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Advisor Resources: Appreciative Advising

Garrett College Advisor Resources

What is Appreciative Advising?

Appreciative Advising is the intentional collaborative practice of asking generative, open-ended questions that help students optimize their educational experiences and achieve their dreams, goals, and potentials. It is perhaps the best example of a fully student-centered approach to student development. The great news is that it works! 

How to Use Appreciative Advising

DISARM
  • Meet students at the door.
  • Welcome the student.
  • Introduce yourself.
  • Decorate your office in a personal way.
DISCOVER
  • Ask positive, open questions to learn about your advisee. 
  • Affirm, rephrase, summarize. 
DREAM
  • Listen carefully. 
  • Make connections between information from the Discover phrase, 
  • Encourage students to be open to possibilities and remind them that there is more than one right answer. 
DESIGN
  • Explain technical information an an easy to understand language. 
  • Avoid confusing acronyms. 
  • "That's a good question."
  • Help student make informed decisions. 
  • Make effective referrals.
DELIVER
  • Review what you have accomplished during the session.
  • Review the student's responsibilities, your responsibilities, and the deadlines. 
  • Encourage the student to contact you with problems or concerns. 
  • Reiterate your confidence. 
DON'T SETTLE
  • Challenge the student.
  • Support the student. 
  • Emphasize continuous growth.

Appreciative Advising Framework

Advisor Challenges

To gauge your knowledge and application of Appreciative Advising, complete the following challenges:

  1. Create a friendly and welcoming office space. Incorporate items into your office that showcase your personality. Sit in the student chair to observe what a student experiences in your office. 
  2. For your next student appointment, greet the student at the door with a smile. Use their first name in your greeting. Try some icebreaker questions with an advisee during an appointment to get to know him or her. Check out these icebreaker questions.
  3. Rather than referring a student to an office or giving him or her directions, walk with the student to that office. Make some friendly small talk along the way.

 

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