Let’s begin by instituting a refocus on short-term and long-term goals using AVID strategies. To do this, try revisiting goals that you have set for yourself, or with students. Is it time to revisit student goals from earlier in the school year? Haven’t worked with goal setting yet? No problem! In our File Sharing on MyAVID, we have plenty of support materials for working with goal setting. Try accessing specific goal setting materials by clicking here after you log in. Even setting a small goal can set a much larger plan into motion.

The new year often brings a new semester, which can be a perfect time to revisit and refine note-taking techniques. One idea could be to demonstrate a Think–Aloud. Use a document camera or project your screen to display real-time note-taking for students. Take notes over a source while verbalizing the thinking underlying the note-taking. As with any form of writing, taking notes in front of students and modeling the best practices allows students to see the mental work that occurs during the note-taking process.

In addition to modeling for students and setting goals, we can always think through and revisit our commitment to collaborative learning environments. Where could you add in the opportunity for students to learn from each other and foster teamwork? Maybe consider setting a group goal for the new year, or have students set goals for small groups they work with. It could be time for students to refine their note-taking skills by collaborating with a peer(s) on the notes they take.

Another idea could be station rotations, where you as the facilitator determine what will occur in each station. If you have not had the opportunity to engage in station rotations, take a look (or listen!) to Optimize Station Rotation in Blended Learning, available on AVID Open Access. Engaging students in opportunities to collaborate will only enhance their understanding of collaboration and further develop their skills for future college and career opportunities.

As we embrace this new year and AVID’s focus on college and career opportunities, let us challenge each other to continue to develop ways for students to set goals, refine skills, collaborate, and explore. It is imperative that we continue to learn and get out of our comfort zone to support our students. How will you:

Explore resources for college and career preparation?

Explore scholarship opportunities?

Explore more ways to integrate real-world applications into lessons?

As a benefit of membership, dive into AVID Schoolwide Advisory, which offers materials for engaging students in the questions above and more! We would love to hear from you and your students on ways that you are exploring during the spring semester. Please share on our AVID Educators page or any of our social media accounts. We cannot wait to hear from you!