On an ordinary fall day, Cockeysville Middle School teachers walked onto campus expecting another routine professional development session. But instead of a facilitator at the front of the room, they found a group of eighth graders, AVID binders in hand, slides queued up, ready to lead the learning themselves.
From that moment, the dynamic shifted. These AVID scholars weren’t just presenting; they were modeling the very strategies they championed—Partner Share, Square the Pair, collaborative grouping, close reading, annotation, and Stand Up, Sit Down. They invited teachers to define rigor, compare their ideas to AVID’s, and then roll up their sleeves to redesign lessons—making them more rigorous by leveraging WICOR and Costa’s Levels of Thinking and Questioning.
Teachers experienced rigor through the lens of their students. Every activity was intentional, every interaction authentic.
From Learners to Leaders
For AVID teacher Megan Thomas, the decision to have students lead the PD session was rooted in a belief that leadership starts early. “We love to build leadership capacity in our students,” she explained. “Our kids are honest about what works and what doesn’t. What better way to learn about rigor than asking the kids themselves?”
This wasn’t the first time AVID scholars had stepped into this role. Two years earlier, they led a session on Costa’s Levels of Thinking and Questioning. It was so well-received that staff requested a repeat. When rigor emerged as a schoolwide focus this year, the Site Team saw an opportunity to amplify student voice.
Preparation was rigorous by design. Students explored AVID’s definition of rigor, reflected on their own learning experiences, and analyzed classroom artifacts to distinguish rigorous tasks from busy work. They rehearsed, role-played, and even created Costa Wheels with question stems for teachers to use in planning.
“They felt they couldn’t teach the workshop until they themselves participated in it,” Thomas said. “They were invested. They stayed after school on their own time to make this happen.”
Hearing Students Ask for Rigor Changed Everything
The professional development session changed the conversation and the school’s approach. Teachers left saying: “I finally understand what rigor means now,” and asked, “Can all of our PDs be run by the kids?”
Principal Adam Carney noticed a ripple effect. “Hearing students ask for rigor gave teachers permission to push kids. It’s one thing coming from me but hearing it from them was completely different.”
Since the workshop, teachers have taken instructional risks, including implementing Philosophical Chairs, leveling up questions, and inviting AVID students to model higher-order questioning. They’ve even partnered with AVID classes for cross-curricular lessons.
For AVID scholars, the experience was transformative. They mastered WICOR strategies, deepened their understanding of rigor, and developed leadership and public speaking skills. More importantly, they discovered that easy work doesn’t lead to growth.
“That a-ha! moment allowed students to make real-world connections,” Thomas reflected. “They realized rigor matters. And they shared that insight with their teachers.”
Action Steps for AVID Educators
This story illustrates a powerful truth: professional development becomes a lever for instructional improvement when it amplifies student voice. Here’s how you can make it happen in your school:
As Megan Thomas advises, “Don’t be afraid to try it. The message is so much more effective when teachers hear it directly from their students.”
Interested in trying something similar with your students? Megan Thomas is happy to share and collaborate. You can contact her at mthomas18@bcps.org