Organization

Organization is:

Writing in my assignments with due dates in my planner
Organizing my 2" binder
Taking notes, studying, and completing assignments & projects
Practicing growth mindset
Setting, achieving, and reflecting on my goals
Taking responsibility for my own learning

Binder & Agenda

2025 Binder Boot Camp

Binder Checklist

Binder Check Form

Agenda Procedures

Agenda Student Example

Copy of 24-25 AVID Agenda (sample)

Daily Agenda Example

Daily Agenda Template

Organization is a prerequisite for success. Organization crosses all studies for higher education and all life situations. Directly teaching organizational skills aids students for their current task (school) while preparing them for their latter tasks (workforce). Simple tools such as binders increase learning time and grades earned by students while decreasing their frustration. Teachers who teach organization skills to their students are teaching important lessons for school, as well as for life. (Gambill et al.)

For students to be successful at school and life, they need to learn to manage their belongings. This includes keeping track of their school work and supplies. Binder organization should be part of every students’ routine. Allotting time in our daily schedule for organization supports all students as they learn to manage all the things that they need for success in school.

All WMS students are required to carry a 2” 3 -ring binder with 10 dividerson a daily basis. Divider labels are: Advisory, Homework, English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Elective 1, 2, 3, & paper. Students who are not able to afford a 2” binder, may see their counselor.

In Pre-AVID & AVID, we give students 2 minutes at the end of the period to pack up. We remind them to place their work on the rings inside their binder. We watch to make sure they do. We also have backpack & binder organization times built into our schedule. We assist students who need extra help with cleaning out their backpacks, sorting their work, punching holes, and placing the assignments on the rings in the correct sections of their binders. Some students will be tempted to throw their “old” work away. Please ask them not to do this. It should be filed in the correct section of their binder. All of their completed work is evidence of their learning!

Strategies to try:

At the end of the period, remind students to place that day’s assignment 🗒️ on the rings of their binder. Observe 🧐 as students either do or do not do this. Assist students who are stuffing their work into their backpack 🎒.
During Advisory, have a set day for students to clean out their backpacks 🎒 & organize their binders. Assist students who need extra help 🤔.
Binder Buddies 😎 are students who LOVE ❤️ assisting others organize their binders & backpacks. These students are a great help in getting other students organized.

🧰 Additional Resources:

WMS Binder Boot Camp, WMS Binder Checklist, & Binder Check Form
Daily Agenda Example, Daily Agenda Template
WMS Agenda Check Form
Student Handouts Chapter 3 Student Success, MyAVID
eBinder tips (digital binders) from AVID Open Access
The Impact of Study Skills and Organizational Methods on Student Achievement (Gambill et al.)

GPA

A student’s Grade Point Average or GPA is one indicator of their school success. Students who monitor their progress via Infinite Campus and Google Classroom are more likely to take action to improve their grades. In high school, students must have a 2.0 GPA, with no Ds or Fs, in order to participate in sports and extracurricular activities. Minimum GPA for admission to the University of Hawaii, Manoa is 3.0.

In the Pre-AVID & AVID elective classes, we teach students how to calculate their GPAs. Students monitor their GPA at least twice each quarter and reflect on their progress and what they want to change to improve. Here are some resources you can use to help your students calculate, monitor, & reflect on their GPAs.

🧰 Additional Resources can be found at:

Charting My GPA

WMS AVID Charting My GPA

Calculating My GPA

WMS AVID Calculating My GPA

Grade Goal Reflection.pdf

Grade Goal Reflection

Copy of Progress Log

Progress Log

Goal Setting

WMS AVID Goal Card & Reflection

Goals are targets 🎯 that we can work towards. Some are short term goals or goals that we can accomplish quickly. Others are long term goals that may take more time and effort to complete. Our short term goals can also be building blocks towards those long term goals.

We tell our AVID students to dream BIG! to set really big goals for themselves for high school, college, and career. The challenge is how do we help our students break those BIG goals down into manageable chunks? Here are a few resources that you can use to help your student set achievable goals and reflect on their progress towards meeting them.

🧰 Additional Resources:

WMS AVID Goal Card & Reflection

Weekly Goals

WMS Agenda Book

In the bottom right hand corner of the WMS Agenda book, there is a spot for students to write a weekly goal. Goal setting is a great way to help students build good study habits. Ask your advisory students to think about the upcoming week and what they would like to accomplish or improve. Have students write a specific goal that includes an action. Questions to ask:

Which class is hardest for you right now or do you want to improve in?
Which class do you have missing or upcoming assignments or tests for?

Once they have chosen the class and/or assignment they would like to focus on for the week, ask:

What do you want to accomplish? Be specific.
What are you going to DO this week to make sure you accomplish it? What action are you going to take?

Ask your advisory students to say their goal out loud to the group. At the end of the week, ask students to share whether they met their goal or not and why. Students can hold each other accountable or celebrate achieving their goals. Together we can accomplish our goals.

Ketchup & Pickles

Ketchup & Pickles (AVID)

Ketchup & Pickles

Wrapping up for the quarter? Need a way to keep students busy while others finish work? Try Ketchup & Pickles! Students who need time to finish work Ketchup on their assignments. Students who are done with all their work may Pickle something quiet to work on. The best part? You Pick the choices they get to select from. Feel free to make a copy of the Google Slide and personalize it for your students.