Ardmore Middle School students can expect to develop their studying and organizational skills this year.
The strategies of Advancement Via Individual Determination will be implemented schoolwide.
"The program strategies have proven to be successful," said Linda Johnson, AVID teacher.
"We will be using critical reading strategies on how to teach students how to read rich text and understand in a better way," Johnson said, adding, "Cornell Notes on how to make, use and interact with class notes, and organization and time management skills using organized binders to assist students in keeping up with class work."
The expansion of AVID is part of the school's improvement plan.
AMS was placed on the School Improvement List in 2010. While the school achieved adequate yearly progress for 2011, they will still be monitored so they continue to improve.
"We feel AVID will benefit us in helping increase our subgroup scores," said Principal Ron Beach.
Developing organizational skills will be a large part of the program.
"A student can be completely intelligent, but if they are unorganized, they are not going to be able to find papers," Beach said. "An average student can have organization and do as well or better because they are organized."
Every student will maintain a binder with all notes and schoolwork.
Students will be given a monthly calendar to track due dates and an assignment log for each class to track their progress through their work.
Binders will be checked once per week to ensure students are taking notes and it is up to date, neat and organized.
"It's going to benefit students in the classroom because they are ready to learn. A student can't focus on class if they are wondering where things are," Johnson said.
Having every student with a binder will bring cohesiveness to a student's day.
"Every student in every class is doing the same thing across the curriculum. We don't have students trying to do seven different things in seven classes," Beach said.
Johnson is collecting donations of 2 1/2-inch to 3-inch 3-ring binders and section dividers for students. Anyone who would like to donate can call (580) 223-2475.
Students will also learn how to use the Cornell Note-taking System, which is designed to help students retain more information.
The note-taking method involves dividing a page into three sections - the biggest section for notes, a left-hand column for jotting keywords and sample questions after the lesson and a brief summary of the lesson on the bottom five to seven lines of the page.
"We are organizing our students mentally with note-taking and physically with the binders so they are prepared for middle school, high school and beyond," Beach said.
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