1. Establishing a Common Vocabulary: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
HMH Core Program-Based Offering template
Establishing a Common Vocabulary: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships
Session #45
Linda Jordan

2. Welcome & Introductions
Agenda
Welcome & Introductions
Closing
Relationships
Rigor
Relevance
Time: 2 Minutes
Agenda & Housekeeping: Tell the participants where are the bathrooms are, lunch plans, lunch times, break times.
Read the agenda with the group
Point out that the agenda is done with intention. They should also have agendas for their day or lesson (Middle School & High School teachers may have an agenda for the week if they have 60 minute class. All teachers should go over the agenda daily to help the students know what will take place the class period. It helps the brain focus and find meaning. The teacher might also include the objective and/or essential questions.
Ask the participants to share with their elbow partner how they use or could use agendas in their classrooms.
Give them 45 seconds to discuss.

3. Resources Resources Time: less than 1 minute
Our work today is based on the International Center for Leadership in Education’s research and work that you will find described in these three handbooks. I have pulled the most relevant pages from these to guide us today. You will find those in your participant guidebook. If after today’s training you would like more information regarding any of the resources from the International Center you may access them by visiting store.leadered.com.

4. Holland, Michigan

5. My Credentials Senior Implementation Advisor
The International Center for Leadership in Education

6. Building Relationships

7. Building Relationships All We Have In Common
With the people sitting near you form a group of 3-5
Create a list of at least three things you have in common.
Be ready to share some items from you list with the group.

8. Learning Outcomes
Understand how rigor, relevance, and relationships support the foundations of effective instruction
Begin applying the tools aligned with rigor and relevance to create a more engaging learning environment
Learning Outcomes
Time: 1 minute
The agenda is aligned to today’s outcomes listed here. The outcomes are also on Participant Guide page 5.
At the end of today, you all will be able to:
Understand the importance of a coherent focus across the entire education system;
Understand how the three Rs—rigor, relevance, and relationships—develop and support instructional effectiveness to improve student achievement;
Communicate with each other using a common vocabulary for effective instruction;
Use rigor/relevance tools and resources to better engage your students; and
Develop an action plan to help you with your next steps.
In working with you to create a rigorous and relevant learning environment, our overarching goal at International Center for Leadership in Education, or ICLE, is to provide you with the tools and resources to support this process.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

9. ICLE’s Philosophy For All Students Relationships Rigor Relevance
Time: 1 minute
A way to address issues facing school’s today, such as increased expectations and advancements in technology, is a simple, yet complex approach that can be applied to all students. These are the three tenets of Bill Daggett’s philosophy. You may have seen these as rigor, relevance, and relationships, but we begin today with relationships intentionally. Relationships are the first step in creating an effective learning environment.
Relationships—the interactions and connections between students and teachers and among students in the classroom. Relationships make relevance possible.
Relevance—how what students are learning in the classroom applies to their lives outside of school. Relevance makes rigor possible.
Rigor—which stresses critical thinking and application of knowledge to new and perplexing problems and unknowns.
Click to animate FOR ALL STUDENTS.
I emphasis the importance of applying these three tenets to ALL students, including students with IEPs, English language learners, and gifted students. All of the strategies and tools we discuss are best practices for ALL learners.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

10. Building a Systemwide Approach for Rigorous Learning
Building a Systemwide Approach for Rigorous Learning(90 minutes)
Time: Under 1 minute
One way to begin improving achievement is to shift the focus to what the entire educational organization should be doing to facilitate learning, rather than placing the onus solely on teachers. The urgency to hold higher expectations can be a driving force behind this shift. A systemwide approach will make it happen.
Our approach to rigor, relevance, and relationships is key to effective instruction focused on student achievement and is encompassed in the Daggett System for Effective Instruction, or DSEI for short. The three segments of the system—Organizational Leadership, Instructional Leadership, and Teaching—must all work together toward the goal of increasing student achievement.
This graphic, shown on Participant Guide page 31, demonstrates the system’s approach to the three Rs to increase student achievement. We believe that Organizational Leadership and Instructional Leadership must work in collaboration with teachers to support them in their instruction, thus increasing their effectiveness and leading to improved student achievement.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 9/1/2013

11. Traditional Teaching Frameworks
Comparing Models
Traditional Teaching Frameworks
DSEI
What teachers should do
What the entire system should do
Teacher-focused
Student-focused
Teachers deliver instruction
Teachers facilitate learning
Vision is set by top leaders
Vision is built more inclusively
Define vision primarily in terms of academic measures
Define vision as strong academic and then personal skills and the ability to apply them
Rigid structures support adult needs
Flexible structures support student needs
Focus on teaching
Focus on learning
Comparing Models
Time: 2 minutes
The three segments of the DSEI can be compared to traditional frameworks, which focus on teaching only. The following chart provides a comparison between traditional teaching frameworks and the DSEI. You will notice that the DSEI is focused on how the system (Organizational Leadership and Instructional Leadership) supports teaching, and that student achievement is not the sole responsibility of the teacher. This approach is used at many high- performing and rapidly improving schools. During the development of the DSEI, traditional frameworks were researched, synthesized, and compared. This research helped us to realize that student achievement requires more than a focus on teaching. It requires a focus on the entire system. On Participant Guide page 8, you will see the comparison chart.
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12. Is Your System Aligned?
Strengths Challenges

13. The Rigor/Relevance Framework®

14. The Third R: RELATIONSHIPS

15. Relationships Make Relevance Possible
Relationships Make Relevance Possible Time: 1 minute
The relationships we have with our students in the classroom are critical for creating an effective learning environment. If we know our students’ interests, activities, and beliefs, we can design instruction that is relevant for learners.
We as professionals also benefit from creating strong relationships. This includes relationships with a coach, teacher, or mentor. Keep in mind that the goal is student learning—not assessment or evaluation but improvement and growth.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

16. A Focus on Relationships
Teacher
Student
Student
A Focus on Relationships
Time: 1 minute
Before we get into the Rigor/Relevance Framework more deeply, we must begin with the third R that is equally important: Relationships. Relationships can’t just apply to the first two weeks of class; daily relationship building is essential. Building relationships makes students feel safe and makes them more willing to take risks academically. Some schools spend much of the first few weeks of school doing nothing but relationship building. They do this because they believe it provides a foundation for effective teaching and learning to take place thereafter.
Effective, high-quality teaching is rooted in sound practices that are based on students’ needs and include a variety of engaging instructional strategies. Being an expert in a content area alone does not make a teacher effective. In fact, building positive and supportive relationships is paramount to student learning. John Hattie, an education researcher from New Zealand, conducted a meta-analysis described in his book Visible Learning. A meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining and reporting the findings from several independent but related studies. The meta-analysis revealed the teacher- student relationship as among the most effective influences on student achievement. Let me repeat that: among the most effective influences on student achievement. Think about your classroom. How are your relationships? Let’s look at how neuroscience support the importance of relationships.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

17. Critical Relationships
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Student
Teacher
A Focus on Relationships
Time: 1 minute
Before we get into the Rigor/Relevance Framework more deeply, we must begin with the third R that is equally important: Relationships. Relationships can’t just apply to the first two weeks of class; daily relationship building is essential. Building relationships makes students feel safe and makes them more willing to take risks academically. Some schools spend much of the first few weeks of school doing nothing but relationship building. They do this because they believe it provides a foundation for effective teaching and learning to take place thereafter.
Effective, high-quality teaching is rooted in sound practices that are based on students’ needs and include a variety of engaging instructional strategies. Being an expert in a content area alone does not make a teacher effective. In fact, building positive and supportive relationships is paramount to student learning. John Hattie, an education researcher from New Zealand, conducted a meta-analysis described in his book Visible Learning. A meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining and reporting the findings from several independent but related studies. The meta-analysis revealed the teacher- student relationship as among the most effective influences on student achievement. Let me repeat that: among the most effective influences on student achievement. Think about your classroom. How are your relationships? Let’s look at how neuroscience support the importance of relationships.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

18. Critical Relationships
Teacher
School
School
Administration
Parents
Community
A Focus on Relationships
Time: 1 minute
Before we get into the Rigor/Relevance Framework more deeply, we must begin with the third R that is equally important: Relationships. Relationships can’t just apply to the first two weeks of class; daily relationship building is essential. Building relationships makes students feel safe and makes them more willing to take risks academically. Some schools spend much of the first few weeks of school doing nothing but relationship building. They do this because they believe it provides a foundation for effective teaching and learning to take place thereafter.
Effective, high-quality teaching is rooted in sound practices that are based on students’ needs and include a variety of engaging instructional strategies. Being an expert in a content area alone does not make a teacher effective. In fact, building positive and supportive relationships is paramount to student learning. John Hattie, an education researcher from New Zealand, conducted a meta-analysis described in his book Visible Learning. A meta-analysis is a statistical technique for combining and reporting the findings from several independent but related studies. The meta-analysis revealed the teacher- student relationship as among the most effective influences on student achievement. Let me repeat that: among the most effective influences on student achievement. Think about your classroom. How are your relationships? Let’s look at how neuroscience support the importance of relationships.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

19. Neuroscience Connections
The human brain is hardwired to give and receive care.
Neuroscience Connections
Time: 2 minutes
As neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum notes, neuroscience supports instruction that emphasizes relationships along with rigor and relevance. This idea is key to the Teaching segment of the Daggett System for Effective Instruction.
The evolution of our brains and the way we learn has to do with what best supports our survival as a species. According to clinical specialist Dr. Sigurd Zielke, research shows that our brains thrive on interaction and socialization.
Our students—because of their ages, backgrounds, and interests—do not necessarily perceive the world the same way that we do. Assessing where they have come from can help us know how to teach them. Building relationships between students and teachers has a dramatic impact on student achievement and teaching effectiveness.
These relationships do not only benefit students from a socialization standpoint. Research by Zielke also indicates that communicating our needs yields a better likelihood of achieving what we need. If we take the time to build relationships with our students, they will more likely communicate their needs, allowing us to better design our instruction. Technology is a tool that can help teachers build relationships with their students, as well as increase the rigor and relevance of the learning environment. Let’s use the web to search for some resources to add to our repertoire.
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20. Relationships increase feelings of safety, motivation and risk-taking
can enhance learning
need to be in place to build the safety need to use higher order thinking (rigor)

21. Relationship Resources
Search these keywords:
Inclusion Activities
Teambuilding
Energizers

22. How Do You Build Relationships?
What is the culture of your schools?
Bus drop-off/pick-up
Café
Hallways
Office

23. Learner Engagement Indicators
Active Participation
Learning Environment
Formative Assessment and Tools
Rigor Indicators
Let’s discuss the indicators we selected in more detail to better understand how to use them to effectively communicate with teachers. The first indicator is thoughtful work, next is high-level questioning and third is academic discussion. These are the three indicators used to describe high level critical thinking. They were selected based on what is visible in student learning, as supported by John Hattie’s meta-analysis, Visible Learning.
Click to reveal image of Visible Learning for Teachers.
In his book, he describes the practices or strategies that result in the highest effective size in terms of impact on student learning.
The metacognitive strategies involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning (including planning how to approach a given task, evaluating progress, monitoring comprehension, awareness of patterns in texts or other resources, and self-questioning).
Let’s take a closer look at how we define thoughtful work.
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12/15/2014 23

24. Engagement Characteristics
Positive body language
Consistent focus
Verbal participation
Confidence
Sense of fun and excitement
Comfort seeking help and getting individual attention
Can clearly describe learning
Find the work meaningful, relevant, and connected
Work on rigorous learning, complex problems, and issues
Can explain what high- quality work looks like and how his or her work compares
Can set and meet personal goals
Engagement Characteristics
Time: 1 minutes
Here are some of the engagement characteristics you may have included in your discussions. Learning environments that have a consistent focus, a sense of fun and excitement and where students are encouraged to set personal learning goals are most likely developed through a strong student-teacher relationship. These characteristics can be linked to other skills we’d like to see in, not only students, but our peers as well. Modeling positive relationships can impact these non-academic skills such as kindness, honesty, and integrity. Let’s take a look at a short video of Dr. Bill Daggett, Founder and Chairman of ICLE, who emphasizes this point.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

25. Engagement is Critical for Great Relationships
Which engagement characteristics do your students exhibit consistently in every classroom?
THINK
PAIR
SHARE
Engagement is Critical for Great Relationships
Time: 4 minutes
If I have strong relationships, then my students are more likely to be engaged. What characteristics do your students exhibit consistently that reflect strong relationships and thus engaged learners? For example, a student who is willing to offer an opinion on a topic feels safe and respected to participate and share personal thoughts.
Let’s use the think-pair-share routine to discuss this question. First, think about the question on your own. Then pair up with a person at your table and share your ideas. You have one minute.
Circulate to listen and assist participants in sharing ideas. Bring the whole group together, and have a few participants share their thoughts. Record on chart paper.
Thanks for sharing your great ideas. The next step in recognizing these positive characteristics is giving students feedback on them, so you reinforce that positive behavior. Think about how often you provide that positive feedback to praise students for these behaviors. Let’s look at a list of characteristics we put together that reflect a positive student-teacher relationship.
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26. Culture ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
“Culture is the set of habits that allows a group of people to cooperate by assumption rather than by negotiation.” -Ray McNulty, Senior Fellow, ICLE
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Do we trust each other?
What does disagreement mean at our school?
Who owns school performance?
Defining Culture
Share Ray McNulty’s definition of culture, and make connections to the discussion. Provide time for participants to discuss the essential questions. Circulate the room and note key ideas. Bring the group back.
These essential questions help describe school culture. In a positive school culture there must be trust―trust between leaders and teachers, teachers and teachers, and teachers and students. A healthy amount of disagreement on issues that have the best interest of students in mind is a natural and even necessary process to evolve, improve and achieve. We must also accept that all stakeholders―from central office administration, staff, parents and the community―own school performance. The responsibility does not fall only to the principal or individual teachers.
Getting buy-in on these points is critical. All stakeholders need to be on the same page in order for culture to shift and improve in order to provide rigorous learning opportunities for all students.
Encourage participants to reflect on these essential questions as they continue to work with their staff.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

27. A Successful Culture Includes:
Accountability ― to each other and ourselves
Ownership ― of the outcomes
Commitment ― to achieving more each day
Belief ― that anything is possible if we work together.
Will ― to continue pressing forward when change gets difficult.
A Successful Culture
Ray McNulty, ICLE Senior Fellow, notes five attributes that are necessary for a successful, supportive culture. In this type of culture, leaders and teachers work together to hold each other accountable, and take ownership of and commitment around rigorous learning for all students. They also believe in a growth mindset and that anything is possible if they work hard and collaboratively. Even when things become difficult and unexpected obstacles appear, they will continue moving forward.
Focusing on the future and not the past is a big part of a successful culture. Accepting the status quo does to disservice to all.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

28. Culture Trumps Strategy
“Culture eats strategies for breakfast.”
Peter Drucker, Management Consultant, Educator, Author
“Almost everyone wants schools to be better, but fewer want schools to be different.”
Ray McNulty, Senior Fellow, ICLE
“If you attempt to implement reforms but fail to engage the culture of a school, nothing will change.”
Seymour Sarason, School Reform Researcher
Culture Trumps Strategy
Ray often says that a noted business executive once told him this: “After working on strategy for 20 years, I can say this: culture will trump strategy every time. The best strategic idea means nothing in isolation. If the strategy conflicts with how a group of people already believe, behave, or make decisions, it will fail. Conversely, a culturally robust team can turn a so-so strategy into a winner.”
Let’s think more specifically about the learning culture and state of education in your school or district.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

29. Relationships
Love your students more than you love your subject!

30. With Relationships in Place and Relevancy Established,
Rigor Can Be Achieved.

31. Defining Rigor

32. Aspects of a Rigorous Lesson
How Do You Define Rigor?
What makes a lesson rigorous for students?
RIGOR
Definition
Aspects of a Rigorous Lesson
Examples
Non-examples
How Do You Define Rigor?
Time: 5 minutes
TRAINER TIP: As participants discuss the questions, create a four-quadrant chart on your whiteboard or flipchart with the headings Definition of Rigor and Aspects of a Rigorous Lesson.
Draw and/or fold a blank piece of paper to create the Frayer Model graphic organizer using the headers on the slide.
The Frayer Model is another example of a note-taking tool you can use in your classroom. It is useful for defining new vocabulary, concepts,, or phrases. Having students fold and create their own graphic organizer is more hands on and engaging than providing one.
Read the questions on the slide. Then work with a group of three or four participants to discuss the question. After three minutes we’ll share some of our definitions.
Give participants time to discuss, and then bring the group together.
How do you define rigor? Record ideas on a whiteboard or flipchart. (Possible answers: higher-level thinking skills, problem solving, analysis, synthesis)
In your classroom, what makes a lesson rigorous? (Responses will vary. Possible answers: A lesson in my classroom is rigorous when students are using multiple resources to solve a problem that is open-ended. A lesson in my classroom is rigorous when I take on the role of facilitator.) Again, record ideas.
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33. Rigor Is: Scaffolding student thinking Planning for student thinking
Assessing student thinking about content
Recognizing the level of thinking students demonstrate
Managing the teaching/ learning level for the desired thinking level for each student

34. Rigor Is Not: More or harder worksheets AP or honors courses
The higher level book in reading
More classwork
More homework

35. Rigor Makes the Future Possible
Time: 1 minute
The Common Core State Standards Initiative describes the Standards this way:
“The Standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.”
Students who are able to think critically and apply knowledge are better prepared for college and careers in which they will have to solve complex problems. In order to help prepare students more effectively, the Common Core State Standards have raised the level of rigor using fewer, clearer, and higher standards.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

36. High-Level Questioning
Rigor Indicators
Thoughtful Work
High-Level Questioning
Academic Discussion
Rigor Indicators
Let’s discuss the indicators we selected in more detail to better understand how to use them to effectively communicate with teachers. The first indicator is thoughtful work, next is high-level questioning and third is academic discussion. These are the three indicators used to describe high level critical thinking. They were selected based on what is visible in student learning, as supported by John Hattie’s meta-analysis, Visible Learning.
Click to reveal image of Visible Learning for Teachers.
In his book, he describes the practices or strategies that result in the highest effective size in terms of impact on student learning.
The metacognitive strategies involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning (including planning how to approach a given task, evaluating progress, monitoring comprehension, awareness of patterns in texts or other resources, and self-questioning).
Let’s take a closer look at how we define thoughtful work.
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12/15/2014 36

37. Rigorous Learning CREATING EVALUATING ANALYZING APPLYING UNDERSTANDING
Means Framing Lessons at the High End of he Knowledge Taxonomy
CREATING
EVALUATING
ANALYZING
APPLYING
Rigor Means…
To give lessons rigor is to move them up the hierarchy of the Knowledge Taxonomy. Lessons that require application are more rigorous than lessons that simply require comprehension. Lessons that require analysis and synthesis are more rigorous than lessons that require basic application, and so on.
The words on the right are from Bloom’s Taxonomy, with which you are all probably familiar. Let’s look at a newer way to think about rigor.
UNDERSTANDING
REMEMBERING
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4/15/15

38. Bloom’s Taxonomy Original Revised Synthesis Analysis Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
Evaluating
Analyzing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Eval
Creating
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Time: 3 minutes
You may be familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy, developed in the 1950s at the University of Chicago. In 2001 this was updated and revised to emphasize verbs over nouns. How does this change impact what teachers do? Choose a few volunteers to answer the question. (Possible answer: The change focuses on the action of learning.)
The original Bloom’s Taxonomy became the starting point for our Rigor/Relevance Framework. However, that original model did not go far enough in representing what we recognized about student learning and achievement or about the way the most effective teachers taught. The cognitive domain, as foundational as it was, did not go deep enough into another essential and enabling aspect of learning—the ability to apply knowledge to action.
So we created a second taxonomy—the Application Model—to delineate levels of application. That taxonomy includes five categories: Knowledge in One Discipline, Application of Knowledge in One Discipline, Application of Knowledge Across Disciplines, Application of Knowledge to Solve Real-World Predictable Problems, and Application of Knowledge to Solve Real-World Unpredictable Problems.
We then combined that taxonomy with Bloom’s work to create the Rigor/Relevance Framework. Refer to Participant Guide page 11 for a cross- reference guide to other knowledge taxonomies.
Original
Revised
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39. Integrating Technology
Activity: Integrating Technology (10 minutes)
TRAINER TIP: If participants are not all able to access technology, allow them to work in teams or to recall what they know about the sites shown and apply that knowledge.
This clever new taxonomy was developed at the University of Southern Indiana and modified by educators. A collection of those modifications is available at Kathy Schrock’s website, which you can find with a quick Google search. Essentially, this model takes the update of Bloom’s Taxonomy and applies it to familiar websites and digital applications. Let’s take five minutes to evaluate whether the categories assigned to websites and applications make sense. Choose three or four sites from more than one level of the taxonomy and think about how you could use that tool to increase rigor in your learning environment. A version of the previous graphic is included on Participant Guide page 12 for you to record your thinking about the connection between Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Technology Taxonomy.
After five minutes, bring the group together to discuss their findings.
Would you agree that the sites you saw correspond to the levels on the taxonomy assigned to them? Allow a few participants to respond. What makes Picasa a higher level than YouTube? (Possible answer: People must do something to use Picasa, but they may just passively view YouTube.) Record your thinking in your graphic organizer with an example or non-example of how one of these tools can or cannot increase rigor levels of teaching and learning.
Bloom’s Taxonomy—Technology Version
educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com
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40. Ways to Increase Rigor
Create challenging problems for them to solve 4
Writing and thinking as a measure of thinking 3
Sharing clear examples 2
Time:
-12:50 – 1:00 pm
-What are ways that you already raise rigor in your classroom? Thinking Maps, Depth and Complexity...
share and field questions
-This provides a list of way to apply Rigor in the classroom – use this as a discussion time
Questions!!! 1

41. Relevance

42. How Do You Define Relevance?
What makes a lesson relevant for students?
RIGOR
Definition
Aspects of a Rigorous Lesson
Examples
Non-examples
How Do You Define Relevance?
Time: 4 minutes
TRAINER TIP: As participants discuss the questions, prepare your whiteboard or flipchart with the headings Definition of Relevance and Aspects of a Relevant Lesson.
Flip over your Frayer Model that you used for Rigor. Let’s use this same approach to relevance as a way to organize your thinking. Read the questions on the slide. Then work with three or four participants to discuss both questions. After three minutes, we’ll share some of our definitions.
After three minutes, bring the group back.
Let’s hear from each group. What are some of the features that define relevance?
Record ideas on a whiteboard or flipchart. (Possible answers: real-life applications, connections to students, multidisciplinary context)
In your classroom, what makes a lesson relevant? (Responses will vary.)
Again, record ideas.
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43. What is Relevant to Today’s Students?
K-Born in 2011
6th Grade – Born in 2004
12th Grade – Born in 1998 ( K-2003)
What have you experienced
that they have NOT?
Time: 6 minutes

44. Relevance
Real World Application in
Unanticipated Situations

45. A Relevant Lesson asks Students to:
Use their knowledge to tackle real-world problems that have more than one solution

46. Relevance: The Purpose of the Learning
ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE
APPLY KNOWLEDGE
INTERDISCIPLINARY
1 minute
REAL WORLD PREDICTABLE
REAL WORLD UNPREDICTABLE 46

47. Relevance Makes Rigor Possible
Diverse learners respond well to relevant and contextual learning
This improves memory, both short term and long term
Relevance must be student based: the student’s life, the students family and friends, the student’s community, the world today, current events, etc.
Time: 2 minutes

48. Relevance Indicators Meaningful Work Authentic Resources
Learning Connections
Rigor Indicators
Let’s discuss the indicators we selected in more detail to better understand how to use them to effectively communicate with teachers. The first indicator is thoughtful work, next is high-level questioning and third is academic discussion. These are the three indicators used to describe high level critical thinking. They were selected based on what is visible in student learning, as supported by John Hattie’s meta-analysis, Visible Learning.
Click to reveal image of Visible Learning for Teachers.
In his book, he describes the practices or strategies that result in the highest effective size in terms of impact on student learning.
The metacognitive strategies involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning (including planning how to approach a given task, evaluating progress, monitoring comprehension, awareness of patterns in texts or other resources, and self-questioning).
Let’s take a closer look at how we define thoughtful work.
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12/15/2014 48

49. Adding Relevance to Any Lesson or Unit
Comparing Learning to:
Use the Real World:
Moral, ethical, political, cultural points of view, and dilemmas
Student’s life
Real world materials
Student’s community and friends
Internet resources
Our world, nation, state
Video and other media
World of work
Scenarios, real life stories
World of service
News - periodicals, media
World of business and commerce that we interact with
Time: 6 minutes

50. Rigorous Lessons Ask Students To:
Compose
Create
Design
Invent
Predict
Research
Summarize
Defend
Compare
Justify
Rigorous Lessons Ask Students To…
The verbs here are drawn from a list of verbs that signify rigorous lessons and activities. Whenever your teachers ask students to perform one of these actions, they are fostering rigorous learning. A more complete list of verbs, broken down by quadrant on the Rigor/Relevance Framework, appears on Participant Guide page 00.
Notice that unlike verbs such as recall, describe, or list, each of these verbs requires critical thinking and multiple actions. And every one of them becomes easier with the use of digital tools. Students can compose, create, design, and research on computers. They can create, design, and invent in a makerspace. Digital tools make it easier to compare things, to create predictive instruments, and even to defend or justify responses by easily finding and displaying evidence in support of a decision.
Rigor has to do with the actions or behavior you expect from students. It differs in quality, not in quantity, from the work you may have expected in the past. You will see terminology like this in the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Assessments. Justifying a position, defending a claim, using text-based evidence, and researching multiple sources are among the actions students will need to perform on a regular basis.
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4/15/15

51. If a lesson is relevant, students will be able to tell you:
What They Learned
Why They Learned It
How They Will Use It
The lesson will have meaning for students.

52. Rigorous and Relevant Learning is…
Scaffolding thinking and doing
Planning for thinking and doing
Assessing thinking about content
Recognizing the level of thinking students demonstrate
Managing the teaching/learning level for the desired thinking level
Rigorous Learning Is
When students focus more on research, make arguments, and use text-based evidence, they think more deeply. Scaffolding thinking and recognizing the levels of thinking are also among the characteristics for rigor. Bloom’s Taxonomy supports critical thinking by describing the levels of student thinking.
Again, digital tools do not take the place of thinking and learning. They allow students to extend the range of their thinking, to organize their thinking, and to produce artifacts that demonstrate their thinking.
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4/15/15

53. Rigor/Relevance Framework6 C D 5
Understand 4 3 A B 2
Know 1

54. Rigor/Relevance Framework
HIGH
Rigor Critical Thinking
Motivation Creativity Innovation Problem Solving C D
RIGOR
Acquisition of knowledge /skills
Relevancy Validation A B
LOW
LOW
RELEVANCE
HIGH

55. Rigor/Relevance Framework

56. Rigor/Relevance Framework

57. Tools to Support a Rigorous and Relevant Learning Environment
Tools to Support a Rigorous and Relevant Learning Environment (50 minutes)
Welcome Back! For our first topic this afternoon, we will explore tools that support a rigorous and relevant learning environment.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 2/1/2013

58.
Give participants 2-3 minutes to explore the website and find the resources that are available. If participants do not have access to the internet use the next slide to highlight the website.

59. Verb List by Quadrant A B C D Calculate Recall Choose Recite Count
Record
Define
Say
Describe
Select
Find
Spell
Identify
View
Label
List
Locate
Match
Memorize
Name
Point to
Adjust
Interview
Apply
Look up
Build
Maintain
Collect
Make
Construct
Measure
Demonstrate
Model
Display
Operate
Dramatize
Play
Draw
Practice
Fix
Produce
Follow
Relate
Illustrate
Role-play
Interpret
Sequence
Show
Solve
Analyze
Examine
Categorize
Explain
Cite
Express
Classify
Generate
Compare
Infer
Conclude
Judge
Contrast
Justify
Debate
Prove
Defend
Research
Diagram
Study
Differentiate
Summarize
Discriminate
Evaluate
Adapt
Prioritize
Argue
Propose
Compose
Rate
Conclude
Recommend
Create
Revise
Design
Teach
Develop
Discover
Explore
Formulate
Invent
Modify
Plan
Predict A B C D
Verb List by Quadrant
To help teachers develop lessons that improve rigor and relevance, we have created a list of verbs that fit each quadrant of the Rigor/Relevance Framework. This slide shows some of those verbs. The list is included on Rigorous Learning Toolkit page 00.
By changing the verb, or action required by an activity, you can often increase its rigor or relevance.
For example, let’s look at a matching activity for third graders: Match the words that are synonyms. In which quadrant do you find the word match? (Answer: Quadrant A) Right; matching is an activity with low rigor and low relevance. However, by adjusting the verb, I can increase the rigor. For example: Generate a list of synonyms for X. In which quadrant do you find the word generate? (Answer: Quadrant C) Right; generating has higher rigor than matching does. Why? (Possible answer: Students have to come up with the synonyms on their own, rather than simply matching synonyms that are provided to them.)
In a few minutes I’ll share a special list of verbs aligned with digital tools.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

60. Student Work Products by Quadrant
Answer
Definition
Explanation
List
Quiz
Recitation
Reproduction
Selection
True/False
Worksheet
Collage
Collection
Data
Demonstration
Interpretation
Notes
Painting
Performance
Service
Skit
Solution
Survey
Theatre Set
Abstract
Annotation
Blog
Chart
Classification
Debate
Essay
Evaluation
Exhibit
Inventory
Investigation
Journal
Outline
Plan
Report
Adaptation
Blueprint
Book
Brochure
Debate
Device
Editorial
Estimation
Game
Invention
Lesson
Model
Newspaper
Play
Poem
Song
Trial
Video
Website
Wiki A B C D
Student Work Products by Quadrant
You can find this useful list of products correlated by quadrant to the Rigor/Relevance Framework on Rigorous Learning Toolkit page 00. In addition to changing the verb or action of a lesson, teachers may vary the product or the response that they expect students to create. Remember that Quadrant B is higher in relevance than Quadrant A is, and Quadrant C is higher in rigor than Quadrants A and B. Quadrant D is high in both rigor and relevance.
Changing the product can change the quadrant. For example, if I originally had students completing a workbook page on leaf identification, I could change that to having them take digital photos of actual leaves and use Instagram Layout or another collage tool to make a collage of those leaves for an APP similar to Leafsnap.com.
Do you see how that raises both the rigor and the relevance of the activity? The revised activity better aligns with the expectations set by the Next Generation Assessments. Assessment items require student work focused on higher rigor and relevance.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

61. Teacher Question Stems by Quadrant
How are these similar/different? How is this like…? What’s another way we could say/explain/express that? What do you think are some reasons/causes that…? Why did…..changes occur? What is a better solution to…? How would you defend your position about that? A What is/are…? How many…? How do/does…? What did you observe…? What else can you tell me about…? What does it mean…? What can you recall…? Where did you find that…? Who is/are…? How would you define that in your own terms? D
How would you design a…to …? How would you compose a song about…? How would you rewrite the ending to the story? What would be different today, if that event occurred as…? Can you see a possible solution to…? How could you teach that to others? If you had access to all the resources, how would you deal with…? What new and unusual uses would you create for…? Would you do that? Where will you use that knowledge? How does that relate to your experience? What observations relate to…? Where would you locate that information? How would you illustrate that? How would you interpret that? How would you collect that data? How do you know it works? B A
Teacher Question Stems by Quadrant
Open-ended questions help students think and make lessons more rigorous. The teacher question stems on this slide are from a longer list on Rigorous Learning Toolkit page 00. Again, these stems are arranged according to the four quadrants of the Rigor/Relevance Framework. The least rigorous and relevant questions are in the lower left quadrant, Quadrant A. Those that are the most rigorous and relevant are in the top right quadrant, Quadrant D.
These question stems help raise rigor and relevance and challenge students to think more critically. When visiting classrooms, you can listen for question stems in the various quadrants. If you hear a majority of the question stems located in Quadrant A, you may share this list with teachers and encourage them to implement different stems in a non-threatening way. Let’s take a look at a few samples.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

62. Teacher Question Stems by Quadrant
Routine
Quadrant A Acquisition
Quadrant B Application
Quadrant C Assimilation
Quadrant D Adaptation
Choral Responses ** *
Idea Wave
***
Numbered Heads
Show of Thumbs
Socratic Seminar
Think (Write)-Pair-Share
Response Frames

63. Linda, I created a new slide above for this – feel free to swap out the routines to any others you prefer.

64. Application Model Decision Tree
Is it application?
Is the application real-world?
Is the outcome unpredictable?
Is more than one discipline involved?
Level 1
Knowledge in one discipline
Level 2
Application in one discipline
Level 3
Interdisciplinary application
Level 4
Real-world predictable application
Level 5
Real-world unpredictable application NO
YES
Application Model Decision Tree
The Application Model Decision Tree on Rigorous Learning Toolkit page 00 is designed to help you decide the correct quadrant for a given lesson. Teachers may use this to easily determine the relevance of existing lessons.
Simply choose a lesson or activity and use the flow chart to answer the questions. Note that the levels along the right side correspond to the levels of relevance along the bottom of the Rigor/Relevance Framework.
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

65. Technology Use by Quadrant
Knowledge
Verbs
Sequence
Annotate
Examine
Report
Criticize
Paraphrase
Calculate
Expand
Summarize
Classify
diagram
Products with Technology
Programming
Editing
Monitoring
Testing
Hyperlinking
Validating resources
Media clipping/cropping
Photos/video
Reverse engineering
cracking
Verbs
Evaluate
Validate
Justify
Rate
Referee
Infer
Rank dramatize
Argue
conclude
Products with Technology
Mashing-mixing/remixing
Broadcasting
Podcasting
Composing – GarageBand
Audio casting
Digital storytelling
Blog commenting
Reviewing
Collaborating
Networking
Directing
Photo/video blogging
Animating
Modifying/game modding D C 6 5 4 3 2 1
Creating Can the student create new product or point of view?
Evaluating Can the student justify a stand or decision?
Analyzing Can the student distinguish between the different parts?
Applying Can the student use the information in a new way?
Understanding Can the student explain ideas or concepts?
Remembering Can the student recall or remember the information?
Verbs
Name
Label
Define
Select
Identify
List
Memorize
Recite
Locate
record
Products with Technology
Word Doc
Bullets & lists
Internet searching
Highlighting selecting
Creating & naming folders
Using a mouse
Typing
Editing
loading
Verbs
Apply
Sequence
Demonstrate
Interview
Construct
Solve
Calculate
Dramatize
Interpret
illustrate
Products with Technology
Google docs
Blogs
Posting – social media
Web authoring
Advanced searching
Tagging
Subscribing to a RSS feed
Annotating
Replying – commenting
Social bookmarking
Texting
Sharing
Operating/running a program
Hacking
uploading A B
Application
Technology Use by Quadrant
This is a tool that you can use and share with your teachers as they plan lessons and reflect on learning. Keep in mind that the technology aligns with the different quadrants of the Rigor/Relevance Framework, but much depends on how you use the technology. Notice the verbs listed as well as particular products that students can create using technology.
This is a helpful tool to use to guide conversations with teachers, as you work with them to integrate technology in a more purposeful way. As the instructional leader, you will be able to recognize the type of work being accomplished by students as low rigor/low relevance, low rigor/high relevance, high rigor/low relevance, and high rigor/high relevance. If you can begin to use the Quadrants as a way to reflect on the level of rigor and relevance of the students’ work and thinking, you will be able to better support teachers in moving them toward higher rigor/higher relevance instruction.
Let’s take a look at a learning activity and use the Rigor/Relevance Framework as a reflection tool to determine the quadrant to which it best aligns.
Knowledge in one discipline 1
Application within one discipline 2
Application across disciplines 3
Application to real-world predictable situations 4
Application to real-world unpredictable situations 5
Source:
TM ® & © International Center for Leadership in Education Inc. All rights reserved. 7/20/2015

66. Rigor/Relevance Framework

67. Session Handouts
ModelSchoolsConference.com

68. Please Provide Session Feedback
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Paper (2 in bag)
MSC App
QR Code
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4/15/15

69. Thank You Linda Jordan Senior Implementation Advisor