See How It Works
View classroom videos, instructor and administrator interviews, and sample materials to see the recommended practice in action.
Getting Students to Think for Themselves
Increasing Postsecondary Access > Prepare Students Academically > See How It Works
An English teacher illustrates the ways that his high school incorporates rigor into its curriculum. The sample materials, One High School's Reading List and Using Literature Circles for Reading...
Resource Type
School Example
Preparing Students for Rigorous Work
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A middle school math teacher describes the strategies her school uses to prepare students for a rigorous high school program. She describes the mathematics assignment in the sample material,...
Resource Type
School Example
Assigning Students to the Right Classes
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A counseling department chair talks about her high school's process for scheduling students in academic classes that will prepare them for college. Counselors use such tools like the sample...
Resource Type
School Example
Senior Year Redesign
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A high school redesigns the senior year to better prepare students for college. The sample material, Anatomy and Physiology Course Syllabi, provides an example and The Senior Year: Smoothing the...
Resource Type
School Example
Placing Value on Doing Well Academically
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A principal talks about the school's focus on academics. All students are expected to take challenging courses and go to college. The sample material, Graduation Notification/Agreement and...
Resource Type
School Example
Research Review Assignment
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As a major component of instruction, teachers at University Park Campus School (UPCS) purposefully create assignments that require students to think critically. The video, Getting Students to Think...
Resource Type
Sample Material
Using Literature Circles for Reading Comprehension
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Literature circles help students engage in deep discussions about reading assignments in the classroom. The video, Getting Students to Think for Themselves, describes this and other strategies used...
Resource Type
Sample Material
One High School's Reading List
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The development of literacy skills is supported by this challenging and comprehensive literature list. The emphasis on strong literacy skills for promoting student success is explained further in...
Resource Type
Sample Material
Algebra Investigation
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This assignment asks students to utilize their own problem solving and logic skills to determine the Pythagorean Theorem using paper cutouts. The video, Preparing Students for Rigorous Work,...
Resource Type
Sample Material
Middle School Tracking Template
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This template helps middle school students develop the skills they need to succeed in a rigorous high school curriculum. Watch the video, Preparing Students for Rigorous Work, which explains...
Resource Type
Sample Material
Individualized Learning Plan
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This document lists academic requirements for students in each grade and provides a template to create an appropriate four-year course trajectory. In the interview, Assigning Students to the Right...
Resource Type
Sample Material
Tenth-Grade Course Offerings
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This document lists courses offered to students at Crossland High School, including classes offered in the core curriculum and in the technical academies. The interview, Assigning Students to the...
Resource Type
Sample Material
