1. Creating Lessons and Activities that are Challenging for ALL Students
rigor
Creating Lessons and Activities that are Challenging for ALL Students
4 minutes
Take the first few minutes to explain logistics for the day. First hour this morning will be a common session on rigor so that we all approach this with a common understanding of what rigor is. Then we will move to rotating sessions for ELA, math, and science. At the end of the day you will remain in your last session for a 30 minute common session to reflect on your learning and plan next steps.
Say:
We keep hearing that Alabama’s College- and Career-Standards are more rigorous than previous standards.
We say that if we want students to master standards in a meaningful and relevant way, rigor is the key.
We have been talking with teachers about ways to make their classrooms more rigorous.
We have been speaking with leadership about looking for rigorous practices in the classrooms in their schools.
How many of you have heard something like this? “If we want all our students to become better thinkers, learners, and problem solvers, we must design rigorous learning experiences that go beyond helping them simply master the standards.
So, today we will talk about the following: What rigor is and what it is not. What we see in classrooms and schools where there is a focus on increasing rigor.
That will be our focus for this year’s CCRS meetings.

2. Learning Targets Deepen understanding of RIGOR
Develop insights related to what RIGOR looks like in classrooms
Reflect on current practices that support RIGOR
1 minute
This morning we are going to spend the first hour talking about the definition of rigor and what it generally looks like. We will then move to our content sessions where you will learn more about what rigor looks like in science, mathematics, and English language arts.
This mornings learning targets are:
Deepen understanding of rigor
Develop insights related to what rigor looks like in classrooms
This afternoon in our common session we will cover the final learning target
Reflect on current practices that support rigor

3. Guidelines for Today’s Learning
Be open to and respect all points of view.
Listen with an open mind and expect to learn from one another.
Accept responsibility for active and equitable participation by each group member.
Check for understanding. Before you counter an idea, be sure you fully understand what has been said.
Allow think time – before and after someone speaks.
Welcome questions.
1 minute
It is important to establish some guidelines for our learning together today. As you are participating in today’s learning activities please remember to …
Read Guidelines for Today’s Learning
We do not have scheduled breaks so take care of yourself when needed.

4. Prepared Graduate
Possesses the knowledge and skills needed to enroll and succeed in credit-bearing, first-year courses at a two- or four-year college, trade school, technical school, without the need for remediation.
Possesses the ability to apply core academic skills to real-world situations through collaboration with peers in problem solving, precision, and punctuality in delivery of a product, and has a desire to be a life- long learner.
1 minute
As we go through today’s sessions we want to keep in mind the real reason we are here learning together. We are here to ensure that all of our students graduate from college and that they graduate prepared. By now we all know what we mean by that in Alabama. We mean they graduate ready for 2-year college, 4-year institution of higher ed, career, to be a productive citizen, ready for life beyond their K-12 experience. 4

5. What are some reasons to care about RIGOR?
4 minutes
Ask Question on screen
Have participants jot responses individually on post-it notes
Have participants talk to a table partner about their responses
Possible responses and points to bring out:
Clear research base that students need more rigor
CCRS require more rigor
The number of students who graduate from high school ill-prepared for college or the workforce
Most importantly: rigor is about helping all students learn at higher levels and giving each student the opportunity to learn and grow
Continue discussion on next slide

6. What are some reasons to care about RIGOR?
Rigor fosters persistence.
Rigor fosters resilience.
Rigor fosters flexibility.
Rigor fosters purposefulness.
Rigors fosters metacognition.
Rigor fosters ownership.
2 minutes
According to Robyn Jackson, How to Plan Rigorous Instruction, these are a few reasons to pursue rigorous instruction for you and your students:
Persistence: When students must dig for the answers, they discover the value of the search.
Resilience: When students learn to engage in rigorous thinking and inquiry, they learn how to manage and work through frustration to solve problems on their own.
Flexibility: Rigorous instruction helps students grasp that learning is messy and unpredictable.
Purposefulness: Students come to see that they are learning in order to make meaning, to broaden their own understanding, and to solve interesting problems.
Metacognition: Rigorous instruction asks students to think about their learning goals, select appropriate strategies for pursuing those goals, and reflect on them.
Ownership: When students must make meaning for themselves, they come to own what they have learned.

7. What is RIGOR?
Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels. (Blackburn, 2008)
5 minutes
So, we have talked about why we believe rigor is important. In Alabama we have standards and assessments that are rigorous. We agree that we want more rigorous instruction. Now lets look at what Rigor means. There are a lot of definitions of rigor out there. Let’s look at one of those definitions from Barbara Blackburn in her book Rigor Made Easy.
Handout #1:
Ask participants to read the definition and note words and phrases that resonate with them. After about a minute have participants discuss with a table partner.
Drop in and listen to discussion. Bring these points out at the end of the discussions.
This definition has 3 main parts:
Creating an environment where each student is expected to learn at high levels,
each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels,
and each student demonstrates learning at high levels
This tri-fold definition is not limited to the curriculum students are expected to learn. It is more than a specific lesson or instructional strategy. It is deeper than what a student says or does in response to a lesson. True rigor is the result of weaving together all of these elements to raise students to higher levels of learning.

8. Myths about RIGOR Lots of homework is a sign of rigor.
Rigor means doing more.
Rigor is not for everyone.
Providing support means lessening rigor.
15 minutes
There is a lot of uncertainty over the meaning of rigor in education which has led to a number of misconceptions about RIGOR. Blackburn identified the following myths. Read myths.
Handout #2: Modified Jigsaw
Ask participants to quickly group themselves into groups of 4 and number off 1,2,3,4. Participants will read the myth that corresponds with their number and be prepared to share key points with the other 3 members of the group. Handout #2 has a note taking tool that can be used during the activity.
Rules during reading/sharing: Take about 2 minutes to read and jot notes about your section, each member then has 1 minute to share main points about their myth (you might want to ask them to identify a timekeeper for this portion)
After each team member has quickly shared the main points of his/her myth ask participants to discuss the questions at the bottom of the handout:
Which myth about rigor resonates with you?
Do any of your teachers believe in these myths?
How can you counteract the myths?
If time allows…Ask the groups to discuss the following question as well: What MYTHS would you add?
Say: As we learned while discussing the definition of RIGOR, rigorous lessons are not about these myths. They are about opportunities for taking students more deeply into your subject or content and giving them the tools they need need to learn how to learn for themselves.

9. Challenges and Obstacles
Lack of understanding of the purpose for increasing RIGOR
Misunderstanding of the true meaning of RIGOR
Resistance from teachers, students, parents, and stakeholders
2 minutes
So, as you begin to increase rigor in your schools and classrooms, you will likely find some challenges and obstacles.
Bullet #1: This is why we spent the first part of the morning discussing why we care about rigor and why is it important.
Bullet #2: This challenge was illustrated in the activity we just finished related to the myths about rigor.
Bullet #3: How many of you have faced this challenge in your schools? There are many examples of this. (I use the example of the Facebook posts about math problems)
We will find some challenges as we begin to increase rigor in our classrooms. We must remember that this is a journey….if we keep our focus, we can move past these obstacles to make progress.

10. Strategies to Increase RIGOR - Teachers
Raise the Level of Content
Alabama’s CCRS; Selecting Appropriate Texts; Multiple Sources of Information; Depth, Not Coverage
Increase Complexity
Digging Deeper; Quality Questions; Ratchet Up Reviews; Take it Up a Notch
Give Appropriate Support and Guidance
Modeling; Gradual Release; Working with Struggling Learners; Extra Help and Support
Open Your Focus
Begin with Discovery; Choices; Perspectives; Connections
Raise Expectations
Student Motivation; Beliefs and Actions; Ensuring Rigor for EACH student; Celebrating Progress
9 minutes
Let’s take a quick look at some classroom strategies to increase RIGOR.
Read the following phrases that go with each of the strategies. Note for Facilitators: Each of the bullets is the title of a chapter in Blackburn’s book Rigor Made Easy.
Raise the Level of Content: CCRS; selecting appropriate texts; multiple sources of information; depth, not coverage
Increase Complexity: Digging Deeper; Quality Questions; Ratchet up Reviews; Take it up a Notch
Give Appropriate Support and Guidance: Modeling; Gradual Release; Working with Struggling Learners; Extra Help and Support
Open Your Focus: Begin with Discovery; Choices; Perspectives; Connections
Raise Expectations: Student Motivation; Beliefs and Actions; Ensuring RIGOR for EACH student; Celebrating Progress
Handout # 3:
Ask participants to discuss these strategies answering the following question:
Which of these strategies are strong in your classrooms and how do you know?
Which of these strategies would you like to work on and why?
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FACILITATORS: It is not important that you all of the details about each of these strategies at this point. The purpose of this activity is to allow participants to discuss what they think each means and looks like in their school, determine strengths, and identify strategies that they want to know more about and work on. This will help us know which of these to focus on in the next CCRS meeting.

11. RIGOR made EASY Engages all students Accommodates all learners
Scaffolds learning
Yields results
2 minutes
The previous slide give us a lot of information about what we should see in classrooms where rigorous instruction is going on. Blackburn has simplified this for us a little with her acronym EASY. In general in classrooms where there is rigorous instruction and learning going on…
All students are engaged
All learners are accommodated for
Learning is scaffolded when needed
And student results are visible
Share bookmark that each participant will receive as a reminder of what to look for in schools.

12. Strategies for Increasing RIGOR - Leaders
C Create Positive & Supportive Climate
O Ownership and shared Vision
M Managing Data
P Professional Development
A Advocacy
S Shared Accountability
S Support Structures
Williamson, R., & Blackburn, B. (2012). School Leadership Strategies for Classroom Rigor. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
10 minutes
In your content sessions today you will discuss rigorous learning materials and rigorous instructional strategies more specifically.
Barbara Blackburn and Ronald Williamson have come up with a useful metaphor for understanding ways that leaders can positively impact rigor in schools. The metaphor is a compass. A compass provides direction and guidance. It can help you find your way when lost and can help you stay on track. Most importantly, a compass always remains on target. It continuously points towards “true” north.
This COMPASS provides the tools needed for the journey to a more rigorous classroom/school.
Handout #5
Use the chart on the handout to jot down notes about what you think each of these really looks like in schools. Work with a partner or as a table to determine this together. If you want more specifics about each of these note the source at the bottom of the slide.
Once you have finished discussing each strategy discuss the questions at the bottom of your handout:
Which strategy or strategies do you feel are strong in your classrooms/school?
What strategy might you work on next or want to know more about?

13. Where do we go from here?
Rigor does not necessarily mean throwing away everything you are doing. Rigor in many cases means adjusting what you do to increase your expectations and the learning of your students. Rigor is ensuring that each student is provided the opportunity to grow in ways they cannot imagine. By taking the necessary steps, you as a principal can make a lasting and positive impact on students and on the teachers who work with them.
Williamson and Blackburn (2010). 4 Myths About Rigor in the Classroom. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, Inc.
4 minutes
Have someone read the quote out loud.
Handout 5:
Ask participants to silently reflect on the quote and jot down some notes about their responsibility in as it relates to increasing rigor in classrooms, schools, district.

14. Reflection and Next Steps
rigor
Reflection and Next Steps

15. Team Reflection and Planning Share insights gained during today’s sessions
What similarities and differences emerged around the topic of RIGOR in the content sessions?
What are your current practices to support RIGOR in your schools/districts?
What can you do to advance rigorous instructional strategies across your schools/districts?
What district/SDE supports do you need to increase RIGOR?
Teams can spend about 20 minutes discussing the questions on the slide and completing their reflection handout.
Ask each district to leave one copy of this handout with you so that we can determine where we need to go next.

16. Thinking Forward Facilitator Notes:
Remember that it is not the expectation that you turn this information around to anyone. What we would like is for you take some action towards increasing rigor in your school/district.
At the next CCRS meeting we will give you some time to share the actions you have taken to address rigor in your school and district. Please be prepared to share your progress with your colleagues. We do not have a particular format in mind, we simply ask that you be prepared to share what you are learning along your journey towards increasing rigor in your classrooms.