AVID

Course Syllabus

Materials
The following materials are required in class every day. A lack of materials wastes valuable class time and interferes with success.
2 or 3 inch 3-ring view binder
1 inch 3-ring view binder
Color dividers (a minimum of 1 per class)
At least 15 sheet protectors (2 for your AVID Binder and 13 for your portfolio)
2 black ink pens
1 red pen
2 #2 pencils

Course Description
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is an elective program that helps students to achieve the
necessary requirements and skills to be eligible for university acceptance. The program has two major components: tutorials and AVID curriculum. Tutorials will occur twice a week. Tutorials are small study groups that
are facilitated by college students who will assist students with their studies. Each AVID student is to come
prepared for the tutorial with questions from their core or college classes. Field trips may be scheduled to
visit local colleges and universities, providing students with the opportunity to visit the institutions firsthand.
AVID students are expected to be motivated and determined to achieve university acceptance at the end of
their high school career. It will be necessary for AVID students to manage their time so that school and stud-

Course Goals

To motivate students to take a challenging array of courses

To provide support for students as they take several rigorous courses
To improve time management and study skills
To increase student awareness of college and career choices

Expectations
Student
1. Maintain the AVID binder
2. Engage fully in tutorials
3. Take notes in all classes
4. Study at least 2 hours per night
5. Maintain exemplary behavior at all times
Parent
1. Play an active and positive role in childs education
2. Look over and discuss binder at least 1 time per week
3. Look over and discuss TRF forms at least 1 time per week
4. Maintain positive communication with AVID elective teacher

WICOR
Students receive instruction in Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading. By focusing our
attention in these 5 areas students learn the skills needed to be successful in any academic class or setting
High School or College.

Binder
All AVID students are required to keep and maintain a binder. It will be graded each week. Specific requirements will be discussed in detail each week. However, these things will be constant:

Binder must be 2 or 3
Each class must have its own section (use dividers)
Each class must have 2 sections (one for notes, one for everything else)
Must have updated planner
Must have appropriate school supplies in zipper pouch

Tutorials
Students will participate in tutorials twice per week. Students will be expected to complete a Tutorial Request
Form (TRF) prior to class and determine a specific point of confusion. The AVID tutors have received training
and are instructed not to give the students answers, but rather to ask questions to guide the learner closer to

Cornell Notes
All students will be required to take Cornell Notes in all of their classes. Taking notes is very important to student success but interacting with the notes after taking them is what sets AVID students apart. Students are
expected to use notes to support them as they take rigorous classes.

Learning Logs
Learning Logs can be used when Cornell Notes are not possible or efficient. students can make the
Learning Log their own by writing a paragraph detailing what happened in their class and describing
what they think about it (I wonder, I think, I still not sure about, This reminds me of, etc.)

Grading
Binder Check (30%)
Binders will be checked and graded in the AVID class weekly. Binders will be graded for organization, Cornell
notes, materials & supplies, and a completed daily planner. If you are absent for Binder Check, due to illness,
you may request a Binder Check on the day you return. Additional binder checks may randomly occur
throughout the year so binders must be organized at all times. A minimum of three (3) pages of Cornell
notes/learning logs are required for each class each week for 5 classes.

Classwork , Homework, & Projects (30%)

Class work and homework assignments are designed to help students to develop personally and academically and to ultimately prepare them for college and a career. Essays will be written in MLA format. There will be numerous individual and
group projects each semester.

Tutorial (30%)
Students will be graded on each tutorial session. Students earn points for their questions, participation, and reflection during the tutorial process. Since tutorials are a collaborative effort, students must be present and participate
to receive credit. Tutors will assist students on their path towards arriving at answers, but they will not provide the
answers for students.

Portfolio (10%)
Grading Scale
A= 100-90
B=89-80
C=79-75
D=74-70
F=69 and below

I have read and understand the requirements for the 9th Grade AVID elective.

Student Name _______________________________________________________ Period ____________

Parent/Guardian Signature ___________________________________________

Date __________

Phone Number ___________________ Parents Email Address _____________________________