Challenging Classes Inspire Students
Some students think it’s OK to be average. They know they could do better, but figure why bother?
Besides, it’s not cool to do well in school. Their friends tell them so through classroom put-downs.
Gary Gilmer, 15, a freshman at Mount Pleasant High School, found that out when he signed up for a program the school started this year called Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID. Through AVID, school officials select average students who are making C’s and D’s, but have the potential to do better, and put them in honors and college-prep classes.
Wow!! This is what we need, support for kids who are ready to move into more challenging academics. Very non-heterogenous, but it doesn’t require changing the whole structure of the school to work. I think this is amazing!