Rigor: Round 2

Two weeks ago, our topic was rigor.  Dr. Bourff started by making a distinction between rigor and rigor mortis.  Stephanie made the argument that “Rigor is Love.”  Jan encouraged us to look at the work that was being assigned and ask the question, “Is it worthy work?”  Phil suggested that rigor in the classroom can be seen and heard when students talk to create understanding.

We ended the blog by writing this: 

“We would love to hear from you.  

Send us your ideas about what rigor is and what rigor is not.”  

Well, you did it, HSE!  We chose three of the responses for this week's blog.  The first  comes from one of our elementary teachers, and she tells the story of her daughter.  We found her story both moving and inspirational.  The second part came from a high school math teacher, but her message applies in every class in the district.  The third part comes from a Teacher Development Specialist adding to the "IS/IS NOT" chart.

Enjoy!

From Deneice Mathias Jerrett: 

The Relationship between Engagement and Rigor

A few years back, while still in high school, one of my daughters really struggled with piles of what she considered to be meaningless or too difficult homework.  She made very poor grades. She had all the supports and abilities to be successful, but she did not engage in her schoolwork.  She gave me plenty of gray hairs, but looking back, I feel I can brag a little now.

Deneice and her daughter, one of those "creative kiddos"
we do not want to lose!

She somehow managed to get into IUPUI after a year at community college for remediation. She went on to excel at Purdue's Engineering and Design school, graduating with honors.  The difference between her high school and college experience (besides her age and maturity) was that the tasks in design school were engaging, project-based, authentic, and I dare say, rigorous!

I reflect on her story often because there are many lessons to be learned from it. I couldn't make my daughter be engaged in school.  Mothers don't have that power, nor do fathers—even when we take the car keys away.

The tasks presented at the university did engage her deeply. She worked on real projects, making presentations with real clients. It was life-changing for her. I am sure that many of the lessons learned in school paved the way for her success.  I often wish she would have had more opportunities for rigorous work, and by that I mean engaging, real-world work.

What is the relationship between engagement and rigor?

I am grateful for the dedication of educators who are re-imagining our schools as learning laboratories, as places alive and vigorous! (Maybe vigorous could be a replacement term for rigorous.)

We must reach these creative kiddos who are non-compliant, who won't just go through the motions of playing school. It is an at-risk population for sure, and these students have so much to offer the world.

I have a postscript to this story as well: A few weeks ago, a group of teachers and administrators from HSE visited the University of Indianapolis to participate in “Re-imaging Libraries.”  My daughter was the designer who planned this event.  It is a bit ironic, but it makes sense that she is interested in finding ways to redefine education.

From Tish McCallister: 

Redefine Rigor

Tish is the Math Department Chair at Hamilton Southeastern High School, and she sent us a copy of an ebook she is reading called What is Math Rigor? The authors make the point that we are in trouble if we think of rigor using this definition:

Instead, we need to think about rigor this way:

 Which should lead us as educators to redefine that elusive word rigor!

From Fatima Rich, Teacher Development Specialist:

Additions to Our Chart!

What Rigor IS	What Rigor IS NOT
·         Choice  ·         Reading ·         Researching ·         Writing  ·         Reflecting ·         Revising ·         Revisiting ·         Questioning ·         Investigating ·         Analyzing ·         Confirming ·         Reassuring  ·         Challenging but Fun	·         A task in which I can complete quickly. ·         Something I know all the answers to.  ·         Isolated ·         Boring ·         A checklist  ·         Worksheet ·         Asked for often enough ·         A project of no interest

Thanks to all of you who replied and contributed to the blog this week.  We are likely to return to this topic again and again.

Have a great week, HSE!

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

One Final Thought: Chris Tovani makes the distinction between "rigor" and "hard."

Rigor invites engagement. Hard repels it. When learners are engaged in something rigorous, they lose track of time. When the activity is hard, time drags on. Learners who experience rigor, feel encouraged, self-confident, and have a sense of accomplishment. Hard is often trademarked by discouragement, avoidance, and a feeling that the effort spent doing the activity has been a waste of time.  

One of Tovani's Great Books!