Integrating AVID Strategies into our CLM Framework

When I think about both of the schools I serve (Hillcrest and Lowell), I can think of many commonalities. One big commonality at the front of all of our teachers’ minds is the implementation of AVID beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.  During last summer and this school year, multiple teachers at both sites have begun to receive training in AVID philosophies, practices and strategies. It has been amazing to see some of the practices in action with students. Today, I will highlight some of the great things we have seen happening in literacy that also align to AVID.

In one of our classrooms, we have seen extensive use of the Strategies Section of the Thoughtful Log.  The students are analyzing texts deeply through Language Workshop and then doing the same type of analysis in their own books during independent reading time.  This practice allows for deep implementation of reading strategies and ensures transfer for what is being modeled in Language Workshop to what the students are doing in Reader’s Workshop.  This powerful practice is an example of AVID’s Five Phases of Focused Note Taking. This process allows students to process notes, connect thinking and eventually apply learning to other areas of literacy.

In another one of our classrooms, a second and third grade teacher has used a three-column note taking form as a way to ask questions and collect facts for their informational writing in the biography unit. This teacher has also used the AVID Weekly articles as a way to help students learn how to annotate and practice with a text.  Before reading, the teacher created a chart to show students how readers mark a text. Then, the students were able to practice what they learned while collaboratively reading an AVID Weekly article with a partner. Now, the students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned about annotation while they read their next Literature Discussion Group texts!

Another second and third grade teacher created a Language Workshop planner for “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.”  The students discussed and analyzed the text and finished by having a debate using the Conga Line strategy. Students heard both sides of the argument, gathered evidence to support their opinion and then debated with their peers as to whether the wolf was kind or evil.  This teacher also uses the Team Huddle grouping strategy to get students into small groups to share their My Thinking responses in their Thoughtful Log. This grouping strategy allows students to quickly get into groups in a fun way. Once the students are grouped, they have the opportunity to share their writing, ask each other questions, and get peer feedback around their response.  

As we move into summer and the 2019-20 school year, we are very excited at Hillcrest and Lowell to continue to grow our own knowledge of AVID and AVID practices.  Many of us will be attending conferences and additional professional development opportunities to continue to learn about new tools and strategies that we can use in conjunction with our literacy framework.