Rigor in the Social Studies: Making Sense of a Complicated Concept

• In Event: 25.062 - Reform and the Social Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe how five veteran U.S. History teachers in four different school contexts made sense of the concept instructional rigor. In our current neoliberal educational climate instructional rigor is associated with teaching that leads to high test scores. “Rigor” seems to be in constant use either as a critique of schools or to advocate for particular programs. It has appeared in teacher blogs, talk radio, professional development workshops, and in the mission and vision statements of schools..
It is within this gray area that teachers exist and must make sense of the differing positions on instructional rigor offered by policies, educational programs, and individual schools.

Author

• Brian C. Gibbs, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill