Rigor Is NOT a Four‐letter Word

Citation

Sarmiento, L.E. (2009), "Rigor Is NOT a Four‐letter Word", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 47 No. 4, pp. 535-537. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230910967536

What is rigor? How can you heighten rigor in curriculum and classroom practice in order to increase student learning? Barbara Blackburn defines rigor, addresses the stumbling blocks and effectively identifies and outlines concrete ways to infuse rigor in classrooms in her book Rigor Is NOT a Four‐letter Word. She incorporates 20 years of experience into the practical examples for raising rigor while keeping focused on what teachers can control. These experiences range from early childhood, elementary, middle and high school, as a consultant and presently as a university professor. Although she primarily includes middle school and high school examples, elementary teachers can adapt her processes to their own situations and school settings.

Organized into nine chapters the author threads research centered on a three‐tiered approach that includes levels of questioning, differentiated instruction, and multiple intelligences theory. Each chapter opens with clear bulleted objectives or critical ideas, reviews information from previous chapters, and explains content through narrative and charts. After each chunk of information she includes a bolded space entitled “It's Your Turn!” where questions for personal reflection and group discussion are presented. For further reflection, at the end of each chapter, she creates a space for final insights that include an important idea, a classroom connection and questions. The book also includes (p. xi) an online guide for study groups, (p. 163) school and district activities focused on rigor, and (p. 169) resources that include articles, books, and websites. An additional feature is the accessibility to download templates and activity guides which are mentioned throughout the book from her web site: www.barbarablackburnonline.com

In the first two chapters Blackburn guides the reader through an inquiry approach to help the reader understand and define rigor. In chapter 1 she builds a case for the importance of rigor based on the overwhelming numbers of students who are under‐prepared for high school and college and who lack basic skills as they enter the work force. Through research findings and student interviews, she identifies the critical need for rigor. The interview quotes used in support of Blackburn's arguments raise urgent questions about teaching since the students reveal that they know when they are not being challenged and when their teachers do not care. She presents key research, provides other people's definitions of rigor, and asks the reader to reflect on personal examples and understanding of rigor, before stating her own definition. Blackburn states that (p. 16) “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”. She narrows her focus on the classroom environment in her three‐tiered approach. In chapter 2 Blackburn connects rigor to the curriculum as she creates a rationale for the importance of understanding the levels of questioning, differentiated instruction and multiple intelligences.

Chapters 3 through 7 include practical ways to increase rigor in classrooms. The author designed the chapters to be read in a conversational style according to topics of choice rather than in a sequence. The central ideas include ways to raise the level of content, increasing complexity of tasks, providing support and guidance, designing open‐ended questions, projects and vocabulary instruction and creating a culture of high expectations. Each chapter is similarly structured beginning with a brief introduction, a description of the strategy emphasizing rigor, and examples of the strategy across different disciplines that can be adapted across grade levels and content areas. Interspersed throughout each chapter are spaces for reflection and dialogue.

The last two chapters are designed to connect rigor to assessment and to provide possibilities for a school or district‐wide movement. Chapter 8 makes a case for formative assessment as it impacts learning. The author compares formative and summative assessments and highlights Popham's levels of assessment. She describes a three‐step process of formative assessment (p. 131): “look at your students to learn about them; watch their progress; help them grow”. The chapter then shifts to grading with an emphasis on learning. In chapter 9 the author includes five questions generally asked as teachers begin to consider ways to begin to incorporate rigor and plausible solutions to overcome obstacles (p. 147): “Where should I begin? How do I handle resistance from students? What do I say to parents? How should I respond when other teachers aren't supportive? How can I gauge progress?” She makes practical suggestions to these final queries.

At its core is an inherent sense of advocacy grounded in the belief that (p. 1) “one teacher always will make a difference in the life of a student”. How to increase rigor in the classroom is the guiding issue that Blackburn specifically addresses. In approaching this issue ‐ often approached in the form of a question – she builds upon the research of others to describe practical strategies and activities that teachers can use now. It is evident that the examples of the projects suggested increase complexity and are open‐ended in structure. Yet, some of the projects seem formulaic, such as the poetry forms suggested in chapter 6. Nonetheless, based on some of these ideas, teachers could be inspired to move towards a more inquiry approach to raise rigor.

A commitment to reflection is apparent in the spaces created intermittently throughout each chapter to reflect both on ideas and to consider classroom applications. I am intrigued of the potential to use this book in study groups or book clubs. The chapters offer a starting point for critical discourse. For middle school and high school teachers, principals, educators involved in professional development, and instructors in university settings Rigor Is NOT a Four‐letter Word provides concrete ways to raise rigor in those settings and integrates a structured protocol for conversations about rigor in classroom practice to begin.

Of particular significance in this book is the integration of the critical components of curriculum, instruction and assessment to maximize student learning. While the desire to raise the rigor in curriculum and instruction is laudable, specific issues critical to urban settings have not been addressed within the context. Although Blackburn intentionally chose not to address English Language Learners (ELL) and briefly includes some ways of meeting the needs of special populations, I felt that accommodations could easily have been added to address the content and linguistic needs of ELL within the strategies. In the light of current practices in most schools and the growing population of ELL across the USA, a deliberate and intentional effort needs to be implemented to raise the rigor for all students. Delivering rigorous and relevant instruction is what principals look for, what teachers strive for, and what parents have come to expect.

Rigor Is NOT a Four‐letter Word offers concrete and practical ways to raise the rigor in curriculum and instruction. The questions that are posed will cause teachers, school administrators, and other instructional personnel to take an authentic look at current practices and opportunities for dialogue to infuse rigor to maximize student learning. Blackburn concludes by reiterating her belief that (p. 163) “the most powerful change in the life of a student occurs when an individual teacher has high expectations of that student, and then acts on those expectations in ways that help the student be successful”.