Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2016 V46 No 1 | Page 10

Dream big together
A team approach is key to holding and
achieving big dreams for success in the classroom environment. The academic rigor of
Common Core is a real challenge for many
students, and a team approach is critical.
To be a team, a community goal must be
established so that there is buy-in from all
stakeholders in the classroom. After all,
when students feel a sense of collaborative
spirit, then the rigor is easier to digest.
Within a collaborative learning environment students can push each other to set
and achieve goals, challenge themselves and
others, and help each other to see setbacks as
a way to improve.
As we learn to dream in the classroom,
students need various opportunities to collaborate in order to increase the collective
self-efficacy exponentially. Students learn
from each other, support each other and
validate each other.
When students work in an authentically
open and supportive setting, they will take
more risks, face challenges head on, and cultivate genuine enthusiasm for learning.

Leadership next steps
Instructional leaders need to recognize
the daunting task teachers have in creating
environments where all students are supported in caring, inclusive ways. Educators
who understand the meaning of rigor and
self-efficacy will have more success with
staff and students.
Furthermore, we know that building a
successful community within a classroom,
might mean teachers restructuring their
classroom practices to intertwine social
development with curricular instruction
(Naraian, 2011). Such efforts will require
strong, knowledgeable and supportive educational administrators.
Instructional leaders who understand that
rigor and relationships are central to providing quality assessment and instruction will
experience success.
Instructional leaders might consider the
following five questions to support this implementation process:
•  How do we as leaders support the progress of learning expectations of the Com10

Leadership

In the classroom setting,
rigor and self-efficacy must
be harmoniously intertwined
to ensure optimal levels of
teaching and learning.
mon Core in every classroom, K-12?
•  How do we help teachers understand
the relationship between rigor and self-efficacy within the classroom?
•  How is collaboration fostered for all
staff, at grade level bands, vertically as well
as across content areas?
•  How do we ensure that specific needs at
our site are being met through the Common
Core State Standards?
•  How is staff able to meet the needs of
unique populations – ELL, special disabilities, socio-economic – with the Common
Core curriculum?
This is an exciting time for learning communities in schools. Common Core demands that we rethink how caring and inclusive environments are created. Only with
a deep understanding of the power of both
rigor and self-efficacy can we be sure that all
students, regardless of needs and abilities,
experience success.

Resources
•  Bandura, A. (1994). “Self-efficacy.” In
V.S. Ramachaudran (ed.), Encyclopedia of
Human Behavior,” vol. 4, 71-81. New York:
Academic Press.
•  Blackburn, B. (2008). “Rigor: Define
and embrace”: www.barbarablackburnonline.com/rigor.
•  Easton, F. (1997). “Educating the whole

child, ‘head, heart and hands’: Learning
from the Waldorf experience.” Theory into
Practice, 36(2), 87-94
•  Education Northwest. (2011). “Spotlight on Common Core State Standards:
What do district administrators need to
know?”
•  David, R. and Kuyini, A.B. (2012).
“Social inclusion: Teachers as facilitators in
peer acceptance of students with disabilities
in regular classrooms in Tamil Nadu, India.”
International Journal of Special Education,
27(2), 157-168.
•  Gecas, V. (1982). “The self-concept.”
Annual Review of Sociology, 8, 1-33.
•  Klinger, J.K. and Vaughn, S. (1999).
“Students’ perceptions of instruction in inclusion classrooms: Implications for students
with learning disabilities.” Exceptional
Children, 66(1), 23-37.
•  Marzano, R.J. and Toth, M.D. (2014).
“Teaching for rigor: A call for a critical instructional shift”: www.marzanocenter.com.
•  Naraian, S. (2011). “Seeking transparency: The production of an inclusive classroom community.” International Journal of
Inclusive Education, 15(9), 955-9.
•  Perron, J. (2013). “Rigorous, relevant
relationships.” Leadership, 42(3), 24-25.
•  Reicher, H. (2010). “Building inclusive
education on social and emotional learning:
Challenges and perspectives – a review.” International Journal of Inclusive Education,
14(3), 213-246.
•  Rosenberg, M.; Schooler, C.; Schoenbach, C.; Rosenberg, F. (1995). “Global selfesteem and specific self-esteem: Different
Concepts, different Outcomes.” American
Sociological Review, 60(1), 141-156.
Audri Gomez is a special education
coordinator and Robin Testa is a sixth
grade teacher and reading coach
in the Newport-Mesa Unified School
District. Julie Perron has been a
principal and adjunct professor for 15
years, formerly serving in NewportMesa USD and currently in Buena
Park Elementary School District.