Myth 4: Support Means Lessening Rigor

Myth #4: Providing Support Means Lessening Rigor

In America, we believe in rugged individualism.  We are to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and do things on our own. . Working in teams or accepting help is often seen as a sign of weakness.

Supporting students so that they can learn at high levels is central to the definition of rigor. As teachers design lessons moving students toward more challenging work they must provide scaffolding to support them as they learn.

Ron Williamson, my co-author on my leadership books,  asked teachers and parents about their experience with rigor. Both groups repeatedly told stories of how successful they were on rigorous tasks when they felt a high level of support, a safety net. Often people described tasks that were initially not successful. Only after additional time or effort did they experience success. In fact, many people said that they would not have been successful without strong support.

The same is true for students. They are motivated to do well when they value what they are doing and when they believe that they have a chance of success. The most successful classrooms and schools are those that build a culture of success, celebrate success, and create a success mentality.

Myth 3: Rigor is NOT for Everyone

Myth #3: Rigor is Not for Everyone

Some teachers think the only way to assure success for everyone is to lower standards and lessen rigor. This may mask a hidden belief that some students can’t really learn at high levels.  You may have heard of the Pygmalion Effect--students live up to or down to our expectations of them.  -

I was recently working with a school where they had one solution for increasing rigor—put all students in advanced classes.  That may be an option, but I’m not convinced that is the best way to increase rigor.  First, not all students are ready for an advanced class without extra support.  Second, that choice sends the message that the only teachers capable of rigorous instruction are those who teach advanced students.  I know from my own experience as a teacher of struggling students reading far below their grade level that any teacher can be rigorous, and any student can reach higher levels with the right support. 

Myth 2: Rigor Means Doing More

Myth #2: Rigor Means Doing More

Many parents and educators believe that a rigorous classroom is characterized by requiring students to do more than they currently do, that rigor is defined by the content of a lesson, the number of problems assigned, the amount of reading, or the number of requirements.

True rigor is expecting every student to learn and perform at high levels. This requires instruction that allows students to delve deeply into their learning, to engage in critical thinking and problem solving activities, to be curious and imaginative, and to demonstrate agility and adaptability (Wagner, 2008a).  Simply, more is not necessarily better, especially when more is low-level or repetitive.

Myths About Rigor

This week, we'll be looking at the 5 myths about rigor.  Myth number 1:  Lots of homework is a sign of rigor.

For many people the best indicator of rigor is the amount of homework required of students. Some teachers pride themselves on the amount of homework expected of their students, and there are parents who judge teachers by homework quantity.

Realistically, all homework is not equally useful. Some of it is just busywork, assigned by teachers because principals or parents expect it. One study (Wasserstein, 1995) found that students described busywork as unimportant, and therefore, not satisfying. Contrary to what many adults believe, the study found that students viewed hard work as important and enjoyed the challenge and enjoyment that went with accomplishing a task that was hard.

For some students, doing more homework in terms of quantity leads to burnout.  When that occurs, students are less likely to complete homework, and may be discouraged about any learning activity.

“Doing more” often means doing more low-level activities, frequently repetitions of things already learned. Such narrow and rigid approaches to learning do not define a rigorous classroom.  Students learn in many different ways. Just as instruction must vary to meet the individual needs of students, so must homework. Rigorous and challenging learning experiences will vary with the student. Their design will vary; as will their duration. Ultimately, it is the quality of the assignment that makes a difference in terms of rigor.

Teaching is Leadership

Good leadership is motivating and mobilizing others to accomplish a task or to think in ways that are for the benefit of all concerned.  Don Page

Doesn't that sound like teaching?  Especially the part about accomplishing a task?  Teachers are leaders--you lead your students to higher levels of learning.

Building Blocks of Success

Have you seen my newest article on building student success over at suite101.com? 

Do you teach students who are intrinsically motivated? Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It’s the sense of working toward something simply because we want to or because we feel a sense of accomplishment, and it is relatively easy to know when a student is intrinsically motivated. Students are motivated internally when they pursue an activity independently, enjoy the activity, don’t want to stop working until they are finished, move beyond the minimum expectations, and don’t care if there are rewards attached.

Read more at Suite101: The Building Blocks of Success for Student Learning | Suite101.com http://barbarablackburn.suite101.com/the-building-blocks-of-success-for-student-learning-a406599#ixzz1shiBhCBN

5 Leadership Tools

Did you miss my podcast on 5 Leadership Tools to shape culture?  Here it is!  A special thanks to Ron Williamson, my co-author on the Principalship from A to Z for our joint creation of the material. You can also subscribe to the School Leadership Briefing here.