South Coast Baptist College is committed to excellence in academic achievement for all students. One of the strategies we are using to achieve excellence in academics is by way of implementing AVID in the Primary school, years 3 to 6.
What is AVID?
AVID is a research based educational philosophy that uses proven best practice in teaching and learning. AVID holds to the belief that when students are held accountable to the highest standards, provided with academic and social support, they will rise to the challenge and fulfil their potential by becoming independent, determined and successful lifelong learners.
AVID Primary is a foundational component of the AVID University Readiness System and supports AVID’s mission and vision to provide a comprehensive model of success for all students, from Kindergarten through to higher education.
To achieve this, AVID trains educators to use proven practices to prepare students for success in high school, university and a career.
AVID brings these research‐based strategies and curriculum to educational institutions through providing educators with training and methodologies that develop students’ critical thinking, intrinsically motivated learning, self-organisation, collaboration, as well as literacy, and math skills across all content areas. This will be a key strategy in reducing the spread of achievement and supporting all students, so they are fulfilling their individual potential.
AVID;
• Teaches skills and behaviours for academic success
• Provides intensive support with tutorials and strong student/teacher relationships
• Creates a positive peer group for students
• Develops a sense of hope for personal achievement gained through hard work and determination
AVID incorporates the following core components:
Student Success Skills – encompassing communication skills (e.g. listening, speaking, writing), self-advocacy skills, note-taking strategies, critical thinking, and study skills.
Organizational Skills – both mental and physical; students learn to use organizational tools, as well as learn and practice skills around time management and goal-setting.
WICOR Lessons – emphasize instruction on writing to learn, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading to learn in all content areas.
Partnerships – among students, classrooms, grade levels, schools, feeder patterns, families, and communities.
AVID in the Primary Classroom
AVID Primary designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all primary classrooms, across entire grade levels, to impact schoolwide structures. AVID Primary Essentials focus on the four necessary areas to ensure that all students are poised for academic success: Instruction, Culture, Leadership, and Systems.
Instruction in the classroom
Instruction comes in the form of WICOR strategies;
W – Writing. Writing to learn promotes clear thinking across the curriculum and develops writing skills for life.
I – Inquiry. Inquiry engages all students with their own and others thinking process as well as developing intrapersonal skills.
C – Collaboration. Collaboration brings personal responsibility and respect to the classroom and builds interpersonal skills that are used throughout life.
O – Organisation. Organisation in all areas of life that is both mental and physical, on the part of students and teachers. This develops self-responsibility and active learning.
Students are explicitly taught a variety of skills in each of these areas that are then applied in all parts of the curriculum.