Course Description
The Thursday Advisory Groups program aims to deepen community and inspire action through weekly conversation.
Rooted in our school’s mission and values and drawing upon an equitable approach to teaching and learning, this course is designed by the Norton Family Center for the Common Good and the Deans of Students.
We aspire to hold real and brave conversations among students and their advisors about the issues of the day and our relationship with those issues and each other. While many lessons will be shared across all grade levels—including webinars made possible by the Hubbard Speakers Series as well as webinars made by and for the Loomis Chaffee community—there will also be lessons that vary according to grade level.
The success of this program is tied to the success of our students, and community, in willingly inspiring the best self through our shared commitment to the common good.
Essential Questions
Yearlong Essential Questions
- What does it mean to be a student and community member at Loomis Chaffee, and how can we more perfectly enact the mission and values of the school?
- How does my sense of self connect with the world around me?
- What are ways to move from these conversations into a deeper sense of community and a commitment to action?
Spring Term 2 Essential Questions
- How are we processing the trial of Derek Chauvin and the broader issues of race in America?
- What does Schuyler Bailar’s story tell us about the meaning of inclusion at a school like ours?
- How does college impact our school culture?
Spring Term 1 Essential Questions
- What is the mission of the school, and what does it mean to be an inclusive community?
- Which habits could we adapt or which initiatives could we design to help us fulfill our mission no matter our role at the school?
- How can we take action on the issues we care about on and off campus?
Winter Term 2 Essential Questions
- What are the connections between my life and the lives of others within and outside of my circles?
- How do those connections relate to my identity and how I engage with my roles at Loomis Chaffee?
Winter Term 1 Essential Questions
- How can we talk back to anxiety?
- What do the holidays mean to me?
- How can I best prepare for LC’s commemoration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Fall Term 2 Essential Questions
- What is at stake in the US Presidential Election, and how should we talk about and become informed about politics?
- How is my view of social justice impacted by my experiences and identity?
Fall Term 1 Essential Questions
- How does my identity shape my perceptions? How do the identities of others shape my perception of them?
- What do I do if I am struggling? How do I manage anxiety at this difficult time?
Contact Information
Questions?
Contact:
Eric LaForest
Director, Norton Family Center for the Common Good
eric_laforest@loomis.org
Jess Matzkin
Dean of Student Life
jess_matzkin@loomis.org
Resources for Advisors
Advising Group 2020-21 Page (login required)
