Students have learned the benefits of AVID

With their Advancement Via Individual Development (AVID) binders containing color-coded notebooks and folders for math, reading and writing, the fourth-graders in Mrs. Cruz’s class at Stevenson Elementary School are ready to stay organized and incorporate strategies to take them through, not only the fourth grade, but also life.

AVID has been around for a while, mostly in the junior high and high school environment. Now, this program is filtering down to the elementary level to help build a foundation for organization, note taking, and preparation for college years. “My binder keeps me from digging through my things,” Elisha said. “I know where my papers are. I am on track with what we are doing, and I know where things go when I am taking notes, like my name, the date and the subject,” she continued. “I know how to put notes in the right and left column.”

The Star Strategy teaches the students how to set up notes, take notes, add to their notes and review their notes. By knowing their learning style, they are directed to the tips for visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning. “I am better able to analyze what I am writing down,” said Justin. “AVID helps me understand more.”  He admits to being unorganized last year, with his papers everywhere.

Mrs. Cruz has been teaching for 10 years, and this is the first year she has been using AVID. “The students are taking notes on their own when doing an assignment,” she stated. “They feel like they have more control over their work, and they now have a resource that works across the curriculum.”

Mrs. Cruz believes this system puts the accountability on the students with a feeling of ownership, while taking the burden off of the teacher to constantly be reminding them where to put papers and find them.

“The best thing is that it has helped me to stay more organized than last year,” Edgar said.

Student teacher Stacie Jenkins sees the benefits of the AVID system. “That compartmentalizing and color coding the folders and notebooks helps with organizing data in the brain,” she said. “The students were more successful with where their work should be.”

As Mrs. Cruz teaches her lessons, everything relates back to AVID strategies. The students were active participants in their learning. Questioning, analyzing, explaining, sharing, collaborating, listening and responding created a hum of electrifying success, confidence and power as they were fully vested in their learning.

“This is an organizational tool that they can master now, and life will be easier for them in the future,” Mrs. Cruz stated.

For more information on AVID, contact Stevenson Elementary School at (480) 472-9000, or visit the website at www.mpsaz.org/stevenson.