Classroom leadership tips and discussion with Dr Blackburn

What is Rigor? 4 Part Series

open book blog entry : september 12th 2023

What does rigorous work look like in the arts

or technology classroom?

example a] rigor in the arts classroom

Create a simple "Gallery Space" made up of work created by your students. Now have your class move through the space, allowing time for refection and study of their classmates work.

Now set the task for each student to choose one piece of art and write a short critique on their chosen art piece.

The task must include:

The student’s honest opinion of the artwork.
The support of their opinion based on the lesson taught by the teacher and the student’s own experiences
Recommendations for improvement.

Discuss results in a classwide group discussion setting, allowing for additional input and questions, while encouraging open discussion and considered answers based on the work.

example b] rigor in the technology classroom

Rigor in the Technology Classroom

Building on class discussion, have students find at least three credible sources on the topic of data tracking. Design a tool (video, webpage, etc.) designed to convince your audience of your perspective on data tracking. For example, if you believe companies should be allowed to use data tracking, create a technology-based format to convince others of your belief. In your information, you should include the reasons that support your position, as well as addressing the typical objections. Be sure to justify all points with research and real-life examples.

For technology, this task asks students to research data tracking and present their position on the subject. In addition, students must address typical objections to their position, which requires them to research and address all aspects of the issue.

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open book blog entry : september 3rd 2023

What does rigorous work look like in a language arts,

or social studies classroom?

example a] A primary grades reading activity

After reading our book about ants, let’s read “The Queen Ant’s Birthday” and look for evidence of the different types of ant characters.

Who are the worker bees and guard bees, and what do they do for Queen Ant?
How does the queen function like the queen bee in our non-fiction book?
How do these bees live in community?
What can we learn about living in community with one another?

In addition to using evidence from the texts, provide real-life examples to support your responses.

*Idea adapted from Reading A-Z.com

In this activity, notice that students must move beyond summarizing a text to a deeper level of analysis. They must also pull from their knowledge of two texts and their own life, which is more complex.

example B] A secondary social studies assignment

Exploring Perspectives/Dinner Parties

Imagine a dinner party with esteemed guests such as Stalin, Truman, Churchill, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Using your knowledge of the Yalta, Potsdam, and Tehran conferences in the 1940’s, write a script in which these historical figures converse about their different views of what the world would look like after World War II. Choose a character, and role play this scenario, keeping the original integrity of your guest intact. At your dinner party, be sure to include what each historical figure would say about the state of society today.

In this example, rather than asking students to summarize one or more persons, they must actually script out a dialogue, which again, pushes students to a deeper analysis. However, what makes this unique is that students must not only converse about life after World World II, they must respond to the other characters. Finally, students extrapolate what the character would say about our society today, based on what they know about the character.

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open book blog entry : august 21st 2023

What does rigorous work look like in a math or science classroom?

"As a part of rigor, teachers always ask me, what does it look like? Can you show me an assignment that is rigorous?"

example a] volume in elementary math & science

You must figure out how much cereal will fit into a cereal box without measuring the box. Three responses have been provided and you must decide which makes more sense. Illustrate or write how you figured out which response made more sense. Justify or support your reasoning as to why the others did not make sense.

In this case, students must decide which of the solutions best answers the problems. After explaining how they determined the solution, they must justify why the others were not best. In other words, students identified and explained misconceptions.

example B] high school science

We have been discussing thermodynamics. Choose one of the three systems: open, closed or isolated. In your group, identify a research question based on our discussion, but one that we have not fully explored. Next, design and conduct an investigation to answer the question. Write a report in which you analyze your data, draw conclusions and cite your evidence.

For the high school example, which can also be adapted to middle school, students must identify a research question and design an investigation, rather than just following one that is given to them. After conducting the experiment, they must write an in-depth analysis, including providing evidence for their conclusions.

How can you apply these to your math/science classroom?

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open book blog entry : august 10th 2023

WHAT IS RIGOR? IT ALL STARTS WITH OUR EXPECTATIONS

WHAT IS RIGOR?

One of the most often asked questions I receive is “What is rigor”? After more than

two decades of working with rigor, I’ve found that it is a mix between high

expectations, support and scaffolding, and providing students an opportunity to

show their learning at deep levels. If you think about those areas, it starts with

our expectations—do we truly believe students can learn at high levels?

If you’d like to read an overview of my approach, check out The Beginner’s Guide

to Rigor - just click the link below.

"it starts with our expectations - do we really believe students can learn at high levels?"

"have you ever judged a student because of what someone told you about them"

DO WE REALLY HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS?

When I was a 7th grade teacher, I taught a young man named Patrick. I was told he was a troublemaker and would never learn,

and I believed the teachers who told me that. We had a terrible year, and he barely passed. The next year, I was moved to 8th grade, and I had Patrick again. I decided to choose to believe he could learn. I talked with him, and I changed my approach, incorporated a variety of scaffolding strategies, and constantly encouraged him. I told him I knew he could learn and be successful—no matter what he believed.

At the end of the year, he earned a B. More importantly, he was proud of himself. I give him credit for his success, but it also came about due to my high expectations. I vowed never again to listen to someone convince me not to believe in a student.

Have you ever judged (perhaps rightly so) a student because of what someone told you about them? Do you think that impacted how you interacted with them? Do you have any regrets?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and input in the discussion, and as always appreciate sharing this ongoing learning journey with you!

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