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AVID Open Access

If it relates to education and matters to you, we're talking about it on our podcasts. Unpacking Education shares in-depth conversations each Wednesday on timely topics with guests who share their expertise and experience—from teaching strategies, to educational technology, to equitable access to future-driven skills for all students. Tune in every Tuesday for a new Tech Talk For Teachers. 5 minutes jam-packed with practical and actionable tech integration strategies and tool tips you can immediately apply in your classroom.

Unpacking Education & Tech Talk For Teachers

In today’s episode, we'll explore how to use the AI coding feature in Canva to facilitate a problem-solving experience in your classroom. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Coding with Canva: A Six Step Problem Solving Experience

Teaching Is Emotional, with Diane Manser

In today’s episode, we'll explore Learn Your Way, an AI powered learning project from Google Labs. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

A Glimpse Into the Future with Learn Your Way from Google Labs

Teach Like a Pirate, with Dave Burgess

In today’s episode, we'll explore how to increase efficiency using the features and functionality of Google Document Tabs. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Google Document Tabs

When schools focus on what’s working and align around a shared vision, transformation becomes possible.

In this final installment in our National Principals Month series, Principal David Shaffer of Port Salerno Elementary shares how the AVID program has impacted his leadership and his school by providing structure, focus, and identity. 

David Shaffer and his team have used AVID not just as a program, but as a foundation for building schoolwide coherence and student agency. From “WICOR Wednesdays” to student-led collaboration, AVID structures help shift the cognitive load from teachers to students—giving learners ownership of their path and purpose.

At the heart of it all is a community-driven approach. As David explains, “It really takes that community to create the system.” His team’s grassroots efforts have improved academic outcomes and reshaped how students advocate for themselves—even long after they leave elementary school. This episode is a blueprint for schools seeking to embed AVID into their DNA while staying rooted in their local context and strengths.

Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Lessons from an Elementary Principal, with David Shaffer

In today’s episode, we'll explore the key features of NotebookLM as well as ways both teachers and students might use them productively. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

The Continued Evolution of NotebookLM

High School Leadership, with Dr. Scott Rodriguez-Hobbs

In today's episode, we'll explore the student group generator, Grouper, how it works, and how it can save you time setting up customized student groups. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Creating Student Groups with Grouper

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Darrell Potts, Principal of Northridge Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. As an AVID alum, former AVID teacher, and now AVID-focused leader, Darrell shares how he’s cultivated a schoolwide culture rooted in the belief that every student is an achiever. 

In fact, at Northridge Middle School, success is not an abstract ideal but rather a daily practice, fueled by a shared mantra: “We will strive for excellence in all that we do . . . because we are achievers.” Darrell embodies this belief in every facet of his leadership, using AVID as the framework to embed college and career readiness into the school’s culture. His approach centers on building systems that empower both students and teachers to believe in their potential and work toward it, one step at a time.

Whether it's through the Triple A initiative that rewards attitude, academics, and attendance, or the intentional use of student voice to shape school incentives, Darrell prioritizes relevance, recognition, and relational capacity. His advice to fellow educators is clear: Start small, lean on your network, and don’t be afraid of the struggle because without it, there’s no progress. This episode offers powerful insights for leaders looking to build a culture where excellence isn’t just expected, it’s achieved. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

Striving for Excellence in the Middle School, with Dr. Darrell Potts

Technology and computer science are becoming foundational components of our modern world. We see them in nearly every aspect of our lives: shopping, communication, school, work, banking, and even applying for a job. Since tech is so important, we need to make sure our students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be innovators in this field. Computers, technology, and coding are no longer “extras.” They are essentials. In this episode, we are joined by Bryan Miller, Global Partnership Manager at Wonder Workshop. Together we discuss how the Wonder Workshop robots Dash, Dot, and Cue can be used to both introduce students to computer science and coding and also to stretch them into developing their SEL and critical thinking skills while solving real world problems. Visit AVID Open Access to learn more.

The Wonder of STEM and Robotics in the Elementary Classroom

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