“Unmasking Rigor” Roger P. Cuerquez BSE, MS-AMS, Ph.D.-Mathematics (ABD) (Polytechnic Institute of New York University) New York City Public Schools “Return to Share Program”

How to plan Rigorous Instruction? This one day workshop will give teachers an overview of planning rigorous instruction. If you want your students to go beyond rote memorization and learn how to learn then this workshop is for you.

Objective: Teachers will be able to learn and understand what, why, when and how to plan rigor, specifically: What rigor really is The four stages of rigor How to move students from one stage of rigorous learning to the next Specific strategies for supporting students at each stage How to develop a comprehensive plan for helping all students access and be successful with rigor

Yes, but…

Pop Quiz: Agree or Disagree 1.Rigor means that the work is harder. 2.Rigor means more work. 3.The work is not rigorous if it asks students to apply what they learned in only one context. 4.The lower half of Bloom’s Taxonomy is not rigorous. 5.In order to engage in rigorous instruction, students have to first master the basics.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

Why Rigor? Rigorous instruction offers rich, robust learning experiences. Rigorous instruction help student meets or exceed conventional learning standards. Rigorous instruction is just more fun.

What is Rigor? Everybody agrees that rigor is critical to student achievement but few understand what rigor truly is or how to effectively implement rigorous instruction. Rigor is a quality of instruction that requires students to construct meaning for themselves, impose structure on information, integrate individual skills into processes, operate within but at the outer edge of their abilities, and apply what they learn in more than one context and to unpredictable situations.

Stages of Rigor ACQUISITION APPLICATION ASSIMILATION ADAPTATION

ACQUISITION How will I help my students understand the content and acquire skills? Teach Learning Strategies; Memory Strategies Organizing Strategies Summarizing Strategies Collaborative Learning Strategies

APPLICATION How will I help my students apply what they learned in a meaningful way? Teach Thinking Skills: Cause and Effect Compare and Contrast Induction Deduction Classification Abstracting Error Analysis Evaluation

ASSIMILATION How will I help my students synthesize what they are learning? Teach Thinking Processes: Decision Making Problem Solving Investigation Experimental Inquiry Invention Hypothesis Testing Synthesis of Writing Assignments

ADAPTATION How will I help my students take what they have learned and apply it to new and novel contexts across disciplines? Teach Habits of Mind: Persisting Finding Humor Managing Impulsivity Thinking Flexibly Thinking Interdependently Striving for Accuracy Taking Responsible risks Creating, Imagining and Innovation Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition)

The Frayer Model The Frayer Model is a vocabulary development tool. In contrast with a straight definition, the model helps to develop a better understanding of complex concepts by having students identify not just what something is, but what something is not. The center of the diagram shows the concept being defined, while the quadrants around the concept are used for providing the details. Words that work well with the Frayer Model include quadrilaterals, insects and democracies.

Example for Science

Example for Math

C urriculum I nstruction A ssessment D iscipline A ttendance G uidance R igor E ngagement D ifferentiation Credit Accumulation NSAT Passing Graduation Rate

7 Principles of Effective Instruction Principle One: Start where your students are Principle Two: Know where your students are going Principle Three: Expect to get your students to their goal Principle Four: Support your students along the way Principle Five: Use feedback to help and your students get better Principle Six: Focus on quality rather than quantity Principle Seven: Never work harder than your students Resources:

Thank you for participating! This Workshop is part of a series of “Return to Share” program conducted by AFTEA, Inc., A non-profit organization of Filipino-American Teachers in the United States specifically designed to share educational best practices and teaching strategies to the Philippines. Contact us: Visit us: