Common Core Math Shift #3: Rigor
Strategic Goal #1: Continuously Improve Student Growth and Achievement
Rigor is a balance
“Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels.”(Blackburn, 2008)
“Rigor is more than what you teach, it’s how you teach and how students show you they understand.”
Rigor refers to deep, authentic command of mathematical concepts, not making math harder or introducing topics at earlier grades. To help students meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards, Dunlap teachers are instructing with three aspects of rigor in mathematics. The three aspects of rigor in the major work of each grade include:
1. Conceptual Understanding: | Students “truly” understand grade level concepts. This is shown by their ability to elicit conversation, identify relationships, and create multiple representations of the concept. |
2. Procedural Skill & Fluency: | Students are able to solve problems quickly and accurately. Problem solving strategies are based on mathematical principles, instead of mnemonics and tricks. |
3. Application | Students are able to solve single and multi-step contextual problems. This requires students to make certain assumptions in order to model situations. |
Conceptual understanding, procedural skill & fluency, and application provide the perfect platform to allow students to focus on an emphasis of Mathematical Reasoning. This includes:
Construct Viable Arguments: | Achieving rigor means that students are able to think independently. This is shown through classroom discussion and written work. Students are able to formulate cohesive arguments, critique arguments, and engage in error analysis tasks. Students should be engaged in these types of tasks 20 -25% of the time. |
Specialized Language | The language or argument, problem-solving, and mathematical explanations must be taught, rather than assumed. Specialized language is found within the language of the Standards. Students must also be taught the “Language of Representations” (diagrams, tables, graphs, expressions, drawings, images, text). |
Additional Reading Opportunities:
http://www.corestandards.org/other-resources/key-shifts-in-mathematics/
www.illustrativemathematics.org
http://parcconline.org/parcc-content-frameworks
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/k-12-education/common-core-state-standards-tools-resources/