Connecting WICOR & BTC

Devan Smith & Shaylee Ryan

April 2024

This blog article is a companion to S1E2 of the Going Off on a Tangent podcast. To listen to the podcast and earn PD points for engaging, click here.

What is WICOR?

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, strategies that promote critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving are essential for student success. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness, has developed a comprehensive framework known as WICOR to foster these crucial skills. WICOR stands for Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading – five pillars that form the foundation of AVID's instructional approach.

Writing

Effective communication through writing is a fundamental skill that transcends academic disciplines and is vital for success in both higher education and the professional world. AVID emphasizes the development of writing skills across all subjects, encouraging students to express their thoughts clearly and coherently. From structured note-taking techniques to formal essay writing, students learn to articulate their ideas, analyze complex concepts, and defend their viewpoints with evidence.

Inquiry

Inquiry-based learning lies at the heart of AVID's pedagogical approach, encouraging students to ask questions, seek understanding, and engage critically with course content. Through guided inquiry activities, students learn to think critically, evaluate information, and draw connections between concepts. By fostering a culture of curiosity and intellectual exploration, AVID empowers students to become active participants in their own learning journey.

Collaboration

In today's interconnected world, collaboration is an indispensable skill that extends beyond the classroom walls. AVID recognizes the importance of collaboration in both academic and professional settings and provides opportunities for students to work together towards common goals. Through collaborative group projects, peer tutoring sessions, and structured discussions, students learn to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and leverage collective strengths to achieve success.

Organization

Organization is the key to academic success, enabling students to manage their time, resources, and responsibilities effectively. AVID equips students with tools and strategies to stay organized, from setting goals and prioritizing tasks to maintaining a structured system for note-taking and studying. By instilling habits of organization early on, AVID prepares students to navigate the demands of higher education and the workforce with confidence and efficiency.

Reading

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill that underpins learning across all subjects and disciplines. AVID emphasizes active reading strategies that help students engage with complex texts, extract key information, and make meaningful connections. From annotating texts and summarizing main ideas to analyzing author's purpose and evaluating arguments, students develop critical reading skills that are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.

Implementing WICOR in the Classroom

Integrating WICOR strategies into the classroom requires intentional planning, collaboration among educators, and ongoing support for students. AVID provides professional development opportunities, resources, and curriculum materials to help teachers incorporate WICOR principles into their instructional practices. By scaffolding instruction, modeling effective strategies, and providing feedback, educators empower students to become self-directed learners who are capable of thinking critically, collaborating productively, and achieving academic success.

WICOR represents more than just a set of instructional strategies – it embodies a philosophy of education that seeks to empower all students, regardless of background or circumstance, to reach their full potential. By focusing on the development of essential skills such as writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading, AVID equips students with the tools they need to succeed in school, college, and beyond. As educators continue to embrace the principles of WICOR and adapt them to meet the needs of diverse learners, they play a vital role in preparing the next generation of leaders, innovators, and problem solvers.

Connecting AVID & BTC

Peter Liljedahl's 14 Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) practices and AVID's WICOR framework share a common goal: to promote deep learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and academic success among students. While they may have originated in different contexts—Liljedahl's practices primarily focus on mathematics instruction, whereas AVID's framework is more broadly applicable across subjects—they exhibit significant overlap in their underlying principles and objectives. Here's how Liljedahl's BTC practices align with the components of AVID's WICOR framework:

Writing

Writing to Learn: Both frameworks emphasize the importance of writing as a tool for learning. In AVID, students engage in structured note-taking and reflective writing activities to deepen their understanding of content. Similarly, Liljedahl's practices encourage students to articulate their mathematical thinking through writing, whether it's explaining their problem-solving strategies or justifying their solutions.

Students in Mike Godwin's class at Princess Anne engage with the quadrilateral properties and write their thinking/observations.

Check out this thin-slicing task from Ms. Perez that has students investigating the powers of i.

Inquiry

Questioning: AVID promotes inquiry-based learning through questioning strategies that encourage critical thinking and exploration. Likewise, Liljedahl's BTC practices emphasize the use of rich, open-ended questions to promote mathematical inquiry and problem-solving. Students are encouraged to ask questions, make conjectures, and explore multiple solution pathways.

Collaboration

Collaborative Learning Structures: Collaboration is a cornerstone of both frameworks. AVID encourages collaborative learning experiences through group work, peer tutoring, and cooperative learning activities. Similarly, Liljedahl's practices incorporate collaborative learning structures such as think-pair-share, visibly random groups, and vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPS) to promote peer interaction, discussion, and collective problem-solving in the mathematics classroom.

Notice how Ms. Crawley's AP Pre-Calculus students are working together to solve a problem at the Vertical Whiteboards.

See a KHS student consolidated their understanding through writing in their native language with their student-produced notes.

Organization

Managing the Mathematical Task: Liljedahl's BTC practices emphasize the importance of task design and management to promote productive struggle and mathematical exploration. Similarly, AVID emphasizes organizational skills such as time management, goal-setting, and task prioritization to help students effectively navigate their academic responsibilities and engage in deep learning.

Reading

Reading for Problem-Solving: While reading may not be as explicitly emphasized in Liljedahl's BTC practices, the ability to interpret and comprehend mathematical texts is essential for problem-solving and mathematical reasoning. AVID's focus on active reading strategies and comprehension skills can complement Liljedahl's practices by helping students extract key information from mathematical texts and apply it to problem-solving tasks.

Students in Ms. Nassy's Computer Programming classes engaged with an active reading strategy called Mark It Up. They explored the text and then worked together to make meaning of the important aspects.

Both Liljedahl's BTC practices and AVID's WICOR framework provide educators with research-based strategies and principles for creating dynamic, student-centered learning environments that promote deep learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and academic success. By integrating these frameworks, educators can design learning experiences that not only develop students' mathematical proficiency but also equip them with essential skills and habits of mind that transcend disciplinary boundaries and prepare them for success in college, career, and beyond.

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