Thoughts From Dennis Littky

Importance of Close Contact and Advisement

There are many variations on the advisory system, from where kids meet with the same small group of students and adult every morning to “check in,” to the way we do it at The Met, where the entire school is divided into advisories of small groups of kids (I like 14) and one adult who stay together much of the day through all four years. I know that the way we do things at The Met is unique and may not be possible in all
schools. But I also know that setting up a system where students have a consistent environment where they are able to truly connect with a small group of kids and one adult can radically change their entire schooling experience.

Blur the Lines, Break Down the Walls

We can move forward when we realize that schools can’t do it alone, and should not be
required to do it alone. Lines between school, family, business, community-based programs, higher education, housing and health care need to be blurred. Young people don’t learn and grow in the bubble of school. Their healthy (or unhealthy) development occurs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.