WICOR
In AVID, most everything we do focuses around developing the five WICOR skills: Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading. We approach developing these skills in a variety of ways that allow students to engage in critical thinking, and express their thoughts and feelings in a rigorous and academic way.
Writing
Writing is the main way in which we show what we have learned in educational settings, and it is essential to being a participant in a democratic society. AVID students use writing not only as a means to express their thinking, but as a tool for learning that can help us to push our thinking and organize our thoughts. We use a variety of strategies including quickwrites, reflective writing, formal writing assignments, and peer editing to allow students to grow in writing.
Inquiry
Inquiry is the ability to ask questions that not only explore the information your are curious about, but also deepen your understanding of the topic. AVID students spend a lot of time practicing how to use the questions that we ask everyday to push our critical thinking and analysis. AVID students use Costa's Levels of Questioning as a guide for asking higher-level questions.
Collaboration
Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do in AVID. The AVID elective is designed to be more than just another class. It's a supportive community where we aren't just learning alongside each other, but supporting, encouraging, and standing by each other. AVID students work on collaborative projects, compete in team-building challenges, and participate in regular AVID tutorials.
Organization
From keeping track of handouts, to time management, organization can be one of the most challenging parts of the middle school experience. In AVID, we support students in learning organizational skills that will help them to be successful in high school, college, and beyond. As part of being in AVID, students are required to maintain a organized AVID binder, which is checked on a regular basis. AVID students are also expected to maintain a planner, and keep track of their grades. The goal of building organizational skills is to empower students to be independent and responsible for their own learning and progress.
Reading
Reading is an essential skill for high school and college, as well as being necessary to be engaged and critical participants in a democratic society. AVID students learn and practice a variety of strategies for purpose-driven, close readings of primarily informational texts. We emphasize approaches that encourage students to interact with the text in a way that deepens their understanding, and drives their critical thinking.