RIGOR, RELEVANCE, & RELATIONSHIPS! E. R. DICKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

LEARNING OUTCOME INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF RIGOR, RELEVANCE, AND RELATIONSHIPS AS IT RELATES TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, AND SCHOOL CULTURE.

WHAT IS RIGOR? RIGOR REFERS TO ACADEMIC RIGOR – LEARNING IN WHICH STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE A THROUGH, IN-DEPTH MASTERY OF CHALLENGING TASKS TO DEVELOP COGNITIVE SKILLS THROUGH REFLECTIVE THOUGHT, ANALYSIS, PROBLEM SOLVING, EVALUATION, OR CREATIVITY.

WHAT DOES RIGOR LOOK LIKE? MAKE MEANING FOR THEMSELVES IMPOSE STRUCTURE OF INFORMATION – MAKE CONNECTIONS – ORGANIZE INFORMATION DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL SKILLS INTO PROCESSES APPLY WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED TO REAL WORLD AND NOVEL CONTEXTS – UNPREDICTABLE SITUATIONS – FOCUS ON RESULTS

RIGOR ACTIVITY The Seven Survival Skills for Careers, College, and Citizenship By: Tony Wagner

WHAT IS RELEVANCE? RELEVANCE REFERS TO LEARNING IN WHICH STUDENTS APPLY CORE KNOWLEDGE, CONCEPTS, OR SKILLS TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS.

WHAT DOES RELEVANCE LOOK LIKE? INTERDISCIPLINARY AND CONTEXTUAL AUTHENTIC PROBLEMS OR TASKS SIMULATION SERVICE LEARNING CONNECTING CONCEPTS TO CURRENT ISSUES TEACHING OTHERS

QUADRANT VERBS

QUADRANT D EXAMPLES ELA: COMPOSE A SONG THAT CONVEYS THE MAIN CHARACTER’S EMOTIONS MATH: SCIENCE: SOCIAL STUDIES:

QUADRANT VERB ACTIVITY DIRECTIONS USING THE QUADRANT D VERB CREATE AN EXAMPLE LESSON FOR EACH DISCIPLINE. DISCUSS AT YOUR TABLE AND BE PREPARED TO SHARE YOUR EXAMPLE EXAMPLE:

VERB CALENDAR VERB OF THE WEEK INTEGRATE LEARNING TASK GRADE LEVEL APPROPRIATE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

WHAT ARE RELATIONSHIPS? ACCORDING TO JOHN HATTIE IN VISIBLE LEARNING, WHAT GOES ON BETWEEN THE TEACHER AND EACH STUDENT IS CENTRAL TO HIGH-LEVEL LEARNING.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: STAFF Relationship Taxonomy Descriptors 0 Isolated Staff members perform their work but feel significant isolation from other staff or lack frequent feedback from school leaders and others. 1 Known Staff members know each other personally, including their interests, aspirations, and challenges. 2 Receptive Teachers, support staff, and leaders have frequent contact and respect each other’s contributions to the school environment. All exhibit behaviors of interest in others. 3 Reactive There are many examples of teachers or support staff working together, and staff members consistently and eagerly help when requested. 4 Proactive Strong levels of collaboration exist, and there is obvious ongoing commitment in team teaching, mentoring new teachers, and professional development. 5 Sustained There is demonstrated ongoing collaboration from all staff over a significant period of time. New staff members are incorporated into the school culture of collaboration. 6 Mutually Beneficial Staff members work as a total community committed to each other and to school goals.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: STUDENT Relationship Taxonomy Descriptors 0 Isolated Students feel significant isolation from teachers, peers, or even parents. Students lack any emotional or social connection to peers and teachers. 1 Known Students are known by others and frequently are called by name. Teachers known students and their families, interests, aspirations, and challenges. Students are known by peers with whom they interact school. 2 Receptive Students have contact with peers, parents, and teachers in multiple settings. Teachers exhibit positive behaviors of “being there” that show genuine interest and concern. 3 Reactive Teachers, parents, and peers provide help to students when requested, but support may be sporadic and inconsistent among support groups. 4 Proactive Others take an active interest in students’ success. Teachers take initiative to show interest and provide support. Students and others express verbal commitment for ongoing support and validate this commitment with their actions. 5 Sustained There is extensive, ongoing, pervasive, and balanced support from teachers, parents, and peers that is consistent and sustained over time. 6 Mutually Beneficial Positive relationships are everywhere and commonplace among the way that students, teachers, and parents interact and support students as learners.

RELATIONSHIP ACTIVITY DISCUSS AT YOUR TABLE AND BE PREPARED TO SHARE YOUR EXAMPLE USING THE TAXONOMY DESCRIPTORS CREATE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STUDENT RELATIONSHIP TAXONOMY ASSIGNED TO YOUR TABLE. EXAMPLE: TAXONOMY 0: JOHNNY IS A STUDENT IN SECOND GRADE. DURING PE FREETIME HE PLAYS BY HIMSELF. AT LUNCH HE IS QUIET AND DOESN’T INTERACT WITH HIS CLASSMATES. HE REALLY HATES TO WORK IN COLLABORATIVE GROUPS. HIS CLASSMATES DO NOT TRY TO GET HIM TO INTERACT. AS LONG AS HE DOES HIS WORK, HIS TEACHER LEAVES HIM ALONE.

EXIT SLIP