Across the country, discussions continue about how schools can provide a quality educational program for each student. It’s a complex subject with strongly held opinions on the topic. But one issue that always emerges is how to provide a safe, caring, and supportive school climate but one with a commitment to a rigorous academic experience for all. In this book we’ll provide a clear, understandable definition of rigor, and discuss its impact on curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
We believe that real instructional change, including increasing rigor, begins at the classroom level; we also believe school-wide efforts create the climate supportive of these changes. We’ve worked with principals, district leaders, and teachers for more than twenty-five years. The most successful schools are those that recognize that change is a constant; that improvement is a journey, not an event.
One thing we’ve learned is that the journey to becoming a more rigorous school is not straight, but winding. To successfully navigate the road it is important to take along a good set of tools: a road map, useful contact information, and a GPS unit or compass. This toolkit will provide you with a set of tools in the form of strategies and professional development activities to support your journey. You’ll notice that some tools are more applicable to particular roles, such as that of the principal. Others will be useful to teacher-leaders, including instructional coaches, department chairs, or members of a site-based committee. What’s critical is that there are a variety of tools, and that allows you to select the tools that work best in your situation.
In Chapter 1, we will preview each chapter of the book, as well as detail the tools included in each chapter. Then, we’ll turn our attention to some of the assumptions you may hold about rigor. Finally, we’ll ask you to consider your current vision for your school or district, which you will use as a basis for a later activity.
Tools in Chapter 1:
LEADERSHIP FOR INCREASED VIGOR |
| Tool 1 | Check Your Own Assumptions |
| Tool 2 | Your Personal Vision |
In Chapter 2, we will share our definition of rigor, resources for related research, and an overview of our BASE Planning model. This chapter will provide you a concise foundation for the other activities and tools in the book.
Tools in Chapter 2:
RIGOR, RESEARCH, AND THE CHANGE PROCESS |
| Tool 3 | Rubric Reflections |
| Tool 4 | Assessing Where You Are Now |
| Tool 5 | ...
