Enhancing Academic Rigor in the Classroom Through Best Practices

1. Academic Rigor in the Classroom “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.” Hebrew Proverb

2. Objectives • Assess our current understanding of rigor in the classroom • Review a set of best practices for promoting academic excellence through rigor in the classroom

3. Assess our current understanding of rigor in the classroom http://www.school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/film-clip.html

4. Rigor - students Assists students in fulfilling predetermined outcomes and competencies by challenging them with high expectations. Essential components for rigor in the classroom: • Content acquisition • Critical thinking • Relevance • Integration • Ability to apply concepts • Long term retention • Responsibility

5. Staff • Demanding • Relevant • Engaging • Addressing different learning styles • Self-challenge • Adaptability

6. Develop a set of best mgt practices for promoting academic excellence through rigor in the classroom

7. Best Practices • Writing (journals, varied levels of writing, writing across the curriculum, etc.) • Problem-solving (case studies, group activities, essay exams, etc.) • Oral communication (debates w/expert judges, summary presentations, role playing) • Reading/comprehension (reading and analyzing – ie. in-class discussion, quizzes, summaries, etc) • Collaborative group projects

8. Best Practices continued • Socratic method/interactive discussion • Knowing your students (contact, interaction, praise, showing interest, meeting w/students) • Providing a detailed, clear syllabus with faculty and student objectives; grading rubric, calendar, etc. • Class size - use technology to enhance efficiency of content delivery, engage students, don’t let tech drive faculty • In-class small group discussion and report findings (think-pair-share)