“I know rigor when I see it.”
We’ve all heard that line. Maybe we’ve even said it. But here’s the problem: If we can’t describe what rigor looks like, how can we plan for it, support it, or replicate it? Rigor isn’t a vibe. It’s not how long a homework assignment takes, or how many kids fail the test. Rigor is about challenge, but it’s also about support. It’s about giving students meaningful opportunities to think deeply, to struggle productively, and to succeed.
And most importantly, it’s something we can observe, cultivate, and get better at.
That’s why we created RIGOR Unveiled. Not as a checklist. Not as a “gotcha” tool. But as a way for educators to sit together, reflect honestly, and ask, are we truly inviting students into the kind of learning that changes lives?
What’s the problem?
Let’s start with the elephant in the classroom: Rigor is misunderstood. We’ve seen it mistaken for assigning “hard books,” piling on homework, or letting students flounder so they can “tough it out.” But these things don’t increase rigor. They increase frustration. What does rigor look like?
- Students who know what they’re learning and why it matters.
- Classrooms where academic risk-taking is expected, encouraged, and celebrated.
- Teachers who adjust instruction on the fly because they’re paying attention to what students are doing and saying.
- Environments that reflect who the students are, not just what the teacher plans to cover.
- And perhaps most important, it’s when student’s do the heavy lifting: Thinking, discussing, applying, and reflecting.
Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey are facilitating session PC02 | Unveiling Rigor: Curriculum for Deep Learning at the Learning Forward 2025 Annual Conference on December 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Eastern. Preconference sessions include a midday break. Session selection is open online.
What should we be looking for?
We boiled it down into five focus dimensions that define rigorous learning environments:
- Relationships: Are we using student names in positive, authentic ways? Do kids feel safe enough to take academic risks?
- Instruction: Are we using student learning evidence to guide our teaching? Are scaffolds helping students reach higher performance and not doing the thinking for them?
- Goals: Are our learning goals aligned to standards and communicated clearly? Do students know what success looks like?
- Organization: Is the classroom environment accessible, current, and conducive to learning? Is the pace right and not rushed or dragging?
- Relevance: Are we connecting learning to students’ lives, experiences, and aspirations?
We call this the RIGOR Walk. It’s a low-stakes, high-impact way for educators to observe learning through a focused lens, then come together and ask: What are we already doing well? And what can we do even better?
A story: What rigor looks like on a Tuesday morning
At one school we visited, a 4th grade teacher was teaching about energy transfer. Nothing flashy, no glittery experiments, just purposeful learning. But here’s what stood out:
- Relationships: Every student was greeted by name at the door. When “Mya” offered a partial idea during discussion, the teacher said, “That’s a helpful start, Mya. Let’s build on that. Who wants to add?” And students were supported to do hard things, recognizing that they were taking risks by offering their ideas. Each time, the teacher acknowledged their efforts.
- Instruction: The teacher provided input in the form of modeling and students used sentence frames like “The evidence suggests…” while working in groups to explain heat conduction. The teacher moved around, checked in, and adjusted a follow-up explanation when she noticed misconceptions.
- Goals: The learning intention and success criteria were posted and discussed. Kids referred back to them when they self-assessed their models. They ask each other for feedback and advice, making adjustments based on the information they received.
- Organization: Materials were clearly labeled and accessible. A visual timer helped pace the tasks. Students knew the routines and moved fluidly through stations. Minor problematic behavior was addressed in a productive way and students were not shamed based on their actions.
- Relevance: One student said, “This is like when we cooked hot dots at the beach–remember how the pan got hotter than the grill?” Boom! Transfer, personal connection, and curiosity, all in one comment.
No bells, no whistles. Just rigor, in real time.
How you can do this
You don’t need a special title to get started. You just need a team (or a partner) and a commitment to observing and growing together. Here’s how:
- Pick a focus area. Want to tackle relevance first? Great! Start there.
- Schedule a visit. Ask a colleague if you can visit their room for 10 minutes. Make it low-pressure. Bring a copy of the indicator descriptions from the flipbook.
- Observe with intention. What are students doing? What is the teacher saying? How does the environment support learning?
- Debrief honestly. What patterns did you notice? What strengths stood out? What tweaks might lead to deeper learning?
- Take action. Choose one next step. Just one.
We’ve seen schools adopt the RIGOR Walk as part of PLCs, coaching cycles, or just “teacher buddy” routines. The key is to keep it about learning, not evaluation. This is about growth, not judgment.
A final thought
Rigor is not a secret sauce reserved for “gifted” classes or high-flyers. It’s the birthright of every learner. But creating rigorous learning experiences takes intentionality, reflection, and support. So the next time someone says, “I know rigor when I see it,” you can say: “Me too. Want to come see it with me?”
