Capital Metro Area AVID: Prospective Tutors

AVID, a daily elective class, prepares underachieving middle and high school students academically to attend college. Started in San Diego in 1980, AVID has achieved a 95% college-going rate. The program teaches academic survival skills in a daily elective period taught by trained faculty and professional college student tutors. The AVID tutor leads small group tutorials, encourages inquiry and collaboration, teaches note-taking, grades binders, shares responsibility with the teacher for checking students' academic progress, and serves as a role model to middle and high school students.

As a program partner with AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), through trained college student advisers and cooperating area college outreach staff, Cal-SOAP assists juniors and seniors with the college admissions and financial aid process and encourages younger students to set high goals for college attendance and academic achievement.

Tutors commit to meeting every AVID tutorial class, usually three times a week, at the regularly scheduled period, and will gradually assume Cal-SOAP responsibilities under the guidance of the program director and school contact person.

The pay is $16.00 per hour. Typically, a tutor-college adviser works 4–6 hours a week. If desirable, a tutor-adviser may increase hours by adding schools. Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) hiring procedures require identification (i.e. driver's license and Social Security, or the equivalent), fingerprints, TB testing, and proof of college units. Tutor-advisers complete monthly timesheets.

All tutor-advisers are required to attend a training workshop. Subsequent advanced-level workshops will be scheduled to enable experienced tutors to attain certification. Workshops provide the background necessary for beginning tutors as well as enhance the experience of returning AVID tutors. Tutors will practice AVID methodologies, including writing to learn, inquiry, and collaboration. Participants will role-play tutorial situations and share tips about working with students and organizing the classroom. Tutors will also learn how to help students with college admissions and financial aid applications and how to help them prepare for college entrance tests (SAT and ACT).