6th and 7th Grade Advising

With Our Graduate at the center, the advisory program explores the social, emotional and academic life and development of adolescent boys.The advisory program provides opportunities for boys to better understand themselves; their relationships to their families, school and community; and their relationship to the world at large.

The program provides a construct within the school to make sure every boy feels “seen” and known by an adult, has opportunities to work with an adult on issues related to his success in school and development as a young man.Advisory is also a way to build a cohesive school community with shared values and common goals and to understand what is happening within the school community through the lenses of the boys.

The advisory program has three approaches to discovery:
•    A social/emotional and academic development curriculum designed by faculty, and presented in ways consistent and to the mission and pedagogy of the school
•    A space and time in which boys can bring up relevant issues in a small group setting

•    Opportunities for advisor and advisee partnership and consultation on individual matters

The advisor will provide opportunities for boys to advise and help each other with issues; acting more like a coach, the advisor allows boys to explore the topics and issues facilitating a shared communal wisdom. Should anything arise which an advisor feels a parent should know, s/he will first inform the boy, then call the parents.

The program is predicated on the belief that every boy should have at least one adult at school to act as his advocate and that every boy needs to actively engage self-advocacy. Our program is designed to deal directly with the affective needs of our boys. Activities may range from non- formal interactions to the use of systematically developed units organized around the common problems, needs, interests, or concerns of our boys, such as "getting along with peers," "living in the school," or "developing self-concept." Our boys 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 young man.

Boys meet for advising once a week on Fridays.

The Purpose of Advising at ebsb

•    Promote opportunities for social development.

•    Assist boys with academic challenges.

•    Facilitate positive involvement between and among teachers and administrators and
students.

•    Provide an adult advocate for each boy in the school.

•    Promoting positive school culture.

•    Development and practice of specific skills:
◦    Self-Advocacy ◦    Communication ◦    Resilience ◦    Academic ◦    Reflection
•    Promote small, caring communities of learners.

•    Promote mutually respectful and meaningful relationships.

•    Provide individual attention to boys.

•    Provide each boy with an opportunity to "belong."

•    Allow teachers to be actively involved in the affective development of students.

•    Emphasize the social and emotional development of every boy.

•    Assist boys with interpersonal communication skills development.