This We Believe Pgs. 33-42

One part of this reading focused on Advocacy programs in middle schools, and having an adult advocate for every student, whether it's through and Advisory program or guidance counselors, etc.  When I was in middle school, there was an Advisory program that we went to twice a week, but it wasn't really anything special.  From what I remember of it, students just went there to sit and hang out for a short period of time before going to the next class.  There was no actual advising taking place.  I think in a real middle school, an advisory period would be a period for students to get to know their classmates and teacher, and build a community, and be able to talk about the problems and issues they face in their everyday lives.  They would be supported by their classmates and teacher, and would be able to go to them for help.  As for the part about needing a guidance counselor in a middle school, I think this is a great idea.  There were two guidance counselors in my middle school, and it was really great.  Middle school is where some students start to get an extremely rough idea about what they might want to do with their lives, and when lots of things (whether they are emotional, physical, etc.) happen to them.  For them to have someone they can go to for guidance about what to do in their lives is a great thing.