What's Up, Doc? The Advantages of AVID Programs

By Randall Freeman, PhD

Three of my daughters are completing their middle school careers at Bell Mountain Middle School. Having one daughter in middle school was difficult enough; three has been extremely trying.

What helps mom and me survive the middle school years?

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) saved my sanity. Two of my daughters enrolled in AVID in seventh grade, with one continuing in the program in eighth grade this year. It has made a tremendous difference in our daughters’ attitudes and achievement levels in school.

AVID is offered at all three Menifee USD middle schools. I understand that plans are to extend the AVID program to the fourth and fifth grades in the near future. This would be one of the greatest decisions to affect our students’ academic and social achievement.

AVID provides students with excellent academic and social support while holding the youngsters accountable to the highest standards. Students are taught strategies that develop critical thinking, literacy, and mathematics skills across all content areas. AVID prepares students for college readiness and greater prospects of succeeding in college.

AVID targets the students in the middle, the B and C students, who desire to attend college and require the extra motivation and skills to study and work hard. They may be the first members in the family to attend college. Many are from socio-economically disadvantaged families.

Students in the "academic middle" frequently travel through the educational system without any special recognition, positive or negative. While these students may graduate from high school, they haven’t been pushed academically, with the unfortunate result that they are not ready for the rigorous coursework demanded in higher educational levels. When enrolled in AVID, these students learn to hold themselves to higher expectations and are provided the support needed to succeed in school.

My oldest daughter, a senior in high school, serves as an AVID tutor. AVID tutors facilitate study group learning by subject area content. These tutors lead AVID students to greater academic and social success and participation. The students feel more comfortable asking questions of AVID tutors who are their peers than they do of adults. The AVID tutors lead collaborative and supporting roles that create deeper understanding of subject content and concepts.

I am very proud of all of my daughters. I know that participating in AVID, either as a student participant or as a tutor, has deepened their understanding of academic success in school, improved study skills, and a desire to collaborate with others.

Randy Freeman and his family have lived in Menifee since 1993. Randy teaches kindergarten in Perris and his lovely wife Karen teaches first grade here in Menifee at Freedom Crest Elementary School. They are the proud parents of four beautiful daughters: Daniela, 18, and 14-year-old triplets Sarah, Holly, and Megan. Other family members include dogs Scruffy, Mikko, & Max, 17-year-old cat Hunter, and turtle Tuttles. Randy earned his PhD in early childhood education in 2011 and has served on the Menifee Union School Board since 2008. Randy has wisely decided to delete the bit about being Karen's boss in order to continue living in his happy home. His column will appear here every other Tuesday.