Pilot Next Year’s New Curriculum Now (Without Adding More to Your Plate)
- The Chalkboard Agency
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
How advisory and homeroom teachers can test meaningful student connection activities this year.
If you’re already thinking about next year’s new curriculum, now is actually the perfect time to experiment.
Not by overhauling everything.
Not by adding another complicated program.
But by testing something small with one class or advisory group while there’s still time to learn what works.
For middle school and high school educators, the most successful pilots are the ones that fit into the natural rhythm of the school day—advisory periods, homeroom, or those short windows of time before the bell when teachers want to do something meaningful but manageable.
Testing a small routine now allows you to gather real feedback from students and decide whether it’s worth expanding next year.
Why Schools Should Pilot New Curriculum Before the Next School Year
Trying something with a small group gives teachers valuable insight without the pressure of a full rollout.
When you pilot a program with one or two classes, you quickly discover:
• What actually engages students
• What types of conversations students are willing to have
• What routines feel natural during advisory or homeroom
• What might need to change before implementing school-wide
Instead of guessing what students might respond to, you see it in real time.
This kind of feedback helps schools make confident decisions about expanding a program the following year.
Advisory and Homeroom Are Where School Culture Is Built
Advisory periods are often underestimated.
But these small blocks of time shape something incredibly important: school culture.
This is where students build relationships, practice listening, and develop the tone they carry into the rest of the school day.
The challenge for many teachers is time.
When you only have 5–10 minutes before the bell, you need something that creates connection quickly without feeling like filler.
That’s where structured storytelling activities can make a real difference.
A Simple Activity to Pilot: Story Exchange
One strong option to test during advisory or homeroom is Story Exchange.
Story Exchange is designed to spark meaningful conversation in a short amount of time. Teachers can introduce a short story video, reflection prompt, or discussion question that encourages students to share perspectives and experiences.
Because it’s flexible, it works whether you have:
• A full advisory period
• A shortened homeroom block
• Just a few minutes before class begins
Students listen to a story, reflect on the message, and connect it to their own experiences.
Over time, these small moments help build stronger relationships and empathy within a classroom.
Why Storytelling Works With Middle and High School Students
Storytelling is powerful because it creates emotional engagement.
Research consistently shows that students are more likely to remember lessons when they connect to real experiences and authentic voices.
Stories help students:
• See different perspectives
• Reflect on their own experiences
• Practice listening and empathy
• Build stronger connections with classmates
In middle school and high school—when social dynamics are constantly shifting—students benefit from repeated opportunities to reconnect and reflect together.
Team building isn’t a one-time event.
It’s an ongoing process.
Story-based discussions create those moments naturally.
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How to Start a Small Advisory Pilot
If you’re interested in testing storytelling with students, start small.
Try Story Exchange with one class or advisory group and simply observe what happens.
Pay attention to:
• Who participates and how
• What kinds of conversations students are willing to have
• Whether it changes how students treat each other over time
• What routines make it easiest to use consistently
This kind of pilot helps you determine whether the activity fits your students and school culture.
If it does, you’ll be ready to bring it to more groups—or even expand it school-wide—the following year.
Making Short Advisory Periods Count
The reality of modern schools is that time is limited.
Teachers often have just a few minutes to create meaningful engagement before transitioning into the rest of the day.
Structured storytelling activities help make those minutes count.
Instead of feeling like an add-on, they become part of the rhythm of the classroom.
And over time, those small moments can build stronger classroom communities.
Want a Simple 2–3 Week Pilot Plan?
If you’re curious about testing Story Exchange in your classroom, we can help you start with a simple pilot.
Tell us:
• How long your advisory or homeroom period is
• What grade levels you teach
• Whether you want short 5-minute activities or longer discussions
We’ll share a ready-to-use pilot plan designed to fit naturally into your school day.
CALL TO ACTION
Start Your Story Exchange Pilot
👉 Try a sample Story Exchange activity and see how it works with your students.
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