AVID Handbook

Teacher’s Resource Guide to AVID

UPDATED: JULY 26, 2017

Contents

What Is AVID?...........................................................................................................................................2
What is the AVID elective? ......................................................................................................................2
What is AVID schoolwide?.......................................................................................................................2
AVID Who’s Who at JCMS .......................................................................................................................3
Teaching Strategy Experts ....................................................................................................................... 4
2017-2018 Check List..................................................................................................................................5
WICOR Defined ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Best Practices Using WICOR ...................................................................................................................7
WICOR Observation Evidence Form .................................................................................................... 10
Writing ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
Inquiry ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Collaboration ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Organization ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Reading..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Focused Note-Taking .............................................................................................................................. 16
WICOR Tracker ...................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

PAGE 1

WHAT IS AVID?
AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a global nonprofit
organization dedicated to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students
for college and other postsecondary opportunities. Established more than 35 years
ago with one teacher in one classroom, AVID today impacts nearly 1.5 million
students in 46 states and 16 other countries/territories.

WHAT IS THE AVID ELECTIVE?
The AVID Elective class targets students in the academic middle, who have the
desire to go to college and are capable of completing rigorous curriculum using the
will to work hard. Typically, AVID Elective students will be the first in their
families to attend college, and many are from low-income or minority families. In
the AVID Elective, students are routinely required to enroll in their school’s
toughest courses, such as honors or Advanced Placement®.

AVID Secondary starts with an elective class for one period a day, where students
learn organizational and study skills, work on critical thinking and asking probing
questions, get academic help from peers and college tutors, and participate in
enrichment and motivational activities that make college seem attainable.

WHAT IS AVID SCHOOLWIDE?
AVID Schoolwide instruction occurs when the entire instructional staff utilizes
AVID strategies, other best instructional practices, and 21st century tools to ensure
college readiness for AVID Elective students and increased academic performance
for all students.

AVID Schoolwide instruction incorporates AVID foundation tools (organizational
tools, note-taking, goal setting, time management); WICOR (writing to learn,
inquiry, collaboration, organization, reading to learn) and educators who support
each other’s learning. When teachers participate in professional learning
opportunities, implement WICOR strategies in their classrooms, and commit to
success, they produce a learning environment where all students are equipped to
tackle complex issues, problems, and texts.

Information from FAQs at www.avid.org

PAGE 2

AVID WHO’S WHO AT JCMS

2017-2018 Junction City Middle School AVID Site Team

Name Title
Ms. Mary Wright Principal
Mrs. Brandi Lundgren Asst. Principal
Dr. Gilbert Davila Asst. Principal
Mrs. Lyn Green Asst. Principal
Ms. Karen Laflin Counselor
Mrs. Anneliece Kowalik Instructional Coach
Mrs. Kathleen Brennan Instructional Coach
Mrs. Lori Abeldt Instructional Technologist
Mrs. Fallon Farokhi Library/Media Specialist
Mrs. Betty Mendoza Exceptional Student Services
Mrs. Becky Gliniecki AVID Site Coordinator
7th/8th Grade AVID
Mrs. Crystal Holzer AVID 101
7th/8th Grade AVID
Mrs. Hannah Brown 8th Grade AVID
Reading Strategies
Ms. Kim Zimmerman 6th Grade Science – Team 2
Mr. Dan Robison 6th Grade Social Studies – Team 3
Ms. Brianna Green 6th/7th Grade Math
Mrs. Alex Lewis 7th Grade World Geography – Team 5
Mrs. Janet Staskal 7th Grade World Geography – Team 7
Ms. Rachelle McGehee 7th Grade Math – Team 7
Mr. Jonathan Hastings 7th/8th Grade Advanced Science
Ms. Karmen Holt 8th Grade Science – Team 9
Ms. Blake Madsen 8th Grade Language Arts – Team 10
Mrs. Beth Schlesener Encore - Band

PAGE 3

TEACHING STRATEGY EXPERTS Teacher Phone Ext.

Strategy
Focused Note-Taking
Socratic Seminar
Philosophical Chairs
Critical Reading
Interactive Notebooks
Collaborative Study Groups
Learning Logs
Backwards Mapping
Writing to Learn
Writing Process
Structures for Collaboration and Projects
Binder Organization & Checks
Time Management & Goal Setting
Organizational Tools for Learning
Technology Integration & Collaboration

PAGE 4

2017-2018 CHECK LIST

The following items will document each educator’s dedication to supporting student success, the
school improvement plan, and the Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA). The following
document checklist will assist educators in keeping track of items needing submittal. Feel free to
add additional items in the empty rows.

Item Due Date To Whom Completed
Cornell Note Sample 1 October 13th Crystal Holzer
Cornell Note Sample 2 December 21st
Cornell Note Sample 3 Room C118
Cornell Note Sample 4 March 9th
WICOR Sample 1 May 18th Becky Gliniecki
WICOR Sample 2 September 29th Room C117
WICOR Sample 3 November 10th
WICOR Sample 4 December 21st Becky Gliniecki
WICOR Sample 5 February 16th Room C117
WICOR Observation 1 April 13th
WICOR Observation 2 October 13th
WICOR Observation 3 December 21st
WICOR Observation 4 March 9th
May 18th

PAGE 5

WICOR D

WHY WICORT-ize: to increase the level of stud

ACADEMIC RIGOR: inquiry-based, collabora
increasingly complex levels of unders

WICOR is a collection of teaching and learning
increasingly complex levels. WICO

Writing Inquiry Collaboratio

Writing is a learning tool, a Inquiry is uncovering one's Collaboration is teamwor
personal and public understanding, asking critical shared responsibility, sha
communication tool, and serves questions, engaging in thinking, ideas, information and op
as a record of thinking. Students learning and discussion. and formal and informal
who write consider audience Students who inquire analyze discussion. Students who
and purpose, engage in various and synthesize materials or collaborate work togethe
writing processes to address ideas, clarify their own thinking, toward a common goal, d
specific situations, support their probe others' thinking, and work positive interdependence
thinking, and demonstrate through ambiguity. in focused study groups,
understanding. support the learning of o
through inquiry.

DEFINED

dent engagement, content understanding, and college readiness for all students.

ative strategies to challenge and engage students in content, resulting in
standing.

strategies to guide students in comprehending concepts and articulating ideas at
OR strategies support student learning in any classroom on campus.

on Organization Reading

rk with Organization is managing Reading is strategically gaining
aring of materials and practicing meaning, understanding and
pinions, methodical study habits, knowledge from print and other
planning and prioritizing school, media, purpose-driven, and
o work and social tasks, engaging interactive. Students who read
er in mental preparation and goal- understand text structures,
develop setting, and strategically and apply prior knowledge and make
e, work intentionally taking connections to other text, self
and responsibility for one's own and world, make predictions and
others learning. Students who organize ask questions, and create visual
develop and use processes, images as they read.
procedures and tools to study
effectively, manage their time
through prioritizing and goal-
setting, are prepared for
courses, participate during
instruction and interact with
instructors, and self-direct, self-
evaluate, self-monitor and self-
advocate.

BEST PRACTICES USING WICOR

Strategy Description WICOR
Quickwrite
A quick, effective way for students to recall and understand what they know is to have them engage W
Learning Log in a brief writing exercise called a Quickwrite. This strategy helps students access prior knowledge
Cornell Notes and discover what they already know.
Think-Pair-Share
Quickwrite responses can be categorized into four types: application of a concept, imaginative ideas,
Note-Checking offering an opinion, and justifying a point of view (Angelo and Cross, 1993). The key to successful
Pairs quickwrites is interesting the students in the prompt so that they provide thoughtful responses. You
might ask students to:
Philosophical
Chairs • Summarize an experiment they design or a piece of literature/reading.
• Justify a point of view.
Socratic Seminar • Draw conclusions from a demonstration, lab, or event.
• Write about their background knowledge or learning process for new material.
• Respond to an open-ended question.

The learning log is a reflection strategy to help students think critically about what they are learning WI
in their classes. Learning logs provide students with an opportunity to synthesize their knowledge
and ask unanswered questions. The learning log also provides teachers with insight into their
students' perceptions and struggles about the content in the class.

The CORNELL WAY is a structured note-taking process with four distinct phases: note-taking, WICOR
note-making, note-interacting, and note-reflecting. By taking Cornell Notes, students are learning a
college readiness skill that will support them in processing and retaining important content material.

1. Instruct students to think carefully about a specific topic or a question and then quickwrite about ICO
it. (A quickwrite is not a required component of the “think” step; however, adding a written
component to the “think” step of TPS is especially important for English language learners who
need more “rehearsal” time before speaking.)

2. Ask students to partner with someone near to them.
3. On your signal, one partner shares his/her thoughts and the supporting reasons, while the other

partner listens.
4. On your signal, the partners exchange roles and repeat.
5. The partners prepare to share their thoughts with the class.

Variation: After Step 4, each pair joins another pair to make a group of four and continue the
discussion. Both pairs share their thoughts in preparation for sharing with the whole class.

1. At the end of an instructional segment (10–15 minutes of instruction or other input), ask WICOR
students to find a partner to review their notes. Note-review activities may include:
a. Check the completeness and accuracy of each partner’s notes.
b. Write questions together in the left column of Cornell notes.
c. Summarize the three most important points about the topic using both partners’ notes.
d. Determine if there are any patterns to the notes. If an idea or topic was discussed often,
more than likely it will appear again and is worth studying. Use both partners’ notes
together to solve an example problem.
e. Use both partners’ notes together to work on a teacher-generated question.

2. Collect the notes (and the “processing” that partners have done) as a formative assessment.

With a similar format to that of a debate, Philosophical Chairs is less about competition and more WICOR
about students providing their perspective on an issue and supporting it with successful rhetoric and
articulation. This strategy—rich in inquiry—is built on a prompt to which contradictory positions
exist. Participants address these positions through deep, academic discourse in a structured, formal
process. The Philosophical Chairs process provides students with opportunities to improve their
verbal capabilities and fluency, in addition to developing their use of precise academic and content
language. Philosophical Chairs is also a form of team-building, during which a safe environment is
formed that encourages students to take risks and share opinions with one another. Through exposure
to varied perspectives, cultural worldviews, and personal experiences, students begin to appreciate
the diverse nature of their classroom and see it as a source of strength and identity.

The Socratic method of teaching is a form of inquiry-based discourse focused on questioning to spur WICOR
critical thinking and drive ideation. It is through exploration, dialogue, considering new perspectives,

Learning Log and constant questioning that students develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. WI
Graphic Through Socratic Seminars, students develop confidence in articulating their ideas to others while WIOR
Organizers providing supporting evidence with reasoned thinking.
Marking the Text WIOR
The learning log is a reflection strategy to help students think critically about what they are learning
Collaborative in their classes. Learning logs provide students with an opportunity to synthesize their knowledge
Study Groups and ask unanswered questions. The learning log also provides teachers with insight into their
students' perceptions and struggles about the content in the class.

Graphic organizers help students organize information into a meaningful visual representation of a
topic or concept. Visual aids assist students in evaluating and retaining information and provide pre-
writing scaffolds in the writing process.

Examples of Graphic Organizers: KWL, 2-3 Column Notes, Frayer Model, Time Line, Flow Chart,
Venn Diagram, Concept Map, Graph, Cause and Effect, Problem and Solution, Classification,
Compare and Contrast, Web, etc.

This reading strategy has three distinct marks:

1. Number the paragraphs.
• Before you read, take a moment and number the paragraphs in the section you are planning to
read. Start with the number one and continue numbering sequentially until you reach the end of
the text or reading assignment. Write the number near the paragraph indention and circle the
number; write it small enough so that you have room to write in the margin.
• As with page numbers, paragraph numbers will act as a reference so you can easily refer to
specific sections of the text.

2. Circle key terms, cited authors, and other essential words and numbers.
• You might also circle: key concepts •lesson-based content vocabulary • concept-based
vocabulary • words that signal relationships (e.g. This led to… or As a result…) • names of
people • names of historical events • dates • numbers

3. Underline the author’s claims and other important information relevant to the reading purpose.

In Collaborative Study Groups (CSGs), students identify a specific question from a content area,
collaborate to develop and deepen their understanding through Socratic inquiry, and apply their
new learning in order to enhance classroom performance.

Carousel Why are CSGs a critical component of AVID Schoolwide? WICOR
Brainstorming In addition to the academic benefits, successful CSGs also serve as an independent demonstration of
increasing mastery and application of skills built and reinforced through WICOR strategies. These WICOR
Fishbowl skills include inquiry, note-taking, organization, collaboration, communication, and numerous other
skills necessary for college readiness. ICO

Used to elicit background knowledge, to build background knowledge, to review recently studied PAGE 8
information, or to gather opinions; allows students to build on one another’s ideas in a very
structured manner.

1. Prepare the same number of wall charts as groups. Each wall chart will have some kind of
“stimulus” to which students will respond. These can be photographs, steps in a problem-solving
sequence, targeted vocabulary, quotations, text excerpts, etc.—usually one item per chart.

2. Assign each group to begin at a specific chart. It may be helpful to assign a different color marker
for each group.

3. On the first signal—groups move to assigned charts, and generate and record as many ideas as
possible for that item.

4. On the second signal—groups rotate clockwise to the next chart, review what previous group
wrote, and generate and add additional ideas or questions.

5. On the third signal—groups rotate clockwise to the next chart, review what the previous groups
wrote, and generate and add additional ideas or questions. Continue until all groups have written
on all charts; then ask the students to take a “Gallery Walk” of all charts and be seated.

Used as a structure for modeling a process and for giving groups of students the opportunity to
have structured talk while others have structured listening.

1. Set up a small inner circle of students to demonstrate an activity for the class. Have all other
students form a larger outer circle around the inner circle (fishbowl group) of students.

2. Give the outer circle a specific listening and recording task to accomplish while they observe the
fishbowl group.

3. Give the inner circle (fishbowl) directions for the activity and how they are to proceed.

4. The inner circle (fishbowl) demonstrates the activity to the rest of the class. As necessary, clarify
and correct the activity steps with the fishbowl group.

5. Debrief with the entire class.

Give-One/Get- Note: The fishbowl can also be used as a structure for Socratic Seminar, where the inner circle of
One students participate in a discussion and the outer circle students listen and take notes. Later, the
outer circle students can comment on the discussion, using their notes, and then, possibly, exchange
places with the fishbowl students. WICOR

Interactive method for reviewing content, eliciting background knowledge, or processing newly
taught information

1. Ask each student to make a list of ideas related to a teacher-generated topic or question on a sheet
of paper.

2. Give students two to three minutes to create as long a list as possible.
3. Tell students to draw a line after their final idea.
4. Have students stand with their list in hand and talk, one on one, with as many other students as

they can in a period of three to five minutes.
5. Students must give each other student they meet an idea from their list; they must also write down

one new idea from each partner’s list.
6. At the end of the activity, create a class list of information completed from the individual lists of

students.

PAGE 9

WICOR OBSERVATIO

Please attach student work sample, pi

Lesson Objective

Essential
Question

Notes on strategies used to support student learning and how Two awes
students were engaged in the lesson. want to tr

Based on the student activity, what areas of WICOR did the students cover?

WIC

ON EVIDENCE FORM

icture, etc. Leave names of students.

some things I saw or may Questions for the teacher

ry in my classroom. observed.

OR

Name: _____________________________

WRITING Grade Level: ________________________
Content: ___________________________

Date: ______________________________

AVID WICOR Please include a STUDENT work sample. Be sure to
leave names on assignments and use an AVID
student when possible.

Provide a summary of the lesson focusing on the lesson objective and how students were able to meet the
objective using WRITING.

Please CIRCLE if any of the following strategies were used in the lesson for WRITING:

Cornell Notes Learning Logs Quick Writes Timed Writing

Reflections Writing Process Authentic Writing Peer Evaluation

If other WICOR strategies were used, please circle the strategy and explain below.

Inquiry Collaboration Organization Reading

Name: _____________________________

INQUIRY Grade Level: ________________________
Content: ___________________________

Date: ______________________________

AVID WICOR Please include a STUDENT work sample. Be sure to
leave names on assignments and use an AVID
student when possible.

Provide a summary of the lesson focusing on the lesson objective and how students were able to meet the
objective using INQUIRY.

Please CIRCLE if any of the following strategies were used in the lesson for INQUIRY:

Skilled Questioning Techniques Costa’s Levels of Thinking

Socratic Seminar Philosophical Chairs

Investigations Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Activities

If other WICOR strategies were used, please circle the strategy and explain below.

Writing Collaboration Organization Reading

PAGE 12

Name: _____________________________

COLLABORATION Grade Level: ________________________
Content: ___________________________

AVID WICOR Date: ______________________________

Please include a STUDENT work sample. Be
sure to leave names on assignments and
use an AVID student when possible.

Provide a summary of the lesson focusing on the lesson objective and how students were able to meet the
objective using COLLABORATION.

Please CIRCLE if any of the following strategies were used in the lesson for COLLABORATION:

Structured Group Activities and Projects Socratic Seminars Collaborative Structures
Collaborative Study Groups Philosophical Chairs Debate Carosel

If other WICOR strategies were used, please circle the strategy and explain below.

Writing Inquiry Organization Reading

PAGE 13

Name: _____________________________

ORGANIZATION Grade Level: ________________________
Content: ___________________________

Date: ______________________________

AVID WICOR Please include a STUDENT work sample. Be sure

to leave names on assignments and use an AVID

student when possible.

Provide a summary of the lesson focusing on the lesson objective and how students were able to meet the

objective using ORGANIZATION.

Please CIRCLE if any of the following strategies were used in the lesson for ORGANIZATION:

Binders and Organizational Tools Calendars, Planners, and Agendas

Graphic Organizers Goal setting, SMART goals, and Hope Maps

Structured Cornell Notes Collaborative Study Groups

If other WICOR strategies were used, please circle the strategy and explain below.

Writing Inquiry Collaboration Reading

PAGE 14

READING Name: _____________________________
Grade Level: ________________________
Content: ___________________________

Date: ______________________________

AVID WICOR Please include a STUDENT work sample. Be sure to
leave names on assignments and use an AVID

student when possible.

Provide a summary of the lesson focusing on the lesson objective and how students were able to meet the

objective using READING.

Please CIRCLE if any of the following strategies were used in the lesson for READING:

Cornell Notes Marking the Text Summary Writing
Vocabulary Building Deep Reading Strategies Graphic Organizers

If other WICOR strategies were used, please circle the strategy and explain below.

Writing Inquiry Collaboration Organization

PAGE 15

FOCUSED NOTE-TAKING

Step 1: Create Format NOTE-TA
Step 2: Organize Notes
• Heading in ink: Name/Class/Topic/Period/Date

• Only main ideas, key words and phrases recorded.
• Sufficient space/indentation is used to show relations

among main ideas.

Step 3: Revise Notes NOTE-M

• Notes are numbered to indicate a new concept, main
• Vocabulary/key terms are circled, and main ideas are
• Missing/paraphrased information is added in a differe

Step 4: Note Key Ideas • Questions on the left are developed to reflect main id
• Questions on left are mostly higher-level (Costa’s Lev

Step 5: Exchange Ideas • Evidence that information has been added from peer

Step 6: Link Learning NOTE-INTE

• Summary reflects the questions/notes.
• Summary addresses all aspects of the Essential Que

Step 7: Learning Tool • Information to be used on test, essay, tutorial, etc., is

NOTE-Ref

Step 8: Provide Written • Submit Cornell notes weekly to be checked for qualit

Feedback check.

• Review, revise and improve notes, questions and sum

Step 9: Address • Address feedback by using “Cornell Note Focus Goal
Written Feedback • Use the feedback provided; identify an area of challen

• Write a focus goal to improve this area.

• Identify specific actions to address this challenge in fu

Step 10: Reflect on Your • Gather all Cornell notes on the topic, concept, standa

Learning • Review notes, questions and summaries on all Corne

• Reflect on the learning by completing a “Cornell Note

knowledge.

Name: _____________________________ Grade Level: _____________

Content: _________________________ Date: _______________________
Please include an AVID and Non-AVID STUDENT work sample. Be
sure to leave names on assignments. AVID101 will count.

AKING

• Standard/Objective/Essential Question recorded.

ships • Abbreviations/symbols used appropriately.
• Bullets are used to create lists and organize notes.
• Paraphrasing of notes is evident.

MAKING

n idea, or topic.
e highlighted or underlined in a different color.
ent color.

deas in notes on the right side.
vels 2 and 3)

r or teacher discussion, tutorials, or book.

ERACTING

estion and is based on the standard/objective of the lesson.

s noted using an asterisk (*).

flecting

ty using the Cornell notes rubric or checklist, and/or for quantity in a binder

mmary based on feedback.
l Activity” to create a goal for improvement in future note-taking.
nge.

uture note-taking.

ard, objective, essay, etc.
ell note pages.
e Reflective Log” to show how you mastered and/or applied your new

Note –Taking With
ques
Students read or listen to information for the first time while jotting stud
down and organizing key points to be used later as a learning tool. note
How did you embed NOTE-TAKING into your lesson or unit?

Note-Interacting

Students interact with notes taken by creating a synthesized summary. Stud
Students use Cornell notes as a learning tool to increase content class focu
achievement. When were students given time to write a summary of feed
their notes? How did students use their notes as a learning tool? focu

Note-Making

hin 24 hours of taking the notes, students revise notes, generate
stions, and use collaboration to create meaning. When were
dents able to revise, create questions, and collaborate on their
es?

Note-Reflecting

dents use written feedback to address areas of challenge by setting
us goals to improve future notes. How do you provide written
dback to students on their notes to help them improve taking
used-notes?

PAGE 17

Teacher: _________________________
Content: _________________________
Week of __________________________

LESSON STRATEGY WI CO R

PAGE 18

Facilitator: Weekly Content Planning & Reflection
Time Keeper:
Recorder: Current Date:
Additional Attendee: Reflection Week of:
Additional Attendee: Grade Level:
Additional Attendee: Content:

Instructional Objective(s) REFLECTION
What did you teach?
UPCOMING PLANS
Learning Outcome(s)
Student Output

Reflection on Objective(s)
and Outcome(s)
What worked well/what
didn’t?
Collaborative Structures
Implemented:

How was the use of the
collaborative structure(s)
valuable to student
learning?
Additional Talking Points
Meeting Minutes
Achievement Teams
Upcoming Dates

Instructional Objective(s):

Learning Outcome(s):

Collaborative Structures:

Planning & Talking
Points

PAGE 19

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