Question Everything (ePub)

How AVID levels the playing field, helping underserved students
come out ahead

In Question Everything, award-winning education writer
Jay Mathews presents the stories and winning strategies behind the
Advancement Via Individual Determination program (AVID). With the
goal of preparing students for the future - whether that
future includes college or not - AVID teaches students the
personal management skills that will help them survive and thrive.
Focused on time management, presentation, and cooperation, the AVID
program leads not only to impressive educational outcomes, but also
to young adults prepared for life after school. This book tells the
stories of AVID educators, students, and families to illustrate how
and why the program works, and demonstrates how teachers can employ
AVID's strategies with their own students.

Over the past thirty years, AVID has grown from a single
teacher's practice to an organization serving 400,000 middle- and
high-school students in 47 states and 16 countries. Question
Everything describes the ideas and strategies behind the upward
trajectory of both the program and the students who take part.

* Learn which foundational skills are emphasized for future
success

* Discover how AVID teaches personal management skills in the
academic context

* Contrast AVID student outcomes with national averages

* Consider implementing AVID concepts and techniques into current
curricula

As college readiness becomes a top priority for the Federal
Government, the Gates Foundation, and other influential
organizations, AVID's track record stands out as one of success. By
leveling the playing field and introducing "real-world" realities
early on, the program teaches students skills that help them in the
workplace and beyond.