Into the Driver's Seat

by Vicki Davis

"I think the problem with rigor is that some are trying to assess it in too short of a time. Turning back to the Teach Like a Pirate book by Dave, he mentions that someone came in to assess his “rigor” by spending 10 minutes in his room. They came in when he was folding cranes at the end of a powerful lesson about Hiroshima. Hearing him describe the full lesson - it was a perfect ending that the kids will never forget.

"This person sent to “assess rigor” spent 10 minutes in his room and left after commenting to a student or two that “this doesn’t look like history.” I would argue that teacher assessment teams must be held to the same rigor as a classroom teacher!"