session108

Dr. Richard Jones, International Center for Leadership in Education July 3, 2007 Model Schools Conference 2007 – Washington D.C.

Leadership for Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships – Session 108

The growing enthusiasm for the new 3 Rs is a result of wide recognition that a commitment to rigor, relevance, and relationships is an effective approach to school improvement that challenges students to stretch their learning and develop personal skills as well as fostering improved engagement. The International Center is known for its Rigor/Relevance Framework, which is used in planning instruction and assessment. This session will describe the leadership tasks and approaches necessary to develop a school culture that embraces rigor and relevance and that builds relationships between students and adults and among the students themselves, all of which are essential to support learning at high levels. The session will also explain the resource kit, //Leadership for Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships//.

Reinforce WHY change is needed and how the R/R/R framework can help
 * Changing nature or work
 * International competition
 * Changing youth
 * Focus on learning
 * Not all students are succeeding
 * Explain what is important (Quad D is what is on the ‘test’ of life)
 * Increase student motivation

R/R/R is not a “program” – it is a way of thinking about courses and programs – it is a lens for reflection

Knowledge = cognition (this is what the educational system means when it calls for higher standards) Application model = this is what community stakeholders meant when they discussed “higher standards”

R/R is a relational model

Teachers get so focuses on teaching content that they can’t see the holistic nature of learning

R/R/R gets teachers thinking outside the box (a.k.a. classroom) Example of R/R – re: Romeo and Juliet

Quad A = read play Quad B = act out play Quad C = write a letter to Romeo offering advise Quad D = create a pamphlet for families who have to deal with conflict

Quad D = learning with ‘wings’

This is similar to UBD and essential questions – Most essential questions are Quad C or B

A = activities C-B = projects B – D = problems

Relationship Model – foundation of R/R

People desire change, they resist being changed

Change model/cycle Envision, discover, create, build, develop, support