Recruiting Students Part II

The second part of recruiting is getting good information from the current teachers of your next group of students. What past history will make the a student a good candidate for the AVID classroom? I don't look for perfection but I do limit the at-risk students to two or three. I do want to know weaknesses in organization, time management, reading, collaboration, etc so I can ask more questions of students during interviews to find out more. I want students to know what they are getting themselves into by being a part of an AVID elective class.

Here are the questions I ask recommending teachers and the corresponding choices for response that they have. I assign points to the answers and use the "scores" on the matrix of selection we use throughout the process.

From the form that goes to recommending teachers...

AVID students have high potential for college success but lack college-going culture. AVID candidates are in the “middle” and would not succeed in a rigorous curriculum without the support of the AVID Class, and might be:
Traditionally underserved in colleges.

• Disadvantaged (often measured by free and reduced lunch status).
• The first-time college attendee from a family (first generation college students are children whose parents have not completed a four year degree).
• Any combination of the above.
  
  Consider these two important factors when evaluating students:
  1. Is the student AVID-like or At Risk? The goal for an At Risk student is to graduate from high school and the goal for an AVID student is to be successful in a four year university.
  2. Does the student have the motivation and desire to prepare for entrance to a four year college or university?
  
  Directions: Please circle one for each of the 11 statements.
  1. The student is:
  Absent four (4) times or more per month. Less than four (4) times per month.
  
  2. The student’s GPA is:
  0.00-0.99. 1.0-1.99. 3.51-4.00. 2.00-3.50.
  
  3. The student’s work is turned in:
  Not at all. Mostly late. Mostly on time. Always on time.
  
  4. On average, the student’s work is done:
  With no pace. At a poor pace (often a last minute rush to finish). At a steady pace.
  
  5. The student collaborates well with:
  No one. Friends. Most people. All people.
  
  6. The student gets referred to the office for behavior:
  Often. Once in awhile. Never.
  
  7. The student gets in classroom trouble for minor behavior issues like talking out of turn:
  Often. Once in awhile. Never.
  
  8. The student reads books:
  Never. Sometimes when assigned. When assigned. When assigned and on their own.
  
  9. On an average assignment, the student:
  Does not do the assignment.
  
  The student does not meet the objectives.
  
  The student meets a few of the objectives.
  
  The student meets the objectives.
  
  The student exceeds the objectives.
  
  10. On an average assignment, the student:
  Puts in little or no effort.
  
  Puts some effort into the assignment but stops working when difficulties arise.
  
  Works until the assignment is completed and continues working even when difficulties arise.
  
  Works until the assignment is completed and continues working even when difficulties arise. Difficulties for this student are seen as opportunities to strengthen understanding.
  
  11. The student is mostly:
  At Risk Neither AVID-Like
  
  Comments (do not feel obligated to write unless you feel we need more information. Students will not be evaluated poorly because you did not write more comments).

Recruiting Students

I begin a three part series on recruiting students for AVID elective (I sound so journalistic). I have been reading a non-fiction book about major league baseball's attempt to pick the best athletes in their draft. The book by Mike Lewis is entitled Moneyball. The author follows the Oakland A's in particular, a small market team with limited resources, they have to find the best overlooked players to be competitive (kind of like AVID teachers trying to find kids in the middle).

I'm paraphrasing an excerpt from the book....It's not about what they look like or what they might become, it's about finding out what they've done in their past that gives indicators about their future.

That struck me as very AVID-esque. I rewrote some of our recruiting material. Over the next few weeks I'll share it here. If you're desperate for the whole package, email me and I'll gladly share.

Student Application
We warn kids on the application that the things we are asking them are the same kinds of things we are asking of teachers. Vast differences could be held against the student. We also warn students that neatness and lack of mistakes are most impressive.

Here are the questions we ask for the written application:
1. Do you want to go to college? Why?
2. Why do you want to be selected for AVID?
3. What is your GPA? Why?
4. If we asked people in your class about how you work with others, what would they say?
5. How often do you get in trouble? Why?
6. How often do you read books? Why? How many books have you read this year?
7. When you are assigned a project, how do you work? What is your pace?
8. How often do you finish assignments (always, sometimes, never)? Why?
9. You are working on a math problem. It is hard and you are not getting the correct answer. How do you react?
10. When do you turn in most assignments (on time or late)? Why?
11. If someone held your binder upside down and shook it, what would happen?
Why?

We have recruited too many students because of who we wanted them to become much to our mutual frustration. Getting better means more success.

You Tube and AVID

Talk about a hoot...I got this suggestion at a recruiting presentation (but I cannot remember who told me about this - email me if it was you and I'll send you a prize). Check out www.youtube.com and search for AVID and/or the AVID song. Classes of AVID kids are online through youtube. Some of the videos are slightly inappropriate for class sharing, but it might shake a nuget or two loose for ways to feature your own class.

What if we had the first annual AVID Northwest Youtube video contest? The first video to get 5,000 hits wins a traveling trophy. Are you interested?