Can advising lead to meaningful relationships?

The article presents a study which examined the efficacy of school advising programs in the U.S. in linking students with caring adults. There are several factors needed to make advising programs successful such as adequate funding, full commitment of administration, staff, and parents, and a thoughtful definition of the procedures for achieving the goals. Given that children spend the majority of the day in a school setting, researchers and program developers have sought to forge constructive relationships in this environment as an alternative to mentoring. However, the structure of middle schools often prevents the formation of genuine, trusting relationships between teachers and students. To address this obstacle, educators have tried to initiate some structural reform efforts to create more responsive school communities. When a school institutes advising to provide caring, how this time will be used is not always predictable. Once in a while, staff and students use it as a venue for profound discourse where meaningful exchanges occur. It is important not to treat these moments as happenstance but to realize that the opportunity arises out of the school's preparation and investment in shifting how the teachers and students see each other.