PYP
Rigour at Scotch Junior School
The notion of rigour: "Academic rigour requires that students engage in intellectually challenging tasks that entail discipline. Inquiry challenges our generally accepted assumptions of students' abilities. Working in inquiry -based ways, we continually find that children are capable of far more than adults might normally expect. By challenging assumptions about child development, we see evidence of how development both effects and affects learning, and how learning also effects and affects development."
(Bransford, Brown and Cocking 2002)
Last Wednesday 3 April, parents were invited to join us at a Parent Engagement Workshop for an overview of what rigour entails within the Junior School.
The session began with the parents sharing what rigour meant to them and their thoughts on what rigour is. Rigour is……. a journey towards the exploration of ideas and fundamental notions of learning: comprehensive, goal setting, standards (checking, refocus, refine, disciplines), excellence, challenges and reflection. Clear focus, clear concepts (logical, fluid), structured but flexible, challenging.
An overview of the session:
Rigour is a multi-faceted concept. It is reflected in the Junior School Co-mission Statement
- Know the boy
- Inspire excellence
- Embrace discovery
- Learn globally
Rigour is supported by the Primary Years Programme framework and the school's:
- Leadership structures
- Resources and support, (including the Academic Support Team, Educational Assistants and ILT support)
- Collaborative planning structures and documents (whole school planning and year level team planning, specialist planning)
- Curriculum mapping and tracking (cross curricular integration)
- Concept driven curriculum
- Inquiry based pedagogy
- Development of critical thinking skills
- Differentiation
- Assessment: pre-assessment, formative assessment and summative assessment (feedback and self reflection).
- Relationships (whole school community)
- Continuous professional development
Rigour is a focus in the Junior School and involves all staff.
Kathy Derrick
PYP Coordinator
