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Washington state has an advisory program for the high schools. Our school decided to participate in it last year - it was, well... umm.. not well implemented. This year some changes were made in hopes of making it better and in some ways it has been. The bulk, however, is a misable failure.

Twice a month my "advisees" and I look at each other wearily and proceed to do the same damn thing we did last time and the time before that. Guess what? It's the same crap we did last year. The curriculum for this program is quite possibly the most boring curriculum ever developed. And it's not even scripted. I have a degree in English Literature, obtained by reading books about paint mines and city businessmen. I know boring!

If anyone has the ear of the evil creators of this program, please inform them that one does create goal oriented people by shoving the word goals down their throats. It, in fact, makes them less goal oriented because the last thing they want to is think "goals". Forcing students to write down their goals once, twice or four times a month will NOT make them think about having a goal or how their goal is working for them. Again, English teacher here... anything you MAKE students do in a repetitive manner is instantly hated.

Oh yeah. The one lesson on budgeting? If you give students the choice of having a college degree holders budget, they'll always choose it. Even if they will never obtain a college degree, or have to live will obtaining one. How about an actual living person's budget who is, say... just graduated from high school. For shits and giggles - because they ARE in high school and hope to graduate. For even more fun? How about creating a budget for a high school drop out. Because, again, they ARE in high school, not college graduates. It might actually be helpful and teach them something besides a trip to fantasy island.

yah.

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