Why AVID? What is WICOR?
I can still remember my first group of AVID babies in my third year of teaching. What do I remember from my first day of my first AVID elective class? I remember being terrified! It was a special group, a group that I taught as 6th and 7th graders in their encore Science Technology class, and I had the pleasure of teaching them again as 8th graders in AVID and Math. At the time it felt like a curse, geez, I can't get rid of these kids. And now, I know better, it was a blessing in disguise! I'm now going on my 8th year being involved in AVID, and have had the pleasure of attending at least five summer institutes. As they say, I drank the Kool Aid! It's some good Kool Aid too!
In my eight years being involved with AVID, I've encountered a wide variety of educators, as we all have. I've worked with many fellow lovers of AVID, and others... well, not so much on the lover side. Sometimes, in the world of education, AVID is not well received by some educators, and I think that is because some see it as another initiative, or something else to do in addition to their already jam-packed curriculum. I've got good news for the lovers and the haters of AVID... AVID is not one more thing... it's not an initiative that will come and go with the times. AVID is merely a compilation of best practices, practices that are good for all teachers, all content areas, and all students schoolwide!
If AVID is good for everyone, why do we need an AVID elective class? Well, the AVID elective class is merely one more layer of support for students that could benefit from an additional advocate and opportunity. Want to hear more about what the AVID elective does for students? Ask an AVID student, or teacher, or check out these AVID Summer Institute student speakers below, or search YouTube for "AVID Summer Institute Speakers"!
I'll never be sure if I've convinced you, but I hope the AVID students and teachers in the videos above have! AVID strategies are for everyone, AVID is for those individually determined students in the academic middle, who need an extra push from their AVID family. It's not just a class, it's a way of life! To some, AVID represents hope, to others opportunity, and to many, family.
In my eight years being involved with AVID, I've encountered a wide variety of educators, as we all have. I've worked with many fellow lovers of AVID, and others... well, not so much on the lover side. Sometimes, in the world of education, AVID is not well received by some educators, and I think that is because some see it as another initiative, or something else to do in addition to their already jam-packed curriculum. I've got good news for the lovers and the haters of AVID... AVID is not one more thing... it's not an initiative that will come and go with the times. AVID is merely a compilation of best practices, practices that are good for all teachers, all content areas, and all students schoolwide!
If AVID is good for everyone, why do we need an AVID elective class? Well, the AVID elective class is merely one more layer of support for students that could benefit from an additional advocate and opportunity. Want to hear more about what the AVID elective does for students? Ask an AVID student, or teacher, or check out these AVID Summer Institute student speakers below, or search YouTube for "AVID Summer Institute Speakers"!
- 2017 AVID Summer Institute Speakers
- 2016 AVID Summer Institute Speakers
- 2015 AVID Summer Institute Speakers
I'll never be sure if I've convinced you, but I hope the AVID students and teachers in the videos above have! AVID strategies are for everyone, AVID is for those individually determined students in the academic middle, who need an extra push from their AVID family. It's not just a class, it's a way of life! To some, AVID represents hope, to others opportunity, and to many, family.
WICOR Posters
Check out the WICOR posters below, designed by my friend and colleague, Mallory Morris. They demonstrate the tenets of AVID, W for Writing, I for Inquiry, C for Collaboration, O for Organization, and R for Reading. | |