One of the pillars of the Avid method is a firm belief in the potential of every student to find their own rhythm and niche once their enthusiasm is awakened. This is achieved through learning opportunities tailored to each student’s level.
Young people who struggle with school curricula may find their confidence low; at the other end of the spectrum, more competent pupils may find that they crucially lack differentiated tasks to challenge them and push their abilities. Both scenarios can have far-reaching consequences. The catalyst for change may come from any subject area, but can have knock-on effects transforming the way students work across all academic disciplines. The trick is to find the key.
TEACHING PEOPLE, NOT ROBOTS
Chris employs a systematic yet flexible approach to lessons attuned to the speed at which people learn. Everyone is different. Everyone learns at a different pace. So every method should be different. Schools have strict targets to hit and curriculum to cover, which can often lead students to feel daunted by material they don’t understand and left behind as the class moves on.
Covering a wide range of subject areas - all subjects at primary/middle school level, and mainly English language and literature for secondary/high school - Chris is able to develop strategies with students that fit perfectly with their learning styles and the specifics of their schoolwork.
From phonics and basic grammar all the way through to A-level advanced English literary analysis, essay writing and poetry, Avid can cover the gamut of skills needed to excel in an international milieu such as Hong Kong. Specific objectives are set relative to areas of weakness, breaking down often complex tasks into stages to be practiced and then reintegrated into longer independent projects. Students can then demystify these processes and see the stages of their learning taking shape before their eyes. Asserting independence, self-checking and editing are key skills taught, using mnemonics and games to make the process less onerous and more memorable. With these tools, students realise that the power to improve their work is truly in their hands.