“You’ll thank me someday." Famous words that come out of many teacher's mouths. I remember hearing them in high school as I struggled to earn a B in Calculus. Doubtful that I'd later appreciate the extra study sessions and constant push from Mrs. Johnson, I stuck with it and got through one of the toughest classes I'd ever taken.
This is much like the experience shared by many participants in the AVID program. Featured in this Fall’s American Educator, the AVID program takes low and average performing middle and high school students and offers them the tools to enter and succeed in rigorous higher level and AP courses. Because they are identified early on and supported, held to high standards and encouraged to challenge each other, 94 percent of them end up going to college.
In the end, Mrs. Johnson was right. Thanks to her class, I didn't have to take remedial math in college like so many of my friends did. As for AVID students, they not only outperform many of their peers, they also take significantly less time than I did to be thankful for that extra push from their teachers.
AVID is currently adopted by over 3,500 schools in 45 states and 15 countries, including Washington. To learn more about the AVID program visit, http://www.avidonline.org.
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