AVID

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is an academic elective course that prepares students for college readiness and success, and it is scheduled during the regular school day as a year-long course. Each week, students receive instruction that utilizes a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum provided by AVID Center, tutor-facilitated study groups, motivational activities, and academic success skills. In AVID, students participate in activities that incorporate strategies focused on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading to support their academic growth. Additionally, students engage in activities centered around exploring college and career opportunities and their own agency.

Overview of courses offered:

AVID 9

The 9th grade AVID elective course will serve as a review of the AVID philosophy and strategies. Students will work on academic and personal goals and communication, adjusting to the high school setting. Students will increase their awareness of their personal contributions to their learning as well as their involvement in their school and community. There is an emphasis on analytical writing, focusing on personal goals and thesis writing. Students will work in collaborative settings, learning how to participate in collegial discussions and use sources to support their ideas and opinions. Students will prepare for and participate in college entrance and placement exams while refining study skills and test-taking, note-taking, and research techniques. They will take an active role in field trips and guest-speaker preparations and presentations. Their college research will include financial topics and building their knowledge of colleges and careers of interest.

AVID 10

During the 10th grade AVID Elective course, students will refine the AVID strategies to meet their independent needs and learning styles. Students will continue to refine and adjust their academic learning plans and goals, increasing awareness of their actions and behaviors. As students increase their rigorous course load and school/community involvement, they will refine their time-management and study skills accordingly. Students will expand their writing portfolio to include analyzing prompts, supporting arguments and claims, character analysis, and detailed reflections. Students will also analyze various documents in order to participate in collaborative discussions and develop leadership skills in those settings. Students will expand their vocabulary use, continuing to prepare for college entrance exams. Text analysis will focus on specific strategies to understand complex texts. Lastly, students will narrow down their colleges and careers of interest based on their personal interests and goals.

AVID 11

The 11th grade AVID Elective course is the first part in a junior/senior seminar course that focuses on writing and critical thinking expected of first- and second-year college students. In addition to the academic focus of the AVID seminar, there are college-bound activities, methodologies, and tasks that should be undertaken during the junior year to support students when they apply to four-year universities and confirm their postsecondary plans. In this year, students will gain more understanding of college and career options, as well as explore campuses (digitally and in person), investigate majors based on potential careers, and grow their resumes for college applications.

AVID 12

The 12th grade AVID Elective course is the second part in a junior/senior seminar course that focuses on the writing and critical thinking expected of first- and second-year college students. Students will complete a final research essay project with research skills gained in their junior year in AVID. In addition to the academic focus of the AVID senior seminar, there are college-bound activities, methodologies, and tasks that should be achieved during the senior year that support students as they apply to four-year universities and confirm their postsecondary plans. All AVID seniors are required to develop and present a portfolio representing their years of work in the AVID program, as well as complete the requirements for the seminar course.

AVID 11/Theory of Knowledge year 1

This course follows the same standards of the AVID 11 course while simultaneously developing the foundational knowledge for the ToK class that exists as part of the ‘Core’ of the IB full diploma program. Students will complete the ToK exhibition as part of the assessment process for IB.

AVID 12/Theory of Knowledge year 2

This course follows the same standards of the AVID 12 course while simultaneously building upon the knowledge and skills from ToK year 1. This course exists as the culmination of the ToK portion of the ‘Core’ of the IB full diploma program. In this capstone to the ToK pathway, students will write an essay for the IB internal assessment.

Teachers:

Links:

Side by Side Comparison of AVID Strategies, Units, and Activities That Align to CCSS for ELA.

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