Parents Symposium October 28, 2006

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Parents SymposiumOctober 28, 2006 How Can AVID
Help Your Child? Eileen Potterton, AVID
Curriculum Specialist Gricelda Gutierrez,
Teacher, Fontana JUSD
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AVID Program Advancement Via
Individual Determination L. avidus eager for
knowledge
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If parents and teachers work together, students
are more likely to be successful in school.
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The Mission of AVID
The mission of AVID is to ensure that ALL
students, and most especially the least served
students who are in the middle
AVIDs systemic approach is designed to support
students and educators as they increase
schoolwide/districtwidelearning and performance.
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Commonly Held Misconceptions
about AVID

• AT RISK Program NO!
• Affirmative Action Program NO!
• School Within A School NO!
• For All Students NO!
• A Silver Bullet NO!
• A Quick Fix NO!
• Free NO!
• A Categorical Program NO!
• Only Affects A Few Students NO!

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What is AVID?
AVID is an academic, regularly scheduled elective
class based on writing as a tool of learning,
inquiry method, and collaborative grouping. The
three main components of the program are
academic instruction, tutorial support,
and motivational activities.
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How does the AVID program contribute to the
success of the students

• Teaches study and organizational skills
• Uses English as a writing tool for learning
• Strengthens their writing skills
• Gives tutorial help through college tutors
• Teaches students to work collaboratively to be
  successful in the most rigorous courses
• Takes students to visit colleges and universities
• Assists students with the application process for
  four year colleges and universities
• Helps students explore careers through guest
  speakers

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The AVID Student Profile

• Students with Academic Potential
• Average to High Test Scores
• 2.0-3.5 GPA
• College Potential with Support
• Desire and Determination
• Meets one or More of the following Criteria
• First to Attend College
• Historically Underserved in 4-year Colleges
• Low Income
• Special Circumstances

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AVID Collaborative Support for the Success of
Underserved Students
AVID SupportStaff
Colleges and Universities
Community
Parents
AVID Coordinator(AVID Elective Teacher)
Tutors
Administration
SubjectAreaTeachers
Counselors
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A Sample Week in AVID Elective
Daily or Block Schedule
AVID Curriculum includes Writing
Curriculum College and Careers
Strategies for Success
AVID Tutorials Include Collaborative
Study Groups Writing Groups
Socratic Seminars
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Writing Curriculum Writing
to Learn Writing Process
Focus Lessons Timed Writing
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Cornell Notes
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Cornell Note Taking System The STAR System
Set up your paper Take the notes
Apply your thinking to the
notes Reflect and Revise
your notes
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An example of how notes are set up
Topic Heading
Questions Class Notes Subtitles Use
Bullets Headings Use Abbreviations (w/ _at_ etc.)
Summary 3 to 4 sentence summary across bottom
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Summary Summary is added at the end of
all note pages on the subject
(not at the end of each page).
Summary is added AFTER questions
are finished.
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Inquiry Method Engage in skillful
questioning Higher Level Thinking
Respectful dialogue
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Collaboration Students ask,
explore and answer questions
Students are listeners, thinkers, speakers,
and writers Students discover ideas and
remember because they are actively
involved Teacher becomes a coach, guiding
students in their learning
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TUTORIALS Purpose Create
deeper understanding of concepts covered in core
content classes. Develop skills necessary to
become self-directed learners. It's not just
homework help! Process To
push each other's thinking. AVID tutorials
utilize an inquiry process. Tutors do not give
answers they facilitate the group's discovery
with critical questions. Students reflect on
their learning.
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Rigorous curriculum is a greater factor in
determining college graduation rates than class
standing, standardized test scores, or grade
point average. From Answers in the Tool Box
Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and
Bachelor's Degree Attainment (1999) by Clifford
Adelman, Senior Research Analyst, U.S. Dept. of
Ed.
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What are the A-G requirements?For California
State University and University of California
Admissions
A. 4 years of English. B. 3 years of Math
(Starting with Algebra 1) C. 2 years of History
(1 year of American History/1 year World
History) D. 2 years of Laboratory
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) E. 2
years of Foreign Language F. 1 year of Visual or
Performing Arts G. 1 year of College Preparatory
Elective
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What is academic rigor?
Rigor is the goal of helping students develop the
capacity to understand content that is complex,
ambiguous, provocative, and personally or
emotionally challenging. Taking rigorous courses
opens doors ! Source Teaching What Matters
Most Standards and Strategies for Raising
Student Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini,
ASCD, 2001.
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Meeting the Challenge (Continued)
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Ethnic Breakdown of AP Test-takersAVID vs..
National
Opening access to Advanced Placement courses for
all students, regardless of ethnicity or economic
background, is essential to leveling the academic
playing field. AVID students, who take many AP
tests every year, show greater ethnic diversity
than AP test-takers do overall. The proportion of
Latinos taking AP exams is over five times higher
among AVID students than among U.S. students
overall.
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Average Test Score on AP Test-takersAVID vs..
National
In 2003, over 50 of AVIDs Graduates took at
least one AP Exam. The average score for these
mostly low-income, minority students was 2.42,
close to national average of all AP test-takers,
which was 2.96. For more information, contact
AVID Centers Linda Powell-McMillan at
lpowell-mcmillan_at_avidcenter.org or [phone]
ext. 132
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Completion of 4-Year CollegeEntrance Requirements
AVID students complete university entrance
requirements at a much higher ratethan their
non-AVID peers.
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Percent of Students Applying GettingAccepted
to 4-Year Colleges
One of the most impressive and consistent
indicators of AVID's success is the rate at which
it sends students to four-year colleges. 75 of
2005 AVID graduates were accepted to a four-year
college.
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Why AVID Works

• Places AVID students in rigorous curriculum and
  gives them the support to achieve
• Provides the explicit hidden curriculum of
  schools
• Provides a team of students for positive peer
  identification
• Redefines teachers role as that of student
  advocate

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Eileen Potterton RIMS AVID Gricelda
GutierrezFontana High School