AVID Course Syllabus

AVID Course Syllabus

AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

Course: __ grade AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Classroom:

Instructor: Conference Period:

Email: School Phone (714) 241-5000

Course Description: The AVID program at Segerstrom Fundamental High School is designed to help students become successful scholars. The ultimate goal of AVID is to ensure that students develop the necessary skills and work habits that will enable them to perform quality work at the college level. The AVID classroom will meet the needs of students through (1) various modes of instruction; (2) high intensity experiences involving immediate feedback, and attention from the teacher and tutors; and (3) a variety of activities and resources. The AVID curriculum builds heavily on the WIC-R (writing, inquiry, collaboration, reading) methodology to improve student success in all subjects.

Course Objectives: All students will

·  Succeed in rigorous curriculum and complete a rigorous college preparatory path;

·  Enter mainstream activities of the school;

·  Increase their enrollment in four year colleges;

·  Become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society;

·  Improve academically by (W) writing as a reflection on their learning and sharing that writing;

·  Develop (I) inquiry as tool for learning through tutorial participation, Socratic dialogue and extensive Cornell note taking;

·  Value the power of their collective minds as (C) collaboration enhances their learning;

·  Identify (R) reading-to-learn strategies to access rigorous curriculum;

·  Prepare for college entrance examinations, including the SAT I and II and ACT; and

·  Complete and present, as part of their Segerstrom portfolio, key components of their AVID work.

Course Content:

·  Writing to learn through various essays, Cornell notes and learning logs.

·  Inquiry activities, such as bi-weekly tutorials, built around asking questions to clarify, analyze, and synthesize material

·  Cooperative learning tasks to challenge, help, and cause students to learn from one another.

·  Skill development through goal setting, organizational tools, and skills such as test taking, time management and study management

·  Oral expression through formal speeches, Socratic dialogue and impromptu “Think on Your Feet” presentations.

·  Motivational and informational speakers to help deliberately plan for a four year college experience.

Class Expectations:

·  Maintain a successful grade point average

·  Maintain satisfactory citizenship and attendance in all classes

·  Maintain the Segerstrom required binder and agenda

·  Complete all homework assignments and commit to at least two hours of daily homework

SFHS AVID Program Policies:

·  It is a privilege to be a part of the SFHS AVID program; thus continued enrollment requires agreement to the AVID contract agreement

·  Homework will be assigned daily

·  Late work will not be accepted

·  There will be no extra credit given

·  Missed assignments due to excused absences must be completed within 1 week

·  Missed binder checks must be completed the first day of return. NO EXCEPTIONS!

·  SFHS attendance, behavior, and dress code policies will be enforced.

Consequences:

·  SFHS’s progressive discipline plan will be enforced

·  Failure to accept individual responsibility for your success will result in a referral to the AVID Coordinator and possible removal from the program.

Grading Policy:

60% Weekly Binder Organization Checks includes bi-weekly tutorial grades (Inquiry and Collaboration)

40% Class/Homework Assignments and Participation (Writing and Speaking)

Grading Scale:

A = 90% - 100% C = 70% - 79% F = 59% and below

B = 80% - 89% D = 60% - 69%