Busy classrooms with engaged students don’t automatically equal high achievement scores. It’s our job to connect the two. This past week a colleague said to me: “A student who produced an unbelievable Animoto video in class last year failed our state test in reading.”
What? Huh?
I thought 21st century teaching and learning increased student achievement? I thought computers in classrooms could only help? Although one test score from one student from one year probably doesn’t correlate teaching practice to student achievement, it does raise some questions about 21st century teaching and learning in a standardized testing world.
Should we ask students to begin closing computer screens so they can all start to learn how to take tests again? I think not.
1:1 classrooms are a glorious thing, maybe even something you are currently enjoying or a place you’d like to be in some day as a teacher. I’ve been in those revved-up classrooms where some students in one corner of the room might be discussing the merits of a court case while students in another corner are skyping with a storm chaser while he is getting ready for a chase. It’s quite an experience. However, it’s a moot point to the leaders of the school district if test scores aren’t where they want or need them to be.
That’s the practical world we live in. My suggestion is to approach achievement tests the same way we should approach our lessons and units: with rigor.
Rigor and engagement
Barbara Blackburn defines rigor as creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, is given support, and demonstrates learning at those high levels. In one of her books, Rigor in Your School, she argues that rigor is complex: “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 weaving together all elements of schooling to raise students to higher levels of learning.” It’s not about adding curriculum requirements or raising grading standards. I’d say, too, that we shouldn’t wait until the end of a unit to assess key standards.
Last week a few members of our faculty had a conversation with Barbara via Skype. To set up the conversation, I sent her an email through her publisher and we agreed on a time that would work for both of us. During our live session she made an interesting comment about how to recognize rigor in a classroom: “A rigorous classroom is one where each student is meeting high expectations…not 27 out of 30, but 30 out of 30.” A challenging goal.
Formative assessments throughout units of instruction (not just at the culmination) allow us to assess important concepts students may see on an achievement test. For example, middle school science teachers in my state are expected to teach students how to “identify an independent (manipulated) and dependent (responding) variable in an investigation.” I guess we could have students practice this skill, following a set of procedures we’ve written, and then have them identify independent and dependent variables on a quiz we’ve made.
But I think this is a better idea: In our middle school we invite students to design an experiment on chewing gum. The point isn’t to have them practice by repeating a pre-determined gum experiment that works out perfectly each time. Instead, we want them to design an experiment with an uncertain outcome — an experiment that involves a question they’re curious about. A “great” investigation, which middle school students might define as “unique,” “simple” and “easy to understand.”
At the culmination of our gum challenge, students present their ideas as part of a mini science fair during a class period. Students move around the room to see what others have thought to investigate. “If I chew gum when I read, then will I read faster?” Or, “Does chewing gum stick better to something the more you chew it?”
At the culmination of the Gum Fair, students are given a lesson on how to identify an independent and dependent variable in their gum investigation. Not only are they asked to identify both types of variables in their own experiment, they have a competition to see who in the room can design a variables quiz that is fun to take. Students share their quiz designs with each other through a wiki or email. They then take over the class and debate the difference between good and great questions.
Can busy classrooms with engaged students equal learning at a higher level? I think so.
Photo: Stephen Cummings, Creative Commons
Chris Preston
Latest posts by Chris Preston (see all)
- Can Learning Be Engaging AND Rigorous? - October 24, 2011
Barbara appears to be making up her own definition. I hate the word rigor as applied to learning. http://i.word.com/idictionary/rigor there’s nothing there I want when it comes to a classroom.
I agree with Dean regarding the connotation of rigor as explained by Barbara Blackburn as it makes for a contrived learning environment.
At our school we rather use the word vigor. This term has a dynamic nature to it. If rigor is exemplified by the students ability to meet a state standard, I will contend that your students were engaged vigorously in their learning process as they were able to design their own experiments, collaborated with their peers and communicated their conclusions.
This article makes a clear distinction between rigor and vigor: http://teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/todd-nelson/rigor-v-vigor/
Thanks for the link. Interesting. When asked why his school system jumped up two state ratings levels during the 2010-2011 school year, a superintendent in our area was quoted in our newspaper: “We just focused so much on relationships with our kids, making the content relevant and adding great rigor to our instruction.” Thoughts?
It’s no wonder the word has such a negative connotation. A friend of mine says there is a reason the word falls between rigamarole and rigor mortis in the dictionary. As I began my research about 9 years ago as a university professor, I found at least 40 definitions of rigor, seems like everyone has a different one. My focus was to build a common understanding of rigor that was classroom-based and reflective of teachers beliefs about student motivation, student engagement, and high levels of learning. May or may not have done that, but for better or worse the word is used, and I prefer to reclaim it, rather than ignore it. Interestingly, my guest blog today, is on rigor, vigor, or rigor mortis. http://bit.ly/sLAPi3
I wonder if they just felt they needed another “r” word to complete the alliteration? Seriously, relationships and relevance matter. And if by rigor they mean challenging, fine. But I don’t think it means that and I’m not sure one can arbitrarily assign meaning to words just to create a catchy slogan.
I applaud the work you’re doing Chris, this is nothing addressed at you but a real peeve I have at that awful word and the way we misuse it.
Dean…If we all passively read and never asked questions our world would be a boring place. My hope is this piece gives support for keeping authentic, collaborative, and connected learning alive and well.
Great post, Chris!
Just FYI: “Rigor in Your School: A Toolkit for Leaders” was written by Barbara Blackburn and Ron Williamson. You can read sample pages here:
http://www.eyeoneducation.com/bookstore/productdetails.cfm?sku=7176-8&title=rigor-in-your-school
Thank you,
Morgan
Eye On Education
Chris, I wanted to thank you for such a great column. When we talked, it was clear to me that the high levels of engagement and challenge provided for your students (and those in your school) are very high. And your response to the fact that it is each student…30 out of 30 is one of the key points. Rigor is for each individual, not just honors, etc. Thanks again! Barbara