Comparing Perceptions of Advisors and Students in Relationship to Behaviors Within a Middle School Advisory Program

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the similarities in students’ perceptionsand advisors’ perceptions of the relationships between advisory program behaviors andschool connectedness. The study also explored the extent to which the relationshipbetween advisory program behaviors and school connectedness was affected by anadvisor’s experience or a student’s gender. The sample for this study was students andstaff from Spring Garden Middle School in St. Joseph, Missouri, who participated in theAdvisory Program Questionnaire during the academic year 2011-12. The variables inthis quantitative correlational research study were student-teacher relationships, studentengagement, sense of belonging, and school connectedness as measured by the StudentAdvisory Program Questionnaire and Advisor Program Questionnaire.Analysis revealed mixed results for the relationships existing between perceptionsof advisory program behaviors and perceptions of school connectedness. Results fromthe study, which involved a survey of 376 students and thirty-two advisors, indicated apositive relationship exists between perceptions of advisory program behaviors andperceptions of school connectedness for both students and advisors. In contrast, advisors’years of experience, and student gender had limited effect on the relationship betweenperceptions of advisory program behaviors and school connectedness. Schooladministration can use the results of this study to focus professional development effortstoward developing an advisory program that meets the developmental needs of students.Recommendations for further research include expanding the study to include otherschools’ advisory program data as well as examining student achievement in relation toadvisory program behaviors and school connectedness.