Parent’s Guide to What is Rigor?

What is Rigor? The definition of rigor curriculum from IGI Global: Publisher of Timely Knowledge retrieved from https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/rigorous-curriculum/75491#:~:text=A%20curriculum%20that%20challenges%20a,for%20college%20level%20course%20work states, “a curriculum that challenges a student’s critical thinking skills to produce high academic achievement outcomes in preparation for college-level course work.” A curriculum is really a guide that directs the teaching of a subject. Please note that a textbook that many teachers follow from page one to the end of the book is not a curriculum.

So, what is rigor? A rigorous curriculum makes kids think, problem-solve, analyze, evaluate, integrate, observe, reflect, and ponder. A rigorous learning environment includes students having to produce some sort of outcome that relates to the real world. A rigorous curriculum is not one that the students are passive learners. They do not listen to the lectures and answer questions, or “sit and get”. Many times, when students “sit and get” they do not get. The students are active in the learning process. The students are researching and interacting with the material. The students are leading the process and the environment is student-centered. The focus is on the students and how they are learning and how they can investigate their own learning. They are leading the process in groups.

What does it look like in the classroom? In the classroom it is active. The students are buzzing around asking questions, researching ideas, and finding out answers. The teacher becomes a facilitator. Many teachers have a difficult time becoming a facilitator. The main reason is the teachers feel the classroom is out of their control. Teachers become not the focus, and the focus is on the students learning. The teachers are not the ones pouring information into the students. The students become active learners and lead their own learning. The students are learning from their investigations. Teachers in a rigorous environment are more important because they facilitate learning. A rigorous classroom is very difficult to implement without support from the administrators. It looks quite different than the classic classroom. The teacher becomes the coordinator and supporter of the learning. The classroom is where everyone is involved in the process. Everyone is active and interactive with the material to master the challenging material. The classroom sets high expectations for all while everyone is meeting those expectations.

Educators use words like authentic learning, problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning, interactive learning, or real-world learning in connection with rigor. Rigor is implemented differently depending on the learning environment. So, parents investigate if your child is receiving a rigorous curriculum. Please note that if an administrator says it is a rigorous curriculum it may not be. Ask your child questions about the classroom and the teacher. Such as, how does your teacher deliver the classroom material? You can also see it in their homework assignments and/or projects. If the homework is answering questions 1-10 or something similar it may not be rigor. However, if the homework assignment is something like researching a topic or group work it is closer to a rigorous classroom.

Why is rigor important? Rigor helps build critical thinking in children. So when they go to college and beyond, they can “think outside the box” and become to help society to advance. Basically, rigor prepares children to be independent thinkers. The children will be able to succeed in college and beyond. If the children have a setback, they are able to think, and problem-solve for a comeback. So, rigor is more of a mindset and how challenges can be overcome. It needs to be in all schools.