AVID Monthly
December 14th, 2021
Dear AVID families,
I cannot believe we are almost at the end of our first semester, and although it may hard for students to focus as winter break seems closer and closer, one of the most important parts of the year is still about a month away... FINAL EXAMS! It is very important AVID students finish the semester strong, and they use their final exams as a way to raise or solidify their current grades, not let them drop because they are unprepared. Please encourage your son/daughter to start preparing for their exams sooner than later by helping them find a quiet place to study at home.
I wish your family a happy and healthy holiday season.
Jaime Regan
AVID District Director and Elective 11-12 Teacher
Artwork by: Destiny Anderson-Woodson
AVID Strategy of the Month
Writing in the Margins: Six Strategies at a Glance
Visualize
Visualize what the author is saying and draw an illustration in the margin. Visualizing what authors say will help you clarify complex concepts and ideas. When visualizing, ask: • What does this look like? • How can I draw this concept/idea? • What visual and/or symbol best represents this idea?
Summarize
Briefly summarize paragraphs or sections of a text. Summarizing is a good way to keep track of essential information while gaining control of lengthier passages. Summaries will: • state what the paragraph is about • describe what the author is doing • account for key terms and/or ideas
Clarify
Clarify complex ideas presented in the text. Readers clarify ideas through a process of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Pausing to clarify ideas will increase your understanding of the ideas in the text. In order to clarify information, you might: • define key terms • reread sections of the text • analyze or connect ideas in the text • paraphrase or summarize ideas
Connect
Make connections within the reading to your own life and to the world. Making connections will improve your comprehension of the text. While reading, you might ask: • How does this relate to me? • How does this idea relate to other ideas in the text? • How does this relate to the world?
Respond
Respond to ideas in the text as you read. Your responses can be personal or analytical in nature. Thoughtful responses will increase engagement and comprehension. Readers will often respond to: • interesting ideas • emotional arguments • provocative statements • author’s claims • facts, data, and other support
Question
Question both the ideas in the text and your own understanding of the text. Asking good questions while reading will help you become a more critical reader. While reading, you might ask: • What is the author saying here? • What is the author doing? • What do I understand so far? • What is the purpose of this section? • What do I agree/disagree with?
AVID 12: Lisa Hernandez's Marginal Notes - Preparation for Writing a Four-Sentence Rhetorical Precis.
A few important reminders for Final Exam prep:
● Do a little bit of studying every day; cramming does NOT help! (It’s proven!)
● Put away electronics/social media/other distractions, but give yourself breaks (approx. 10 min.)
● Highlighting isn’t as helpful as writing in the margins; it forces you to engage with the text
● If you don’t understand it, you’ll likely see it on the exam. Check in with your teacher for clarification and/or support. This also shows you really are studying outside of class!
● Eat and sleep!! You’ve got this!!
College of the Month: University of Florida
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Founded: 1853
Annual Tuition: $26,659 (out-of-state)
Most Popular Majors: Engineering, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, and Business
Graduation Rate: 87.8%
Acceptance Rate: 31.1%
Notable Alumni: Erin Andrews, Tim Tebow, Abby Wambach, Bob Vila, Emmitt Smith, and MANY MORE!
AVID 9 Socratic Seminar on Chop Wood Carry Water and video "If you want to change the world, start by making your bed."
Insight into AVID 9 Tutorials by Austin Bruns and Jaiden Delaney
The tutorials in the beginning of the year were rough to say the least, but now we are getting much better at doing them. At the beginning of AVID, the tutorial questions were not high level questions. As the year goes on, our questions are getting away from questions that result in a yes and no answer. We are asking questions to push each other's minds to think harder and dig deeper to find the answer to our question and to their problem. Instead of asking how-to questions, we are now asking why does it work questions for our point of confusion.
People still don’t like tutorials because we don't come up with great points of confusion which results in a weaker tutorial and the person with the point of confusion not learning as much. As we are going on with the class and doing tutorials every Tuesday and Thursday, we start to see the point in writing the TRFs. We still struggle to ask good, high level questions when we aren’t in the same class as the person presenting.
We have this nice sheet that can help students find problems like their point of confusion and remember things their teacher told them that sticks in their head. This is how our tutorials have turned out so far in the freshman class, we are getting better and better each day and can’t wait to see how this helps us in the later years of high school.
Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great- Sophia Stiemke and Lia Nicholson
Over the last few weeks in AVID 9, we have been reading and annotating a book called Chop Wood Carry Water. We have been trying to master the skill of taking notes and reading while doing so - it helps us learn how to multitask when learning. This book is about a man named John who goes to Japan to become a samurai archer to fulfill a childhood dream. Throughout the book, John has many struggles, yet every time he has a problem, Akira, his sensei, tells him a fable or quote that inspires him to work harder. For example, John learned that you need to continue to do the small tasks in life, such as chopping wood and carrying water, in order to become great at something. The small tasks are what you build off of and they are the difference between being good and being great. This story ends with John completing his training and becoming a samurai archer. Later, he decides to travel back home with Akira’s wisdom, “Continue to be you and don’t let the world change you.” This book had a very inspirational message and after each chapter we discussed what the core lesson was and how Akira helped John through his journey. While reading this book, we also learned that it is the small things that lead up to the big accomplishments that contribute to your successes in life.
Guest Speaker: Reb Bortz of Paramount Financial by James Winter
AVID Senior Acceptances - So Far...
Lisa Hernandez: University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Spencer Lupinek : New Mexico State University
Cole Rossa : University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin - Stout, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Ella Sabol: University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Eric Kunz: University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Marines Contreras: University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
SAVE THE DATE : AVID 11 Weekend Trip to Chicago
Friday, Apr 1, 2022, 11:00 AM
Hyatt Centric Chicago Magnificent Mile, North Saint Clair Street, Chicago, IL, USA
AVID 11 Friendsgiving
AVID 11 Student Interviews by Bella Emory Perez and Parker Schreindl
Marley Rossa
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
AVID has helped my academic planning helping me stay organized and on top of my school work.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Keeping a planner
Staying organized
Set and complete goals
What makes a good AVID student?
A good AVID student is someone who has goals and works towards them. They are college driven and prepared.
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
I think the AVID program is looking for students that want to succeed, students that are motivated.
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
AVID is unique from other programs because the students in AVID all have different goals and different strengths. AVID focuses on each student as and individual; that is really important because each student has a different path.
Michaela Trione
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
AVID has helped me with preparing for how college courses will be along with creating good skills like collaboration and public speaking.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Three things that I am going to take with me are using organizational tools and planners, and collaboration skills. I think these three things will help benefit me most.
What makes a good AVID student?
A good AVID student is someone who will be up for a challenge. Someone who will hold themselves accountable.
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
I think the AVID program is looking for someone who is willing to learn. Someone who wants something out of AVID.
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
AVID is unique because it focuses on students’ futures. It truly goes step-by-step on how to be successful in college and life.
Kate Struely
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
I learned that it takes more than just writing down words to have good notes. Studying is more than just memorizing. Studying means actually learning and understanding what is taught in class.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Having an organizational system will save your butt in college. TRFs are very useful and I will be using them in college. I use a planner for assignments and things we’re doing in class.
What makes a good AVID student?
Students should have the drive to chase after their dreams. AVID wants students to have motivation, to do well in not only school but their future as well.
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
Someone who has average grades. Students who want to better their studying and organizational skills.
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
The class gets real about college life. AVID teachers use useful methods that most students don’t learn until their freshman year of college.
Payton O'Driscoll
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
AVID has helped with my academic planning by teaching me the importance of organization and note taking. Staying organized has especially helped because it always makes me feel planned and prepared.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Note taking
Organizational skills
Collaborative skills
What makes a good AVID student?
A good AVID student is someone who has good collaborative and organization skills. It is also someone who is honest and takes responsibility for their work.
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
The program looks for students that are dedicated towards their academics and are looking to succeed in everything they do?
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
AVID is unique because it not only helps with collaboration and organization, but it prepares you for the future including college and any future careers.
Brooklyn VandenBoom
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
AVID has helped me a lot with my academic planning by preparing me for college and helping me choose a college.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Note-taking
Answering and working through questions
Presentation skills
What makes a good AVID student?
A good AVID student is determined. They care about others. They also want what’s best for their future.
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
They want people who care about their academics. They also want them to care about the academics of others.
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
It genuinely prepares you for college. It’s also fun!
Bella Rivera
How has AVID helped you in your academic planning?
I think AVID has really helped me a lot regarding my future after high school. I am now more prepared for the important things college has to offer.
Name 3 things that you have learned in AVID that you are going to take in your everyday life?
Focused Notes
Presentation skills/Public speaking
Critical Thinking
What makes a good AVID student?
Hard-working
Determined towards your goals you have set
What is the AVID program looking for in a student from a student’s perspective?
Someone who is ready to learn new things and is able to be challenged in their academics
What makes AVID unique from other courses?
Well, you are able to have more opportunities focusing on your future than others. I know that being an AVID student, I have had more planning and preparation than others for college.