Remember the three Rs – reading, writing and ’rithmetic? Get ready to add a fourth: rigor. It’s the buzzword in education. From presidents to principals, billionaires to school board members, governors to teachers, everybody seems to be promising rigor, demanding rigor, or deploring the lack of rigor in American schools. But what does the word “rigor” actually mean? What are the hallmarks a rigorous curriculum? And do students in other countries receive a more rigorous education than U.S. students?
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Rigor: It’s all the rage, but what does it mean?
Remember the three Rs – reading, writing and ’rithmetic? Get ready to add a fourth: rigor. It’s the buzzword in education. From presidents to principals, billionaires to school board members, governors to teachers, everybody seems to be promising rigor, demanding rigor, or deploring the lack of rigor in American schools.
Can career and technical classes be rigorous too?
A new approach seeks to meet demands of the modern workplace. (Just don’t call it “voc ed.”)
Chemistry lesson: How a nurturing classroom helps
Critical thinking comes more easily when students feel free to ask questions without ridicule.
AP and IB courses: Are they truly rigorous?
Scrutiny shows that these programs do set high standards and design well-aligned assessments.
Looking to the rest of the world
Our “mile-wide, inch-deep” curricula compare poorly with other nations’ focus on fewer topics.
Experts: What is rigor?
We asked more than 20 education experts how they defined “rigor.” Click through the slideshow below to see what they had to say.
The science behind rigor
What goes on in the brain during rigorous learning? We asked two scientists to explain.
