The teacher Advisory Program, also known as TAP, appears to be a two-sided coin. When the program was started two years ago it was intended to prepare young students for their future years in high school and for their post secondary education; a good and noble start. The flip side though appears to the full of problem and flaws.

Although the TAP groups generally consist of 12 students which allow the teachers to have a close contact with their students, the groups, especially groups in grade 10 and 11, suffer from a lack of enthusiasm. Adding to that, the short history of TAP leaves the teachers and the school to grapple with a problematic and imperfect TAP schedule that makes the program even less attractive to students.

Such an imperfection is the fact that students are randomly assigned to classes. The monthly TAP periods do not give the student enough time to become familiar with the teacher or the class into which he or she was shoved. The results in quiet classes and timid students who are uncomfortable in their TAP groups and in turn fo not participate in it.

Trying to look on the clear side of the coin, the TAP program does not offer some advantages th an average student. By encouraging the students to set their goals and to look into the near future, the TAP program gently pushes students to implement their plans and to make them aware of their delicate position where they have to chose a path that is going to lead then, hopefully to a post-secondary education.

Another clear side is the involvement if senior students particularly in relation to grade 9's. Having direct contact with two senior students and having the opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns does not give the young students and edge for their future years and, in some cases, inspires them to reach higher levels of academic success.

Let’s flip the coin. What about the students who were introduced to TAP in their 3rd year of high school? Having completed half of their high-school years these students are not as open to the idea ‘of implementing your goals’ and are not easily influenced by the senior students who are only one year ahead of them. They are more defiant then the younger generation and are much more susceptible to skip the TAP periods than the younger grades.

Some basic suggestions to keep the coin balanced.
Keep the TAP groups familiar to the students. A good solution would be to keep the TAP groups the same as the home rooms, and to make the teachers with out home rooms help out in one of the groups. It would mean more students in a classroom, bu it would make it less stressful for a student because he or she is familiar with the class and teachers(s).
Make the program desirable for the students to attend by introducing activities, field trips, and games-anything that attracts students to attend and participate in their TAP groups.
 

Finally, give the TAP program more time. It is taking its first baby steps, and wether we like it or not, it is imposed upon us and we have to try to make the best out of that one hour that happens once or twice every month.

Many thanks to Mr. J. Korostil and Predrag Lazic