Rigor + Motivation + Engagement = Student Success

During a workshop last month, someone asked me why I start my sessions talking about motivation and engagement. It's simple. I don't believe you can talk about rigor without discussing motivation and engagement. The three are interrelated circles, overlapping for optimal student success. Without considering motivation and engagement, students view rigor as "the same old thing, just harder". It's critical that we build a foundation of addressing student motivation as well as creating engaging lessons. With that strong foundation, then it's easy to add rigor into the mix.