Monday message 09.05.2022

Each month, we will focus on one Schoolwide Learner Outcome, or SLOgan of the month, which will help everyone in iLEAD work on an area for growth and success together! For September, our SLOgan is Academic Rigor, Purpose, and College and Career Readiness. 

Starting off our school year with a focus on academic rigor and purpose is a great way to plan for learner’s success and get your learners involved in that planning. Academic rigor is an approach to learning that requires higher level thinking, problem solving, and engagement. Exploring and discussing purpose allows learners to articulate their own “why”, which is a powerful skill, especially for our middle and high school learners! Both of these skills are essential for college and career readiness and success.

Here are some resources and ideas to explore Academic Rigor:

• Talk about the “I” statement for academic rigor with your learner: “I am excited to learn new things, even when it is challenging. I show curiosity, interest, and passion when learning.”
• Read this to-the-point article defining and explaining academic rigor.
• Work with your learners to evaluate a planned project for rigor, using these guiding principles from the article.
• Any age or grade level of learner can write about what makes them excited to learn or what sparks their curiosity! This would be a great writing assignment to kick off the year!

Here are some resources and ideas to explore Purpose:

• Talk about the “I” statement for purpose with your learner: “I focus on and work towards my goals; I know the “why” behind my goals; I am driven by something beyond myself.”
• Read this article on the importance of purpose in learner achievement.
• Have your learner explore their own goals by creating a visual “goal board” for the school year, collecting images and creating either a digital or physical board that highlights their purpose for learning.