More About AVID
Why AVID Works
 
AVID confronts a fundamental systemic issue American education must face: the de facto tracking that tends to keep families living on a  low income and students of color out of college preparatory programs and that results in lower levels of academic achievement. Research has demonstrated that AVID offers an effective way to address these problems because:
 
  • AVID accelerates students into more rigorous courses, instead of consigning them to remedial programs.
  • AVID incorporates the intensive support students need to succeed in rigorous courses.
  • AVID uses Socratic methods and study groups that specifically target the needs of students.
  • AVID is a school-wide initiative, not a school within a school. AVID works to influence the belief system and culture of the entire school.
  • AVID changes the belief system of an entire school by showing that families living on a low income and students of color can achieve at the highest levels and attend colleges.
  • Each AVID site team is based on the notion that the success of students is a shared responsibility.
  • All AVID strategies are based on research on tracking and peer influences in student achievement.
 
The AVID Elective
 
The elective class, held during the regular school day, is the foundation of AVID. Students are enrolled in a college preparatory sequence and in an elective section of AVID where they receive the academic and motivational support to succeed. During the AVID class, students are coached by college tutors, typically AVID graduates themselves, and work in collaborative groups using a curriculum focused on writing and inquiry.

Other days are devoted to reading, writing, and math preparation and study skills for college entrance and placement exams. Students also receive college level mini-courses taught by college professors, motivational presentations by guest speakers, and field trips to colleges and businesses.

A Sample Week in AVID
 
 
AVID Teaching Strategies
 
Writing to learn. AVID emphasizes writing in all subjects, with a focus on clarifying and communicating their thoughts and understanding material.

Emphasis on inquiry. AVID is based on inquiry, not lecture. Many activities, from Cornell notetaking to tutorial groups, are built around asking questions, which forces students to clarify, analyze, and synthesize material.

A collaborative approach. The AVID classroom is not a traditional one in which a teacher lectures to passive students. An AVID teacher is a facilitator and an advocate. But students, not teachers or tutors, are responsible for their learning. Tutors function as discussion leaders, while students challenge, help, and learn from one another.

Critical reading. AVID students don’t merely read words on a page. They are taught to analyze, question, critique, clarify, and comprehend the material.

Mathematics. In AVID, Math instruction has a strong writing and vocabulary/reading component. Mathematicians, like everyone else, write about their ideas, their discoveries, and their understanding of one another's work. Students who attain mastery of mathematics qualify for college entry, college success, and post-college academic and career opportunities.
 
Recruiting AVID Students
 
AVID targets students who have the potential to succeed in a rigorous academic program.

Selection criteria include:

1. Ability
  • Are the students getting Cs and Bs but are capable of more?
  • Can they succeed in college preparatory courses with support?
2. Desire and Determination
  • Do they want to attend college?
  • Are they willing to work hard to get there?
3. Membership in an underserved group
  • Are they from a family living on a low income?
  • Will they be the first in their family to attend college?
  • Are they from populations that historically have had lower rates of college attendance?
The AVID Site Team
 
The AVID Site Team will initially consist of a team of at least 8 school staff members who attend Summer Institute: the principal, AVID coordinator/elective teacher, counselor, math teacher, science teacher, English teacher, history teacher and one additional professional (determined by need). As the AVID program matures the AVID site team will grow to include tutors, parents, community members and other campus and district personnel.

The principal provides instructional support and allocates the resources AVID needs (e.g., time and staff).

Guidance counselors and AVID teachers work together to:
  • Enroll students in the rigorous courses they need for college.
  • Fill out college and financial aid applications.
AVID teachers:
  • Serve as site team coordinators and instructional leaders;
  • Oversee the AVID program and share its techniques with other teachers of underserved students
 

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