Does you child participate in the AVID program at school?

[robinb]

My DD was asked to apply to her middle school's AVID program next year in 8th grade. The AVID program is in the high school she will be attending and the district is expanding the program into the middle schools that feed into it. It sounds like a really great college prep program (here's a link to it: http://www.avid.org/abo_whatisavid.html) for kids who are bright but in the "academic middle" ... not failing and not straight-A students. My DD is smart, but school does not come easy to her and she has to work hard for her grades (A's and B's).

Does anyone here have a child in the program? Can you tell me more about it? Does your child like it? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my DD will be accepted into the program.

 

[nicki.momof3]

The district I work in has the program in the middle and high school (I am in the HS but do not teach the class). It is a great support for those "middle kids". In our building it pushes them to take languages, honors, and AP classes that they would not otherwise have attempted. I think it depends on the amount of community support that is available. We have a ton of parent tutors that are qualifed to teach higher level skills and it is a great help to the students. The class also brings in wonderful speakers and teaches some great study / test taking skills.

When my son high MS I will be signing him up for the program.

Take a tour of the HS class and see for yourself how it is. Go on a day that kids are in school and in the class. If the high school version is good than it can be hoped that the MS would follow suit.

Good luck

 

[robinb]

Thanks Nicki! A HS student talked about the program and I talked to the HS AVID representative last night. I liked how they encouraged and worked around sports. My DD is a competitive swimmer and will be swimming in HS and I would prefer that she not choose between athletics and academics.

Anyone else?

 

[TN Hockey Mom]

My DS13 has been in AVID since 6th grade (he's in 8th grade now). If we had it to do over, he would not have taken it. It may be different at other schools, but it has not been very good at his middle school.

I had never heard of it before going to the upcoming 6th graders orientation. It seemed like something that my DH & I thought DS could benefit from. We were told that he couldn't just sign up for it, that he had to be invited and then had to pass an interviewing process to be accepted. You can imagine our surprise and happiness when he was invited and made it thru the interview.

In the almost 3 years that he has taken it, I don't think he has learned anymore about being college ready than any other student not in AVID. They have changed teachers every year (he's on teacher #3). They rarely have guest speakers as promised. They are graded on how organized their binder is, speaker notes and tutorials.

The tutorials are ridiculous. In 6th grade, the tutorials were based on problems that a student might not completely understand for an upcoming assignment, test and/or quiz. They would discuss the problem as a group to try to figure it out prior to having to do it. Starting in 7th grade, with a different teacher, this processed was changed. Now, they discuss problems that were missed on an assignment, test and/or quiz. To these students, this process kinda defeats the purpose. It's not as important to them after they've already been graded on it.

We've also struggled with the organizational part of AVID. Everything has to be kept in the same binder. When individual teachers request a folder for their class, it doesn't apply to AVID students. They just have to dedicate a section in their binder to that class. It sounds like a great idea, however, it makes the binder HUGE and it's difficult to find a backpack that you can get the binder down into easily. Also, because the binder usually "just fits" into the backpack, the binder gets worn out faster from trying to put it in and take it out of the backpack. We've gone thru more 4" binders and backpacks.

High school AVID may be totally different. Even middle school AVID may be different in your area. I just know, that for us, the experience hasn't been anything like we were expecting.

The high school that DS is zoned for doesn't have AVID, however, he wouldn't take it if they did. We have already been told the core classes that he's been assigned to for high school and I'm happy to be able to say that he'll be taking Honors English, Honors Algebra I, Honors World Hisory and Honors Intro to Physics. I don't feel like AVID contributed in any way to him doing well enough to be put into these classes.

Good luck to your DD in whatever she decides to do. Again, my opinions are only based on our experience with our AVID program.

 

[spacemountainmom]

The middle school that I used to work at had the AVID program and it will be expanding into the High school that I am at now next year when the first group of AVID kids enter 9th grade.

I was pretty impressed with the program in my school. The teachers who worked with the AVID kids are all top notch. I actually was on the short list to be a tutor with the program, but unfortunately could not work it around my other job. My only complaint would be that the gifted teacher ended up working more with the AVID kids and that pretty much ended the enrichment program for the advanced students. I will admit bias in that department since my son was in the enrichment group.

The kids in the program seemed to thrive and do very well. It will be interesting to see how they progress into high school. I am looking forward for them coming into high school and following their progress.

The program did work as advertised; the kids had college aged mentors and tutors, there were tons of guest speakers and field trips and the kids really seemed excited about the program.

I also get a bit of another perspective as my husband's cousin's daughter participates in AVID in another school in our district. The cousin thinks it's the greatest thing ever. She's a single mom with two kids and the older child was in special ed and really consumed a great deal of her time and energy. It is a godsend to her that her younger child is getting good support in school and will hopefully be able to go on to college in the future.

The only downside (in my family) is that my MIL thinks it's a program for the super gifted and is always rubbing it in our faces that our children are not in the program. O K A Y! Sorry, don't mean to be a downer, but that just drives me batty.

My $.02 would be that if your child is invited to participate, go for it!

 

[crisi]

My son is in it. It hasn't been great FOR HIM, because his organizational skills were good going in. Where he isn't good is motivation, and they can't do that for him. HOWEVER, at his school, AVID got him from regular English and Math to Advanced English and Math (most kids just take one advanced course, he got assigned to English, then we had him test into advanced math).

If your daughter needs organizational and study skills, this is a wonderful program...I wish they'd do it for my gifted daughter who doesn't have those things.