Welcome to AVID!Ms. Ross, Room 219

Why am I teaching this course? I am a first generation college student. My parents helped me to

pay for college, but I relied on teachers and mentors for advise on my career.

I believe in justice. I believe that education is a human right. I believe that your generation is going to fix our world.

I am unhappy with our PSAT scores, especially in writing. I am also unhappy with the number of seniors in the class of 2012 who did not go to a four year college this fall. I want to be part of the solution and to help you get where you want to go.

I always root for the underdog! Everyone in this room has a story. Everyone in this room has a dream.

I genuinely like my AVID students. Each one of you were chosen for this program because I thought you were interesting and had something to contribute to this class. I was very impressed with the TED talks at the end of last year.

Why are you taking this course?

How does AVID help students? The AVID philosophy is simple. When put in classes with other successful students,

challenging subject matter, and high expectations, AVID students can and will succeed.

AVID students are carefully selected based on academic potential, motivation and desire to be in the AVID class. With success in courses of rigor, AVID students develop self-confidence. Teachers begin to perceive students as successful. Students develop positive attitudes about themselves and school. Students begin to see themselves as college bound and make good decision about how

to get there. AVID students become school leaders and are involved in extra-curricular activities.

The AVID class is designed to help students succeed in classes of rigor and to support them through the process of applying to college. Inquiry-based, tutor-led, collaborative study groups, based on the students’ note-taking

in academic classes and from texts, provide the students with academic support. Students learn to use writing as a tool for learning and develop writing skills through

writing process lessons in all subjects. Through guest speakers, field trips and other activities, students learn about colleges

and careers. The AVID team (parents, teachers, tutors, students, administrators, counselors and community members) cheer on AVID students and work together to support them in achieving their dreams of attending college.

What is AVID? Advancement ViaIndividual DeterminationWhat does that mean to you? AVID’s mission is the close the achievement gap

by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

What is college readiness?

Key Cognitive Strategies A well-prepared college student is grounded in the foundation

built on the following key cognitive strategies that enable students to learn content form a range of disciplines.

Intellectual openness Inquisitiveness Analysis Reasoning, augmentation, and proof Interpretation Precision and Accuracy Problem Solving

Academic Knowledge and SkillsOverarching Academic Skills: Writing and

Research

Core Academic Subjects Knowledge and Skills: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, the Arts

Academic BehaviorsSelf- Monitoring skills: Metacognition

Study skills: Time management, using resources, taking notes, preparing for and taking exams, and communicating with teachers and advisors as well as the ability to successfully participate in a study group (Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley, & Carlstrom, 2004)

Contextual Skills and AwarenessHow a college operates as a system and culture“College Knowledge”: Admissions, tuition costs,

financial aid system, application process, etc.

What are 21st Century Skills?

Core Subjects and 21st Century Themes

Mastery of core subjects and 21st century themes is essential to student success. Core subjects include English, reading or language arts, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government and civics.

In addition, schools must promote an understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects:

• Global Awareness • Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy • Civic Literacy • Health Literacy • Environmental Literacy

Information, Media and Technology SkillsToday, we live in a technology and media-driven

environment, marked by access to an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools and the ability to collaborate and make individual contributions on an unprecedented scale. Effective citizens and workers must be able to exhibit a range of functional and critical thinking skills, such as: Information Literacy Media Literacy ICT (Information, Communications and

Technology) Literacy

Life and Career SkillsToday’s life and work environments require far

more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills, such as:Flexibility and Adaptability Initiative and Self-Direction Social and Cross-Cultural Skills Productivity and Accountability Leadership and Responsibility

Learning and Innovation SkillsLearning and innovation skills are what separate

students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in today’s world and those who are not. They include:Creativity and Innovation Critical Thinking and Problem Solving CommunicationCollaboration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KMM387HNQk

RECAP: Who belongs in AVID? Students who want to go to college but are not quite sure how to

get there. The AVID curriculum is designed to support students in the process of applying to colleges and choosing a career.

Students who want to be part of a learning community and want to develop leadership skills.

Students who want to improve their academic skills. The AVID curriculum encourages WICR skills—or better yet WICOR!

Students who want support in classes of rigor. All AVID students must commit to two classes of rigor each school year.

Students who are ready to make a commitment to their future and are willing to take risks and work hard. AVID students must want to be in AVID!

Thank you for your commitment to AVID! I’m looking forward to a great year of working together!