Instructional Model
Enhancing High School Advisory with Decision Education
Grade Level: 9 – 10
Length: 20 Lesson Plans
About the Instructional Model
This model builds 9th and 10th grade students’ understanding of the systems around them—from GPA calculations to course selection—to make informed, strategic decisions for their future.
Students begin exploring and mapping potential career pathways, learning how the choices they make now may impact their options later. Before diving into college applications, this model helps students gain clarity on their goals and develop a proactive stance in preparing for the future.
Key concepts include:
Embracing decisions as opportunities.
Clarifying values and objectives.
Weighing options and predicting outcomes.
Creating and tracking sustainable habits.
Implementation
This model is designed to be implemented through an existing advisory or seminar course. While designed for 9th and 10th grade students, it can be easily tailored to meet the needs of older or younger students.
While there is a suggested scope and sequence, we highly recommend planning with your school calendar in mind. Consider aligning lessons with students’ decision-making opportunities such as course selection and summer planning, as well as goal-setting opportunities related to course grades, academic testing, and/or college entrance exams.
This model can be used on its own or integrated with our other College and Career instructional models.
Resources
Coming Soon!
School Impact
This instructional model was designed and implemented by Gillian Wible, Latoya White, and Thomas Trainer at Cristo Rey Philadelphia, a Catholic college preparatory high school serving over 500 9th-12th grade students from across Philadelphia and Camden. They have a diverse population with 96% students of color and 90% receiving financial aid through an innovative work-study program in which every student works one day per week at a leading company in Philadelphia, gaining work experience and earning real wages to offset the cost of their education.
The Cristo Rey team designed this model to help their students understand how the decisions they make—even during the early high school years—can impact the options available to them later in life. They delivered Decision Education to over 270 students in 24 advisory classes, to align with existing content and coordinate with opportunities for growth and reflection throughout the year, from regular GPA check-ins to selecting summer internships with their career goals in mind.
The model and resources have been updated based on feedback from Cristo Rey Philadelphia students and staff.
Key Stats
- After participating in this model, students’ decision-making practices and processes improved, as measured by the Brief Life Skills (EHV-A), with items such as “I think about the possible consequences before making a decision” and “I look for as much information as possible to make a decision”.
- 80% of students recommended learning decision-making skills to a friend or family member.
- After participating in this model:
- 92% of students agreed they are aware of their thinking process when making a decision.
- 91% of students agreed they know how to achieve their goals for the future.
- 92% of students agreed their current efforts can impact their future positively.
