Rigor

All throughout my application process to Breakthrough, I kept reading about and hearing the phrase "academic rigor." It was tossed around so often, as one of my students reminded me recently, that it kind of lost its meaning. It became fluff. Today I finally discovered the true definition of this Breakthrough jargon. Academic rigor is about drawing out the potential in these kids both inside and outside of the classroom. Although "academic" infers activities that happen inside the classroom walls, every action a middle school student takes influences their academic achievement. Growth does not end at the end of each class period.

Every single one of these students are smart and well-behaved; they are not problem students. I get the feeling that they are used to mediocrity in their school-year middle schools. At Breakthrough, it is our job to change this attitude. It is not acceptable to barely complete homework assignments; every assignment must show evidence of deep thought. Challenge problems are not required, but strongly encouraged. Students who don't take the risk will be gently pushed until they do. It is not acceptable for students to give up in an activity class because the task is too easy or too hard. Instead, they must try 100% of the time to succeed or help others to reach their goals. It is not okay to simply show up each day and be a passive recipient of content knowledge. Every activity, discussion, and conversation is meant to help our students develop the skills needed to embrace academic rigor. Breakthrough is a way of life, and we strive to give our students everything they need to carry it out into the world with them.