What Role Does Your Background Play In Advising?
Academic advisers bring different qualifications and a range of educational backgrounds to their practices. What is your particular discipline, and do you feel it has helped you with your work as an adviser? In what ways have you been able to integrate your background and experiences to become a more effective academic adviser? Can most advisers, regardless of discipline, somehow incorporate their journeys to improve the practice of academic advising?
What is your opinion?
Currently I am studying to obtain my BA in Political Science. With a background/education in the social sciences I feel more prepared for peer advising obstacles and its normative functioning than I think many of my peers in other academic disciplines would feel. In particular, the field of political science has allowed me to study to workings of institutions, multi-player relations, and elements of sound negotiations/effectiveness while collaborating with others. These skills coupled with the training and information provided through my University’s peer adviser seminar has significantly prepared me for my work as a peer advisor. At a more personal level, I plan on attending law school, and peer advising also reciprocates helpful tools to the advisers. Peer advising teaches the advisers important interpersonal skills which will become indispensible while working with clients and colleagues in the field of law or related professions. Therefore advising can be used as a positive learning experience for both the advisers and advisees. I do believe that regardless of academic discipline many people can bring background and experiences to the table and become and effective adviser. Each college within a university should use some type of peer advising service, and for this to be true an institution needs advisers from various backgrounds. As long as basic tools and information can be provided to these prospective advisers to aid them in advising peers, they will prove to be a valuable tool.
As a sociology major I feel like my course of study has definitely helped me as an advisor. Sociology deals with society and how people interact with each other so it has been easier for me to read people and know how to talk to them based on their body language and tone. Before I started college I was very shy and I know that talking to advisors, even if they are peers, can be very challenging or anxiety inducing for some people. In my own experience, knowing how it feel to be the advisee, I take my time with people and make sure they get the help they need. I feel like people of all different backgrounds can make good advisors as long as they have the right tools. Every person has experienced trouble in their lives and know how it feels to need help. I think as long as you are willing to take the time to listen to someone and know the right things to tell them you can make a fine advisor. Everyone also has general areas of study we all share and those experiences help us relate to the people we are advising because we have gone through exactly what they have, whether its declaring a major, picking classes, or just needing help deciding what step to take next academically.
I’m pretty much in the same boat. While I’m a pretty extroverted person, I personally find it intimidating to ask for help with anything academic. It’s not even the case that the advisers are or have been intimidating in anyway, but I do have a general angst regarding my view of the impenetrable nature of the bureaucracy of UMASS. Granted, I logically know the purpose and role of advisers and I am aware of the accessibility that they offer. Even so, I feel that (and I do not think that I am the only one of my class that does) that there is some really hard process just getting your foot in the door in the advising office and admitting “I don’t really know what I’m doing.” I think that this perspective has definitely affected how I advise students. I try to be really warm and welcoming, as well as lighten the air with a bit of humor or self-deprecation in order to make them feel comfortable.
I agree with Sarah’s idea that most advisors can use their particular discipline to their advantage when advising. I am a communication major, and similarly to Sarah studying sociology, my major requires me to have strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to read people. The ability to communicate effectively and not make anyone feel uncomfortable or intimidated is essential when advising students. I also agree with Sarah saying that as long as the peer advisor is willing to listen to their advisee free of judgment, and shows respect of the student’s background, the advising will go smoothly. It is important to go slowly and introduce yourself to the student so that the student feels comfortable and does not feel overwhelmed with information. It also helps to take the time to learn a few things about them such as their major and interests, as these things may be essential when deciding how to advise them. Even if we are in a different major than the student being advised, the advisor should be able to relate in some way to their advisee, as we have probably gone through some of the same things and asked the same questions.
Sidebar
Pages
Affiliations
©2013 The Pennsylvania State University | Privacy and Legal Statements | Contact Webmaster