Elementary Grade Level Meetings

October 15, 17, 19, 2012

• Welcome • Introductions

• Reminders

Goals for Today:

1. SOL update for Science, Mathematics, English/Language Arts2. What is rigor?3. How can all grade levels and content areas assist in the student’s mastery of a subject?4. How can we help you?

The Improved Classroom

PURPOSEThe purpose of this workshop is to enlighten teachers about ways to build academic rigor into every lesson, in every classroom.

WHAT IS RIGOR?Noun1. strictness, severity, or harshness, as

in dealing with people.2. the full or extreme severity of laws,

rules, etc.3. severity of living conditions;

hardship; austerity; the rigor of wartime existence.

4. a severe or harsh act, circumstance, etc.

5. scrupulous or inflexible accuracy or adherence: the logical rigor of mathematics.

ACADEMIC RIGOR

The set of standards we set for our students and the expectations we have for our students and ourselves.

We expect our students to demonstrate not only content mastery but applied skills and critical thinking about the disciplines being taught.

National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development,

IS RIGOR APPROPRIATE FOR EVERYONE? Exposure to high levels of

authentic intellectual work are associated with gains in standardized test scoresStudents exposed to high quality

assignments had 20% higher gains than national average.

Students exposed to low quality assignments had gains 25% lower than the national average.

RIGOR IS NOT… Something extra you have to do on top of everything else.

More.More pages ≠ rigorMore of the same math problems ≠ rigorMore homework ≠ rigor

RIGOR IS … Part of quality instruction. Part of a quality schooling experience.

You cannot have quality

instruction or a quality school without rigor.

RIGOR IN THE CLASSROOM Focus on what students are asked to do

Three main pieces: course content, instruction, assessment

Course content:Doing a good job with state standardsBasic skills coupled with key

concepts/important ideasApplications of core content to problems

RIGOR IN THE CLASSROOM Instruction:

Activities that engage students in higher order thinking

“Elaborated communication”

Assessment:Aligned to higher order goalsContain higher order thinking,

engage with academic content, and require extended, elaborated responses

HERE’S A NEW THOUGHT!Noun1. Active strength or force2. Healthy physical or mental

energy or power; vitality3. Energetic activity; energy;

intensity4. Force of healthy growth in any

living matter or organism, as a plant

5. Active or effective force, especially legal validity

WHEN DEALING WITH THE INCREASE RIGOR IN THE CLASSROOM, LET’S ALSO FOCUS ON VIGOR!

!

VIGOR WILL… fosters active, healthy growth create readiness for energetic action develop active mental strength prepare students to be able and ready

to use subject knowledge to understand the natural world and human experience

empower students to think boldly and intensely

VIGORThe Improved

Classroom!!!