Relevance & RigorRelevance & Rigor

The necessary components for a successful The necessary components for a successful classroomclassroom

R + R

A Growing ProblemA Growing Problem Students are not prepared for college Students are not prepared for college

or the workforce because they lack or the workforce because they lack the capacity to think logically for the capacity to think logically for themselvesthemselves

A Growing ProblemA Growing Problem

Many high school graduates are Many high school graduates are unprepared for collegeunprepared for college United States Department of Education (2006)United States Department of Education (2006)

Employers attest that high school Employers attest that high school graduates are lacking basic skillsgraduates are lacking basic skills American Diploma Project (2007)American Diploma Project (2007)

Students are not prepared for high Students are not prepared for high school- school- ACT (2007)ACT (2007)

A Growing Problem A Growing Problem LocallyLocally

From the Texas Comptroller Office From the Texas Comptroller Office (2006) reports (2006) reports Texas is ranked 49 in verbal SAT scores Texas is ranked 49 in verbal SAT scores

(493)(493) Texas is ranked 46 in math SAT scores Texas is ranked 46 in math SAT scores

(502)(502) Texas is ranked 36 in high school Texas is ranked 36 in high school

graduation rates (68%)graduation rates (68%)

A Growing Problem A Growing Problem NationallyNationally

From the Organization of Economic From the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development Cooperation and Development reportsreports The United States fell below the world The United States fell below the world

average in the areas of math and average in the areas of math and science (2006)science (2006)

The United States is ranked 15 out of 29 The United States is ranked 15 out of 29 OECD countries in the area of reading OECD countries in the area of reading literacy (2003)literacy (2003)

Projected Future Supply of Projected Future Supply of College GraduatesCollege Graduates

0500,000

1,000,0001,500,0002,000,0002,500,0003,000,0003,500,0004,000,0004,500,0005,000,000

China EU US

2003

2010

2015

Data: OECD Reports (2006)

Mission Goal: Revive Mission Goal: Revive ThinkingThinking

Teachers must add relevance and Teachers must add relevance and rigor in the classroom to empower rigor in the classroom to empower our students to our students to thinkthink

I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think

-Socrates

Step 1: Adding Step 1: Adding RelevanceRelevance

Get to know your studentsGet to know your students Students bring prior knowledge and Students bring prior knowledge and

experiences into your classroomexperiences into your classroom Activate their prior knowledgeActivate their prior knowledge

Get students to think by using the Get students to think by using the following activities following activities K-W-L ChartK-W-L Chart Prediction PromptPrediction Prompt

Step 1: Adding Step 1: Adding RelevanceRelevance

Students must feel connected to Students must feel connected to learning to claim ownership of itlearning to claim ownership of it

Use examples they understand and Use examples they understand and easily identifyeasily identify Use Use current events current events to connect contentto connect content Explain how content is used in the real Explain how content is used in the real

worldworld

Step 1: Adding Step 1: Adding RelevanceRelevance

Technology is the new medium to Technology is the new medium to transfer informationtransfer information Trigger excitement for learning by Trigger excitement for learning by

adding these technological methods:adding these technological methods: PowerPointPowerPoint PodcastsPodcasts Google EarthGoogle Earth United StreamingUnited Streaming

Step 2: Adding RigorStep 2: Adding Rigor

Rigor does not mean more work!Rigor does not mean more work! Rigor in the classroom meansRigor in the classroom means

Challenge Evaluation

AnalysisEngagementMotivation

Synthesis

Step 2: Adding RigorStep 2: Adding Rigor Challenge students by using student Challenge students by using student

based learningbased learning Examples: Examples:

Cooperative GroupingCooperative Grouping Inquiry-Based LearningInquiry-Based Learning Problem Based LearningProblem Based Learning Brainstorming ActivitiesBrainstorming Activities

Step 2: Adding RigorStep 2: Adding Rigor

Have students expand on assessing and Have students expand on assessing and analyzing informationanalyzing information Focus on the Top Three Tiers of Bloom’s Focus on the Top Three Tiers of Bloom’s

Taxonomy: Evaluation, Synthesis, & AnalysisTaxonomy: Evaluation, Synthesis, & Analysis Promote effective oral and written Promote effective oral and written

communicationcommunication Use Socratic questioningUse Socratic questioning Hold class debatesHold class debates Use meaningful prompts for writingUse meaningful prompts for writing

Outcome of using R & ROutcome of using R & R Gained confidence in subject matterGained confidence in subject matter Long-term retentionLong-term retention Comprehension of course materialComprehension of course material Acquisition of critical thinking skillsAcquisition of critical thinking skills Ability to think logicallyAbility to think logically Acquired tolerance for peersAcquired tolerance for peers Reduces drop-outsReduces drop-outs Builds lifelong learnersBuilds lifelong learners

BibliographyBibliographyBooks & ArticlesBooks & Articles

Blackburn, B.R. (2008). Blackburn, B.R. (2008). Rigor is Not a Four-Letter Word. Rigor is Not a Four-Letter Word. Larchmont: Larchmont: Eye on EducationEye on Education

Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Powerful Learning: What We Know Powerful Learning: What We Know about Teaching for Understanding.about Teaching for Understanding. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development. (2010).Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development. (2010).

Schleicher, A. & Stewart, V. (2008). Learning from World-Class Schleicher, A. & Stewart, V. (2008). Learning from World-Class Schools. Schools. Educational LeadershipEducational Leadership, 66 (2). Retrieved from , 66 (2). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/oct08/volhttp://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Learning_from_World-Class_Schools.aspx66/num02/Learning_from_World-Class_Schools.aspx

United States Department of Education. (2010). United States Department of Education. (2010).

Wagner, T. (2008). Rigor Redefined. Wagner, T. (2008). Rigor Redefined. Educational Leadership, Educational Leadership, 66 (2). 66 (2). Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct08/volhttp://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct08/vol66/num02/Rigor-Redefined.aspx66/num02/Rigor-Redefined.aspx

BibliographyBibliography

Washer, E. & Mojkowski, C. (2007). What Do You Mean by Washer, E. & Mojkowski, C. (2007). What Do You Mean by Rigor. Rigor. Educational LeadershipEducational Leadership, 64 (4). Retrieved from , 64 (4). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dehttp://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec06/vol64/num04/What-Do-You-Mean-by-Rigorc06/vol64/num04/What-Do-You-Mean-by-Rigor%C2%A2.aspx%C2%A2.aspx

PicturesPictures

Hero. (2009). Retrieved from sojournproject.wordpress.com/.../Hero. (2009). Retrieved from sojournproject.wordpress.com/.../Thinking Hat. (2009). Retrieved from Thinking Hat. (2009). Retrieved from

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.math.hhttp://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.math.hmc.edu/~tucker/math104/graphics/thinkingmc.edu/~tucker/math104/graphics/thinking

Socrates. (2008). Retrieved from Socrates. (2008). Retrieved from https://winewriter.wordpress.com/2008/09/https://winewriter.wordpress.com/2008/09/Remove frameRemove frame