What’s
All the Buzz about Rigor?
RIGOR!!!
We’ve all heard it at least ten times over the last year…but what is it? Rigor means different things to different people,
I’ve even heard two different definitions from the same person. While it is difficult to pin down a standard definition,
there is no denying, it is a buzz word in our world.
In their
article titled Recognizing Rigor in
Classrooms: Four Tools for School Leaders, Ronald Williamson and Barbara
Blackburn state that “rigor is more than a specific lesson or instructional
strategy. It is deeper than what a student says or does in response to a
lesson. Real rigor is the result of weaving together all elements of schooling
to improve the achievement and learning of every student.” A definition that includes
the standard terms deeper, improve, and achievement we often see when
discussing rigor. While Williamson and
Blackburn do a remarkable job stating what they feel rigor is, I still am
unclear as to what a rigorous classroom should look like. So here is Mr. Hattal’s
vision of a rigorous classroom!
To me a
rigorous classroom is:
1)
Student led
2)
Spirited
3)
Adaptable
4)
Focused on clear, yet flexible, goals.
5)
Devoid of the fear of failure
6)
Well supported
7)
Community oriented
1) A rigorous classroom should be student led! To achieve a rigorous classroom, students
must “buy-in” to the process. Students
are more willing to buy-in if they are in control of the process. The worst thing we can do when ramping up the
rigor is force it upon the students! In
his amazing book, Learn Like a Pirate,
Paul Solarz states “I can’t force my students to learn and mature academically,
socially, and emotionally. But I can offer incredible experiences that make
them eager to learn.”
2) A rigorous classroom should be spirted! No, I am not saying we need to bring Ouija
boards into our classrooms! Our classrooms
should have regular open and spirted discussions where students enjoy sharing
and supporting their opinions. They
should learn to listen with objective and open minds. Our school has regular debates built in to
our LDC (Literacy Design Collaborative) Modules. Students research specific topics, close read
diversified texts, and draft an argument. Then they engage in classroom, grade level, or
even school wide debates. They love
it!
3) A
rigorous classroom should be adaptable!
Everything from classroom set-up
to curriculum should be fluid in a rigorous classroom. How many times have you missed out on a “teachable
moment” because you “really needed to move on”?
If we are talking about soil erosion along the St. John’s River, and our
discussion turns to saving Sea Grass…I don’t want to stop! Especially if the students have directed the
discussion! The rigor comes when we can
tie these two important topics together.
We must be ready for these diversions.
Effective,
adaptable classroom setup is another key component of a rigorous classroom. Classroom setup should allow freedom of movement
and expression while conserving space for individualized coaching. Our classrooms should be setup to take full
advantage of technology. I am lucky
enough to have 1:1 Chromebooks, but don’t let the lack of technology be a
detractor. Adapt and overcome! Most of all, a rigorous classroom should be
easily changeable. You should be able to
convert from test mode, to group discussions in a flash!
4) A rigorous classroom must focus on clear,
yet flexible, goals! To quote former President Ronald Regan “My philosophy
of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives,
then work hard toward that goal, we never lose”. Without goals our students wonder aimlessly through
the year wondering what to do next. In a
rigorous classroom, the question “what do I do now?” should be met with “have
you reached your goal?” Students should write
strong goals with obtainable and measurable objectives; they should not stop
pushing forward until they reach those goals.
When they reach their goals, celebrate their accomplishment, then
establish new, more challenging goals!
They should never rest, the summit should always be within sight, but
just out of reach.
5) A
rigorous classroom lacks the fear of failure!
There are literally a million quotes on overcoming failure. We’ve all experienced it and we’ve all had to
overcome it. Here’s one for you: “Failure
is rigorous” – Rich Hattal. Let me
clarify that a little. It is not the act
of failing that is rigorous, rather the act of recovering from the failure that
is rigorous. It is easy to quit, but it
is very humbling to push forward. Asking
for help, trying new technics, and interacting with peers are ways to recover
from failure. All of which increase the
level of rigor. As a teacher watching a
student struggle is difficult. At times
I just want to toss in a life preserver.
I must remind myself to hold back, observe, and be ready with CPR if
needed. Self-correction and perseverance
are two of the most rewarding feelings the human mind can experience.
6) A rigorous classroom is well supported!
This feature goes hand-in-hand with #5 above.
Providing support when failure occurs is instrumental to recovery. Pushing, challenging, and motivating our students
to overcome failure is essential to moving forward. Establishing trust with your students and “having
their backs” helps to create a healthy environment for students. Often times the fear of letting their teacher
down will hold a student back.
The
grade driven mentality has no place in a rigorous classroom. A student should know that effort is
important. Failure should not
automatically mean an “F”: effort and perseverance should count, and your
students should know that!
7) A
rigorous classroom should be community oriented! Community can mean so many things. It could mean the classroom, the grade level,
the school, or the local area. It could
mean the playground or art class. That
being said in a rigorous classroom, the term community should simply mean the
people you are interacting with.
Rigor
should not terminate as the student exits the door. It must be the mentality of the
community. Rigor should continue on the
baseball diamond, in the mall, at the lunch table, or on the bus ride home. Students should be willing to share what they
have discovered. They should be digging
deeper, exploring new topics, or putting the day’s math lesson to use at the
grocery store. After all that is the
goal of rigor right? To prepare our
students for life after school, right?
If they can’t live rigor outside the classroom then we have failed!
Let’s
make one thing clear, I am no way an expert on rigor, in fact I would consider
it a weak point for me. I know it is a
weak point for me, so I must improve. If
I cannot overcome my areas of weakness, how could I even begin to ask my
students to do so? This blog posting is the first of many steps. The route ahead will be difficult, but I
except the challenge…and look forward to the ride.
