Middle School Advisory Program

While parents are well aware of the “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic” to which their sons are exposed over their years at Brunswick, the non-traditional learning is not always as evident.  In the Middle School there is a strong advisory program which features discussions about morals, values and ethics, or in Brunswick parlance courage, honor and truth.

The boys meet for advisory period weekly and the “curriculum” is coordinated by Middle School Academic Dean, Neil Minsky. There is an advisory theme each month which is connected to the flow of the academic year. For example, in September the advisory activities focused on “Goal Setting”.  The objective was for the boys to learn how to set and achieve goals and the importance of keeping goals in mind when making choices. The boys were guided in an understanding of how their feelings influence their choices, ultimately impacting their goals and finally showing that goal setting is part of taking responsibility for the futures. In October the focus was teamwork: to discuss the advantage of cooperation, how to cooperate as a team, and how teamwork includes recognizing and respecting one’s feelings and needs, as well as those of others. Going into November exams the advisory theme was honesty and academic integrity. December, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, advisory periods dealt with giving thanks.

January advisory activity was entitled “Accepting Others” and tied in with Martin Luther King Day. Advisory period is conducted in a Socratic method. The objective of the January lesson was to think of strategies of how to recognize, accept and respect others’ differences, feelings and needs. The boys were asked what is meant by the term accepting others, to give examples of where students must learn to accept others and to define the terms compassion, tolerance and respect. The boys were also presented with a hypothetical situation, to which they could relate, and then asked how they would react in the context of the exercise.

A glimpse into one advisory’s discussion on this topic follows. The boys clearly understood the purpose of the activity and, if they practice what they said, will set high moral standards for themselves and their classmates. One boy summarized that “acceptance is about including the other kids…like when they are not the best basketball player you still let them play… or, even if they have different ideas you do not treat them badly.” In defining compassion, one boy said that “passion is about love and com – like comrade or friend – so compassion is friendship or caring about someone. When you have compassion you are understanding and consider feelings.” On the subject of respect the boys agreed that it can mean keeping your thoughts to yourself, or expressed in their Middle School parlance, “yeah, if you want to dis someone, do it in your head, tell the guy in your head what you think about him…”

In summary, the boys were taught, or rather taught each other through discussion, that accepting others is an important life skill. As a community with shared values Brunswick boys have a responsibility to each other to show respect for everyone involved. The remaining months in advisory will cover a continuation of teamwork with emphasis on bullying, conversations about pressure or responsibility, dealing with consequences and at year end, making smart decisions. Do ask your sons about the advisory activities. Discussions of these values at home and at School will reinforce their importance as a core part of your son’s learning and development with the goal of his being a man who upholds the Brunswick motto of courage, honor and truth.