clearly defining the purpose, the goals and the lesson objectives for mentoring sessions, clearly identifying the target population, and identifying available resources. The second stage revolved around recruitment of participants and mentors, and the implementation of the program. In another study, Smith and Stormont (2010) suggested three steps essential to developing a student mentoring program: clearly define the target population and attend to the specific needs of the group, incorporate supportive research-based programs with consistent support from the school, and ensure sustainability over time. Torres- Rodriguez et al. (2010), in yet another study, identified five steps in the development of an effective student mentoring program to include: developing a student assistance team, developing of a system for identifying students in need of support, obtaining referrals develop action plans, developing assistance activities and strategies that target areas in need of support, and evaluating the effectiveness of the program.
Researchers that focus on developing student support groups, mentoring groups or advisory programs promote various elements that contribute to the groups’ effectiveness. Among these are identifying a clearly stated target population (Smith & Stormont, 2011), setting clear goals for the program (Drappen & Iserhagen, 2005; Smith & Stormont, 2011; Torres-Rodriguez et al., 2010), establishing and maintaining support from school administration and other stakeholders (Smith & Stormont, 2011; Torres-Rodriguez et al., 2010), developing program activities designed to meet the specific needs of the students in the group (Sims, 2010; Smith & Stormont, 2011; Torres-Rodriguez et al., 2010), establishing regularly scheduled meeting times (Drappen & Iserhagen, 2005), conducting regular monitoring and adjusting to meet the specific needs of the students (Drappen &
Iserhagen, 2005; Sims, 2010; Smith & Stormont, 2011; Torres-Rodriguez et al., 2010), building into the program opportunities for celebrations and student recognition (Drappen & Iserhagen, 2005), and performing a formal evaluation of the program and its goals at the end of the defined timeline (Drappen & Iserhagen, 2005; Sims, 2010; Torres- Rodriguez et al., 2010).
To evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring programs, researchers have
incorporated a variety of evaluative techniques. Drappen and Iserhagen (2005) examined quantitative data, looking at a before and after comparison of students’ academic grades, students’ attendance profiles, and office referrals for behavioral issues. They also
explored qualitative data, seeking teacher feedback on student performance and behavior, as well as student self-assessment information. In research conducted by Sims (2010), activities were regularly reflected upon, and adjusted as needed to meet the needs of the student participants and meet the program’s goals. Evaluation of the program was formative and on-going. Regular needs assessments were completed as the program was implemented. Quantitative data was also gathered to compare the impact of before and after participation. For this student attendance and student grades were examined.
Summary of literature. Middle school advisory programs are recognized as
effective in supporting the various developmental needs of middle school students, especially students transitioning into the secondary setting. Students who participate in mentoring programs benefit from having an adult advocate who serves as a positive role model. The advisory program allows students to become a part of a group where they can form positive relationships and connections to a supportive learning environment.
students in developing academic and social-emotional skills via clearly developed lessons and activities that are designed to specifically meet the needs of the students in the group. These activities often include development of skills needed to succeed academically, such as: goal setting and monitoring, active listening, speaking, interpersonal communication, organization, and note-taking. Advisory group activities also include skills that promote social-emotional growth, including: character building, conflict resolution, anti-bullying, netiquette, and developing community awareness. Mentors should be aware of and recognize students for positive achievements through group and individual celebrations.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a student advisory program, on-going formal and informal assessments are needed. Evaluative data can be quantitative, including a pre- and post-intervention review of student grades, student attendance, and office referrals for disciplinary action. Additional evaluative information can be gathered through qualitative means via teacher accounts of student performance academically and behaviorally, and through student self-assessments.
Project Description and Goals
This project study examined the perceptions of sixth grade students transitioning into CMS from the elementary setting. The purpose of the study was to capture the thoughts and opinions of the students in order to gain a deeper understanding of how well students felt their needs were supported throughout the transition into middle school. Data analysis of student writing tasks and focus group interviews revealed that students felt CMS’s orientation programs were effective in meeting their needs during the initial transition into the school. Many students stated the orientation programs made them feel “less anxious” about starting life in their new school and allowed them to clearly
understand the procedural expectations of the building. Throughout their responses, students indicated the school did an excellent job helping them to understand and acclimate to procedural expectations. While student responses were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences moving into middle school, students described the need for additional support related to social-emotional aspects of school and academic achievement as the year progressed.
In order to help students successfully negotiate social situations and meet academic expectations set forth by their teachers, I developed a facilitator’s guide for student support groups. The intended goals for the student support groups are as follows: