“Reps Removing Doubt”: How Tupou Tua’one’s AVID Course Shapes Student Success at Timpview High

Utah ranks third in the nation for educational attainment and is one of only four states exceeding national goals. Our shared success rests on a bedrock of solid academic foundations, each focusing on further education and employment. Programs like Timpview High’s AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), led by devoted educators like Tupou Tua’one, are essential to this achievement.

Tupou Tua’one is a caretaker of many people and places: to start, she is a parent to five Timpview students and alums (including current Student Government and Board Member Monika Tua’one), she was previously a Social Studies Teacher, and, as mentioned, has transitioned into her role as Timpview’s AVID Coordinator and AVID Elective teacher. 

This is all to say that Tupou is exemplary of Provo’s best; she and educators like her are stewards over our children, and we owe an outstanding debt for her care.

We visited with Tua’one recently to learn more about AVID. We explored the finer details of her coursework, including yearly highlights and challenges. Over the course of our chat, we learned that Tua’one’s course offers more than an academic charter—she teaches resilience and instills self-belief and bravery to traverse and overcome the challenges we consider towering in our youth.

You might be wondering what AVID is at this point.

So, for those unfamiliar with the program, AVID centers on student-centric, autonomous learning. It helps students prepare for their futures by teaching them how to learn rather than just what to know.

While many teachers meet or strive for these goals, the focus on expected curricula and standardized testing can sometimes overshadow the bigger picture. AVID offers an all-encompassing course where students create personalized long-term plans with higher education in mind. Teachers then equip students with essential lifelong skills—authentic collaboration, organization, test-taking, career development, or goal-setting.

Students map out where they want to go, and the teachers help chart the course, offering expert advice and direction while allowing students to steer their learning. This experience prepares them not just for long-term planning but for long-term execution.

So, where does Tua’one begin? How does she transform our stereotypical free-wheeling first-years into sharp, goal-driven seniors through AVID?

Well, it starts on day one.

Her approach is simple but powerful: reps. Like in sports, where repeated practice refines skills, Tua’one instills the idea that consistent effort over time—whether in math, writing, or planning for the future—builds students’ confidence to succeed. “Reps remove doubt,” she states, quoting NBA star Chris Paul, and it became her classroom mantra for the year.

Tua’one’s method of building confidence is rooted in metacognition; confidence comes from within, and she equips students to find self-confidence. She encourages students to reflect on their own learning and examine why they feel less confident in certain areas. 

“We ask, ‘Why is my confidence level at a three in this class?’ Often, it comes down to a lack of preparation. When students see that, they realize they must put in the reps themselves.” This early metacognitive practice is a subtle pedagogical move, but the right one: from day one, students shift into a preparative, goal-oriented mindset, and it lays the foundation for the rest of their academic journey.

But it’s not just about self-expectation. Tua’one scaffolds her lessons, breaking down tasks into manageable steps, ensuring each student is supported through their zone of proximal development (ZPD). Scaffolding, a term often used in education, refers to giving students the right amount of help at the right time, gradually pulling back as they become more capable. “You can’t just set high expectations and leave them alone,” she notes. “You’ve got to help them get there.”

In her AVID classroom, this scaffolding plays out through various activities aimed at developing not just academic skills but life skills. From Socratic seminars to collaborative assignments, students learn to engage in meaningful dialogue, think critically, and present their ideas clearly—skills that will serve them far beyond high school. 

Students start taking steps early on towards long-term success, and it’s an integral project of their AVID experience—one Tua’one looks forward to. “One of my favorite lessons is when we do college research,” she says. The students dream big—Harvard, UCLA, USC—and from there, we work backward. We look at what it takes to get there, and it helps them plan out the next four years.” 

The process Tua’one describes is called backward design, and ironically, it’s the process educators take when organizing a culminating curriculum. Just as educators like Tua’one start with student goals, working from the end goal to cluster out clear, coherent learning outcomes via units and lessons, first-year students begin organizing their life outcomes– and, in the process, realize the importance of joining clubs, sports, and leadership opportunities, and making the most out of their high school years. It’s how students transform from youth into kinder, happier, fully actualized adults.

But it’s not always smooth sailing. One of the most significant challenges, Tua’one notes, is unit timing. “We teach so many organizational skills early on, but the buy-in has to happen immediately,” she reflects. “By October, we’re already diving into ACT prep, so the clock is ticking. Fitting everything in and getting kids to see the importance of it all is a constant challenge.” 

Despite these hurdles, Tua’one remains tenaciously committed to her process and is inspired when her students show growth. When asked what she loves most about teaching, Tupou lights up. “It’s the ‘aha’ moments,” she says. When kids finally grasp a concept they’ve struggled with or when they set goals for themselves and achieve them, it’s seeing their growth, not just academically, but in how they carry themselves.” 

She mentions her practice of weekly goals—small, actionable steps that build toward more considerable successes. “One student’s goal might be as simple as making their bed daily, while another might focus on completing homework on time. And I love it when they start holding each other accountable. That’s when I know they’re getting it.”

Her classroom is more than a place of learning. “All my kids know this is their room,” she says. “They can debrief their day, hang out, play music, and eat lunch. I want them to feel at home here.” This sense of belonging, she believes, is key to their success. And, as a mother to a Timpview alum, the role seems as natural as breathing to Tua’one. Even throughout our interview, students milled about her classroom, chatting over assignments, sharing snacks. This is home for her students.

Yet, as the school year progresses, Tua’one focuses on student success beyond the classroom, from which she never wavers.

“I don’t just want them to focus on their first steps after high school,” says Tua’one. “It could be a college, a technical career, cosmetology, or a religious mission. Like, yes, go on your mission, but then come back to your plan.”

Tupou Tua’one’s goal is simple: “If my students can articulate their plan for the future, whatever it is, I know I’ve done my job.”

In the end, it’s clear that Tupou is teaching further than the day-to-day or even from unit to unit; she is changing lives for tomorrow. Through AVID, Tupou’s teachings extend beyond academic success and into student’s beliefs about themselves and their value: she shows students how to find confidence and resilience to navigate the complexities of life. 

“It’s all about reps,” she reiterates. “You put in the reps, and you remove the doubt.”

Thank you, Tupou Tua’one, for putting the reps in with our kids.

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