Creating Rigor and Relevance in Garden City Public Schools Refining Instruction and Assessment

Changing Education Paradigms

In “Rigor Redefined,” Tony Wagner (2008) names seven 21 st -century “survival” skills students today need to “master” (1) critical thinking and problem solving; (2) collaboration and leadership; (3) agility and adaptability; (4) initiative and entrepreneurialism; (5) effective oral and written communication; (6) accessing and analyzing information; and (7) curiosity and imagination (pp. 21–22).

“It’s time to hold ourselves and all of our students to a new and higher standard of rigor.” --Tony Wagner

How do we change? – Rigor/Relevance Framework – Authentic Tasks – Argumentation – Informational Texts Technology Relationships

New CCSS require a new kind of teaching. “Educators will need to understand how to teach less material than is usually found in America’s overcrowded curriculum, and teach it at deeper levels than ever before.... The skills and information they contain will have to be applied in real-life situations, not merely learned.”—Willard Daggett

Content, Process, and Product must interrelate and reinforce each other because if assessment becomes the sole goal, the test itself becomes a barrier to high levels of student achievement. Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

However, if curriculum, instruction, and relevant learning become the focus, the tests will take care of themselves.

Education must increase students’ understanding Of globalization Of technological advancements Of how what they learn in one class relates to another Of how what they learn applies in the world outside of school.

Instruction in highly successful schools... enables students to know what to do when they don’t know what to do.

The Rigor/Relevance Framework Directs curriculum, instruction, and assessment Based on a continuum of knowledge (Bloom’s Taxonomy) and on the Application Model created by the International Center

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The Knowledge Taxonomy

RIGOR IS... Scaffolding thinking Planning for thinking Assessing thinking about content Recognizing the level of thinking students demonstrate Managing the teaching/ learning level for the desired thinking level

Rigor is not about subject matter but “process skills.” Don’t define rigor by more facts, more definitions, more theories, more vocabulary words, longer essays, etc.). Students at any age can develop process skills. K-12, ask, “What do you think?”, “Why?”, “How would you respond to ______?”, “How might you solve that problem?”

Rigor is not... More or harder worksheets AP or honors courses The higher level book in reading More work More homework

The Application Model Describes putting knowledge to USE Low end: knowledge acquired for its own sake High end: solving complex, real-world problems and creating projects, designs, and other works

A Relevant Lesson Answers What am I learning? Why am I learning it? How will I use it?

Add Relevancy to Any Learning Compare Learning to … Student’s life Family’s life Student’s community and friends Our world, nation, state World of work World of service World of business and commerce that we interact with

Add Relevancy to Any Learning Using Real World Examples Moral, ethical, political, cultural points of view and dilemmas Real world materials Internet resources Video and other media Scenarios, real life stories News -periodicals, media

Quadrant A: Acquisition Teachers work; students are passive learners. Quadrant A represents simple recall and basic understanding of knowledge for its own sake. Students gather and store bits of knowledge and information that they are expected to remember. BUT, Students cannot perform at Quadrant B and D levels without first mastering Quadrant A skills and knowledge

Quadrant B: Application Students do real-world work, using acquired knowledge to Solve problems Design solutions Complete work Apply knowledge to new and unpredictable situations

Quadrant C: Assimilation Students are required to think in complex ways to Analyze and solve complex problems Compare and contrast Create unique solutions Evaluate others’ ideas Assimilation represents more complex thinking, but still knowledge for its own sake.

Quadrant D: Adaptation Students must think and work. Teacher-centered instruction shifts to student-centered learning. They apply acquired knowledge and skills to new and unpredictable situations. Students create solutions and take actions that further develop their skills and knowledge.

Our Goal Work in Quadrants B and D as much as possible to prepare students for the more demanding standards and assessments of CCSS.

To become lifelong learners, problem- solvers, and decision-makers, Quadrant B and D skills are required. In effect, our students need to know what to do when they do not know what to do. The Rigor/Relevance Framework provides a structure to enable schools to move all students toward that level.

Name the planets in the solar system. Use a manual to understand and operate an appliance. Be able to make voting decisions Understand nutritional requirements and make appropriate decisions while grocery shopping. Analyze the mechanics of a bicycle in terms of how several machines act together to make it work. In which quadrant of the R/R Framework would the student be working?

Selecting Strategies on Rigor/Relevance

Best Strategies for Quadrant A: Acquisition Guided Practice Lecture Memorization Demonstration—Teachers Video Literature Graphic organizers for notes Instructional technology, games

Best strategies for Quadrant B: Application Cooperative Learning –Group Discussion Demonstration -Student Instructional Technology -Games Problem-based Learning Project Design Simulation/Role Playing Work-based Learning

Best strategies for Quadrant C: Assimilation Brainstorming Group Discussions Inquiry Instructional Technology Research –Literature –Writing Socratic Seminar Teacher Questions

Best strategies for Quadrant D: Adaptation Project Design Group Discussions Simulation/Role-playing Socratic Seminar Teacher Questions Work-based Learning Internships

Quadrant A: Ask questions to recall facts, make observations or demonstrate understanding What is/are__? What did you observe__ ? What else can you tell me__? What does it mean__? Where did you find that__? Who is/was______? In what ways______? How would you define that in your own terms? What did/do you notice about this ______? What did/do you feel/see/hear/smell ______? What do you remember about ______?

Quadrant B: Ask questions to apply or relate How would you do that? Where will use that knowledge? How does that relate to your experience? How can you demonstrate that? What observations relate______? Where would you locate that information? Calculate that for _____? How would you illustrate that? Who could you interview? How would you collect that data? How do you know it works? Can you apply what you know to this real world problem? How do you make sure it is done correctly?

Quadrant C: Ask questions to summarize, analyze, organize, or evaluate How are these similar/different? How is this like______? What's another way we could say/explain/express that? What do you think are some reasons/causes that _____ ? Why did ______ changes occur? How can you distinguish between______? What is a better solution to______? How would you defend your position about______? What changes to ______ would you recommend? What evidence can you offer? How do you know? Which ones do you think belong together? What is the author’s purpose?

Quadrant D: Ask questions to predict, design, create How would you design a ______ to ______? How would you compose a song about______? How would you rewrite the ending of the story? What would be different today, if that event occurred? Can you see a possible solution to______? How could you teach that to others? Which resources would you use to deal with______? How would you devise your own way to deal with______? What new and unusual uses would you create for______? Can you develop a proposal which would______? How would you do it differently?

Our students must have... time and opportunity to develop and apply habits of mind as they navigate sophisticated and reflective learning experiences.

“In times of change, the learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” ~ Eric Hoffer”