Rigor, Rigor, Relevance, Relevance, & Centers& Centers

By: Marlen Veliz, Reading By: Marlen Veliz, Reading CoachCoach

What is Rigor? “Rigor is the goal of helping students develop

the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging.” Teaching What Matters Most: Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Richard W. Strong, Harvey F. Silver and Matthew J. Perini, ASCD, 2001.

Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels. Blackburn, Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word

My Own Definition of Rigor

Teaching & Learning Matter: Quality in the delivery of content

material/instruction

active/authentic engagement

building/connecting relationships

setting high expectations

impacting student achievement

Rigor6. Evaluation

5. Synthesis

4. Analysis

3. Application

2. Comprehension

1. Knowledge/ Awareness

Creating

Evaluating

Analyzing

Applying

Understanding

Remembering

When is a Task Rigorous?When students…

think deeply about a problem analyze new situations interpret and synthesize knowledge bring ideas together in a new or

creative way develop and justify their own criteria for

evaluation are intellectually challenged

What is NOT rigor? Rigor is not a special program or curriculum for select

students.

Rigor is not about severity or hardship.

Rigor is not about back-to-basics.

Finally—and most important—rigor is not a measure of the quantity of content to be covered

Not just a “buzz” word

Ways to Increase RIGOR

R Raise level of content

I Increase complexity

G Give appropriate support and guidance

O Open your focus

R Raise expectations

Blackburn, Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word

Ways to Increase RIGOR

R Raise level of content (critical information, chunk content, skills, strategies, deepen understanding)

I Increase complexity (projects, games, interactive PowerPoint presentations, connect to prior knowledge)

G Give appropriate support and guidance (clear expectations, scaffold instruction, provide multiple opportunities to learn, provide opportunities for success, and differentiate instruction)

O Open your focus (discussions, open-ended questions, higher order questioning, graphic organizers, reflect on learned material)

R Raise expectations (track and monitor student progress, expect the best, create a positive, risk-free environment)

Blackburn, Rigor is NOT a Four-Letter Word

Relevance

Knowledge is less connected to realistic situations and has less apparent value beyond school

Knowledge is clearly connected to realistic situations and has value beyond school

Knowledge in one

discipline

Apply in one discipline

Apply across disciplines

Apply to real-world

predictable situations

Apply to real-world unpredictable situations

Represents simple recall & basic understanding of knowledge for its own sake.

Students gather and store bits of knowledge and information.

Students are primarily expected to remember or understand this acquired knowledge.

Low Rigor – Low Relevance

• Students use acquired knowledge to complete tasks with a connection outside school.

• Activities or tasks involve lifelike situations.

• Does not require higher order thinking.

Low Rigor – High Relevance

• Students are thinking deeply about a problem in the discipline.

• Represents more complex thinking but has less clear value outside of school.

• Students extend and refine their acquired knowledge to be able to use that knowledge automatically and routinely to analyze, solve problems and create unique solutions.

High Rigor – Low Relevance

• Students are thinking deeply and there is a connection to lifelike situations.

• Even when confronted with unknowns, students are able to use extensive knowledge and skills to create solutions and take action that further develops their skills & knowledge.

High Rigor – High Relevance

Teacher is working & thinking.Teacher Centered

Students are working and

thinking. Student Centered

What is Relevance? Sometimes referred to as “connectivism”

Important, Needed, Real World Connection, Valuable

Meaningful and Valid

Learning Can Be Learning Can Be Interactive, Interactive,

Meaningful, and Fun…Meaningful, and Fun…LetLet’’s Look At Centerss Look At Centers

Why Use Centers or Stations?

Promotes independence

Helps students become more responsible

Allows students to learn through self-discovery (social interaction, collaboration, reflection)

Provides teachers with time to pull students one-on-one or in small groups to target specific academic skills, modify and enrich curriculum, and better meet the needs of individual students (Manage Time)

RESEARCH: Children learn best when they are actively engaged, and learning centers are one way of engaging them.

Centers/ Learning Stations

Comprehension

Researched Based Program (Super QAR)

Non-Fiction Article/ Newspaper

Read & Create Your Own Higher Order Questions

Hands-On Activities (FCRR)

Vocabulary

Research Based Program (Making Words, Soar To Success)

Mnemonics (Music, Name, Expression/Word, Model, Ode/Rhyme, Note Organization, Image, Connection, and Spelling Mnemonic)

Concept Circles

Concept Maps (Graphic Organizer)

Centers/ Learning Stations

Fluency

Research Based Program (Quick Reads, Six-Minute Solution, Great Leaps, etc.)

Self Monitoring/ Graphs

Reader’s Theater

Skill Based Group

Activity Cards

PowerPoint Presentations

Resources/ Graphic Organizers/ Retelling Stories

FOLDABLES

Suggestions Use data to focus on what is important to teach

Get to know each student

Engage parents about student interests

Use proven methodologies to teach

Monitor success and failures, ongoing….

Stay current with research

Focus on students, not courses or averages

Use technology to improve learning

Make decisions based on data

Questions

Exit Card