National School Reform Faculty

Oprah Challenge Day/Fish Video/Advisories
Date: November 9-13, 2006
Listserv: Coaches

Thursday, November 9, 2006 5:16 PM
Today’s Oprah show was powerful. A culturally diverse group of 64 high school students in MI joined their teachers in a “Challenge Day,” where they spoke their truth and shared their pain in courageous ways.

A few highlights:
A white, male football player apologizing to the entire group for his “joking” about race in the past. He went on to say that he would stop because he now sees that it hurts people and that he was going home to take it up with his family.

An African American male apologizing to a gay male student for his past practice of name calling.

A counselor apologizing to students who had shared that they had been humiliated by teachers at the school.

This program uses many of the structures and tools that we use with each other with students and I thought you might like to check it out for your schools.

Here in Phila. Oprah is repeated at about 1 am the next day. Check your listings and tape it. I think you will find it useful.
Debbie, PA

Thursday, November 9, 2006 6:54 PM
Dear Debbie, I am in Chicago and unfortunately I was not able to see the show. I won't be back...is it possible for you to tape the show and send it to me? I would pay the expense. Thanks....we just have to keep doing the work.
Janice, IL

Thursday, November 9, 2006 7:10 PM
Hello everyone:

I saw the show, it was absolutely connected to the work that we (I am a Turning Points Change Coach) should be doing with students AND teachers. It was transforming work that happened at that school, yet what she had them go through was SIMPLE. They broke down walls and barriers and built a community, a real community where people could be who they really are, be vulnerable in a safe environment. And they dealt with REAL issues.

It was amazing. I had to hold back tears because I know this work. I know how it can impact schools.

Oprah is amazing.
Joseph, NY

Friday, November 10, 2006 6:03 AM
Hi Again,
Here’s the link to the group that led the exercise at Monroe High that was featured on Oprah. Transcripts can be ordered/downloaded from Oprah.com and video clips can be viewed there as well.

For more info:
http://www.challengeday.org/
Debbie, PA

Friday, November 10, 2006 6:11 AM
Dear Debbie,
Thanks for the Oprah's update. I am concerned about what I believe is her point of view. I believe she espouses the pull yourself up by your bootstraps mentality. I am glad to learn that she has a notion that there are other factors that interfere with self determination.

Wendy and I are traveling home today from North Carolina. This was an interesting experience. Peace and Love, MFEMFEM
Camilla, CT

Friday, November 10, 2006 7:42 AM
Hi Camilla,
I sometimes have questions about Oprah’s perspective too, but I feel she often offers an entry point into topics that would otherwise go unmentioned on mainstream TV. I sometimes wonder where her real point of view lies…she is clearly a savvy power broker… In any case, I think she still does a lot of good amidst the Hollywood Hype and yesterday’s show was one of the good ones.

At the end of the show she asked about next steps and spoke of following up with these students. I would like to hear more from the kids, but the voice that was largely missing for me was that of the teachers.

I’m looking forward to hearing more about NC and Fall Forum.

Safe travel,
Debbie, PA

Friday, November 10, 2006 8:54 AM
Sitting here with Grace McEntee and JoAnn Dowd watching the Oprah show on TIVO--it was very good, and I plan to use it in an Advisory training I am doing for Sarasota.
Peggy, NH

Friday, November 10, 2006 10:22 AM
I think it is possible to contact Oprah.com and get video copies of her tape.

Still, if there is an easier way, let me know.
Peace,
Kathy, CO

Saturday, November 11, 2006 9:56 AM
I have been asked to help a large school district institute Advisory into their 5 high schools, and am interested in knowing strategies to help the planning team move along a continuum towards acceptance of this mandate. In brainstorming some suggestions with JoAnn Dowd, she mentioned using "the fish video from Seattle" in her work in Cleveland. My response was, "Huh?" She believes this video is widely known by many of you out there in NSRF land. So, if it is, could someone please tell me how I might get a copy and how I might use it. Any and all suggestions about strategies for my initial 2 days with this district would be so very welcome.

I have 2 texts I plan to use: An amazing book by Educators for Social Responsibility in Cambridge, Mass., and a chapter on Advisory from our book about Souhegan. I am also looking for other resources.
Thanks, everybody.
Peggy, NH

Saturday, November 11, 2006 11:33 AM
Hi Peggy-
The Fish video is an inspirational video about change. It's lively and makes good points, but it's super expensive. I believe it was aimed toward a corporate market. The original video is about 15 years old now, I think, and has supplementary materials. My guess is if you Googled fish and organizational change or something like that you would find it easily.

As for advisory training, it's amazing to me how few schools have an effective advisory program, after so many years of understanding its potential value and having some good models available. Most schools simply will not commit a meaningful amount of time for it. But in our increasingly troubled society, the need for good advisory programs is also increasing. I would recommend using the initial Wheatley section from Talking to One Another on the power of conversation - being curious about one another and taking the time for meaningful conversation. Teachers need to be assured that they don't need to become psychologists, they only need to be authentically curious about their students' experience. A discussion of what advisory is and is not, what advisors are or are not (when referrals are necessary, etc.) seems important. From there, looking at models for scheduling might be helpful if that's not predetermined. Then, debates about same sex/same grade/same team vs. cross-age/grade/gender groups, plus the question about whether advisories stick together for multiple years (this could all be addressed via Continuum activities, since they're values questions with no right answers). My advisory materials are old now, but not really dated. There's a Horace on advisory programs from 1990 that is still relevant, I think.

Just some grist for the mill. Good luck!
Edorah, VT

Saturday, November 11, 2006 8:47 PM
Peggy,
I have been working for Educator's for Social Responsibility for almost two years now, and I assume the book you are referring to is The Advisory Guide written by my colleague Carol Miller Liber. Carol and I have been working in the Chicago small high schools for the past year helping to design/implement Advisory programs and other student development initiatives. ESR also has worked with districts all over the country on Advisory, culture/climate, discipline, student voice, etc. issues. Here is some of what I have learned:

(1) It is important to first of all establish the rationale for Advisory-it is a new way of thinking for most high school teachers who don't understand social/emotional learning and/or don't think it is their job. It's essential to help them make the connection between SEL and academic
success. It is equally important for students and parents to understand the need/purpose of Advisory.

(2) It is important for each school to have an Advisory committee who will be the driving force behind the work. They will be the ones who essentially develop the grade-level articulated curriculum, with on going feedback from the teachers who will be implementing it. A word of caution: a ready- made Advisory curriculum doesn't work because teachers have no ownership of it. Ironically, they will also push back if they have to develop it all by themselves - too much work. You need to find a happy medium, which is where the committee comes in.

(3) The most important aspect of Advisory is not the curriculum, but the developing of relationships between adults/kids and kids/kids. These relationships are best developed through rituals and routines, setting goals, personal conferencing and discussions on student generated topics.

(4) Since the kids must also have ownership, it's important to create as many opportunities as possible for student voice and the practicing of leadership skills.

(5) It is necessary for teachers to have on-going professional development as well as initial training. This is best done as an internal initiative with grade-level teams meeting regularly in CFG fashion to tune their work, offer support, problem-solve, etc.

(6) Find a way to give students some sort of credit for Advisory - we have spent years training them on the importance of grades and credits. Unfortunately, they tend not to take Advisory seriously if they don't receive some sort of grade, credit or recognition.

I hope this will be helpful to you.
Lynn Gross, IL

Sunday, November 12, 2006 7:04 AM
Hi Peggy,
The Small Schools Project in Seattle developed activities to use in Concert with “Wildwood’s” Advisory video. I used the ESR book and others while designing the process with them. I have successfully used this material here in Phila. with a group of teachers who launched a new ninth grade advocacy program this year.
You can purchase the book of activities at:
http://www.smallschoolsproject.org/

Hope this helps.
Debbie, PA

Sunday, November 12, 2006 8:33 AM
I wonder how important it is for teachers/advisors to know how to form, maintain and evaluate alliances across difference when implementing, sustaining and evaluating advisory programs.

I also wonder how the issues of power and privilege figure into a successful advisory program.

Does anyone pay attention to those issues? Perhaps I have spent too much time visiting "unsuccessful" advisory programs in small high schools around the country.
Camilla Greene, VT

Sunday, November 12, 2006 10:23 AM
I also wonder how the issues of power and privilege figure into a successful advisory program. I've certainly seen this play out in terms of the "good" advisory groups vs. the "lame" groups- usually marked by which groups have the resources to celebrate birthdays and holidays with food and prizes, which have kids who navigate the system easily vs. those that struggle, etc. I always stress the importance of being very intentional when creating groups, avoiding the alphabetical or random assignment, and the creation of community via meaningful work that is student-driven and accessible to all-not that this guidance is always followed. Typically, it seems, schools don't seem to call for support until they've already created groups willy-nilly and made a bit of a mess of things.
Laura, NH

Sunday, November 12, 2006 3:15 PM
The FISH! video is available to view on the internet - for your own use. It is expensive and was originally aimed at the corporate world. There is now FISH! for schools put out by the same group. Charthouse learning is who puts out all the FISH! materials.

http://www.charthouse.com/ffs/home.asp

Hope that helps,
Tanya, CO

Monday, November 13, 2006 6:54 AM
HI Peggy. Along with everyone's thoughts I want to add that it is urgent that the teachers understand and have the buy into the program. When we started the work at my last high school we started with staff who had the genuine interest in getting a meaningful program established. Many of the staff had misconceptions as to what it was, so we needed to deal first with assumptions. I also think that dealing with very large schools (1500-over 3000) looks quite different than in very small schools. I have seen it in both places although it is still a work in progress.

The Fish video is "nice" perhaps a good kick off but for me it was not the kind of piece that I found to be inspiring. I like the idea using Wheatley. Many of her writings have been very motivating and thought provoking for many audiences! Good luck!
Wendy, PA

Monday, November 13, 2006 7:18 AM
Thanks, everybody, for your thoughtful help on my framing the introduction of Advisory. You helped me to highlight things I knew, and introduced things I hadn't thought of. I am having lots of 'aha' moments--thanks, Wendy Shapiro, for the word 'assumptions.' I knew I was missing something in my initial questions to them and you hit on the exact word. (And Wendy, I have missed laughing with you and Debbie--)

I love these conversations—keep 'em coming!
Peggy, NH

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:12 AM
Camilla asked about dealing with issues of power and building bridges across difference via Advisory. I think that many teachers like the idea of advising students if it means telling them about resources etc. However, when advisory becomes a real conversation, think Wheatley here, it becomes a very different process where listening becomes more important than telling. Without a commitment to student voice advisory becomes just one more place for us/teachers, despite our good intentions, to tell them/students what they need to do and it then degenerates into a burden for teachers and a meaningless exercise for most kids.

When our students are of a race or culture different from our own it creates a double disconnect where we stand outside both youth culture and another culture that we do not share. Without a commitment to a student driven

process where we are not just willing, but committed, to being disturbed our efforts will be met with either limited success or outright resistance from our colleagues and our students.

Having said all of that, an Advisory that students own is a wonder to behold and for me it represents the best part of being a teacher, the part where we get to accompany our kids as they discover their voices and power to shape our collective future.
Debbie, PA

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:25 AM
Debbie says:
"... an Advisory that students own is a wonder to behold
and for me it represents the best part of being a teacher, the part where we get to accompany our kids as they discover their voices and power to shape our collective future."

And I couldn't agree more! So the question then becomes, what would training look like for future advisors that enable them to enable students to lead the conversations they need to have? And to help teachers make the switch from "tellers" to "listeners"?
Linda Emm, FL

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:42 AM
Linda, you remind me of a quote attributed to Deborah Meier....”When I listen I teach, when I speak I learn."
Peace
Daniel, IN

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:44 AM
I have watched advisories build, crumble, fade, come back, and build again. We are in a fade part at our school right now. It is sad, but I am confident it will be back, parents and leadership are already asking the questions......

I see it coming back as district leaders read Breaking Ranks II. Also, years ago at UHHS trained teachers in Conflict Resolution and Mediation skills using Educators for Social Responsibility. These skills are all about active listening and I statements! The leader of this organization Larry Derringer is a masterful facilitator and can come to your school site for training. Also The Advisory Guide put out by ESR is co-authored with one of the co-authors of Breaking Ranks II.

In the past at UHHS I remember using advisory about once per week to get input from students on specific school issues or surrounding neighborhood issues. Each advisory submitted a consensus statement to the principal and in conjunction with the fairness committee- 18 students all trained in conflict resolution- we would come up with school based-student based policy or general ways of looking at things that were representative of student voice.

ESR's web site http://www.esrnational.org/home.htm

These people have been friends and partners with CES and beyond for years.
Lisa Hirsch, AZ

Monday, November 13, 2006 10:51 AM
Hello All,
Thank you all for your insights on the advisory dialogue and the issues around making it effective and meaningful for students. I do not have much experience in formal processes of advisory even though as a teacher I had a 30 minute “access” period to start the day at one school and then a mid day “advisory” at another. Each of those experiences came with no staff development and little discussion of anything except that it would be a great structure to build those relationships with students. As you might guess, it didn’t always increase relationships with students. My guess is that in many places the logistical structure is placed without much regard for the deeper structures of support and understanding of purpose or intent. My naïve question is the title itself. As I hear you talk about the groups and when they are successful, it doesn’t seem so much advisory as it does engaging and mentoring. Needless to say, I appreciate the sharing.
Scott, CA

Monday, November 13, 2006 12:13 PM
Hi Scott,
At one high school where the teachers have embraced the idea of supporting students, in ninth grade, in particular, they are calling their pilot advocacy program, Connections. Like you, they felt advisory missed the point and carried too many connotations of unsuccessful practices of the past.
Debbi, PA

Monday, November 13, 2006 4:36 PM
Hello All:
A hot topic in my CFG this year is the role of schools, particularly secondary schools (middle and high schools) in providing/teaching a moral education. This might be specifically pressing in DC, where many of our parents are unfortunately less involved with their adolescent children due to high-speed, high-pressure careers, but my sense is that it's much more far-reaching than that. Does anyone know of any particularly relevant articles that touch on this topic?
Many thanks,
Maureen, DC

Monday, November 13, 2006 7:07 PM
Hi Peggy—

I don’t know much about a fish video but I did a few advisory workshops when I was at Parker. I would recommend Debbie Osofsky, who is the advisory coordinator over there, as a GREAT resource and tell you two of the books/things she told me about that have also been great resources: one is something she calls the card sorting activity and it is based on the work of Galassi—either from an article in Middle School Journal called Planning and Maintaining Sound Advisory Programs OR from an article called Advisory: definitions, descriptions, decisions, directions. I don’t know which. The other resource is a book called Student Advisories in grades 5-12: A Facilitator’s Guide by Susan MacLaury. The card sorting exercise in particular helped people who were operating under some mandates to try to define some purpose and feel like they had some say in what they were being told to create.

Good luck and I hope these resources help.
Becky, MA

Monday, November 13, 2006 8:08 PM
That card sorting activity can be found in the Power of Advisories, a book that can be downloaded from Education Alliance at Brown. It has a number of really great activities for planning, all based in an interesting
framework that could only benefit from the conversation here lately.
Laura, NH

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:16 PM
Maureen, There was a story in PDK by Bobby Ann Starnes titled Dogs in Space, Chain Smoking, and Democratic Principles. Unfortunately I didn't keep the issue number with the article. I hope that this is helpful.
Bill, VT

Monday, November 13, 2006 9:16 PM
I love that this strand has generated a healthy conversation.

It is also making me miss my middle school students. The few years that advisory worked well for me, there was ample time to build authentic relationships, both student to student and students to me. We became the soft place to fall for each other, no matter what else was going on. Something made us curious about each other, and the students became trusted allies. They were willing to speak their minds, and support their ideas - even if they were alone in their feelings and beliefs. They learned how to disagree without getting angry and severing relationships, and I thought that if that's all they learned in middle school, that would not be a bad thing for their futures. But it didn't happen by accident. Each time, I needed to develop this relationship, and I needed the students to build alliances with each other.

When teachers go into an advisory and see it as "something else to fit into an already overburded schedule", it is doomed. So I agree with those that have suggested that the frontloading of why a faculty or school or system might take on advisories is going to be key to their later success.

And as to the Fish Video - IF you can view it for free, it's not bad for kids, actually. What I have always liked about it is the idea of colleagues making agreements of how they will work together... and holding each other to these agreements. Sound familiar?

Their agreements are basic:
*Be there. (If you're going to show up, be fully present)
*Make their day. (Behave in ways that will enhance the experience of those around you)
*Play. (Have fun!!!)
*Choose your attitude. (How you react in any given situation is up to you. You can't always choose your circumstances, but you CAN choose how you react.)

Back to kids, those seem like pretty good starting agreements to make and live up to in school, and other areas of life, don't you think?
Thanks for starting this, Peggy. Keep us posted on your work.
Linda Emm, FL