A practical and systematic approach to deepening student engagement, promoting a growth mindset, and building a classroom culture that truly supports thinking and learning.

Every student deserves access to deep and rigorous learning. Still, some persistent myths about rigor can get in the way-such as the belief that it means more or harder work for everyone, rather than challenging and advancing students' thinking. So how can teachers get more clarity on rigor and foster more meaningful learning in their classrooms?

In Rigor by Design, Not Chance, veteran educator Karin Hess offers not only a clear vision of what makes learning deep and rigorous but also a systematic and equitable approach for engaging students of all ages in rich learning tasks. To that end, she outlines five essential teacher moves that foster thinking and learning:

1. Ask a series of probing questions of increasing complexity.

2. Build schemas in each content area.

3. Consider ways to strategically scaffold learning.

4. Design complex tasks that emphasize transfer and evidence-based solutions.

5. Engage students in metacognition and reflection throughout the learning process.

From there, Hess details how to create an actionable assessment cycle that will drive learning forward in any classroom.

This book offers a treasure trove of strategies, student look-for behaviors, and templates to guide teachers in their work as well as an array of rich performance-based assessments to engage and challenge students. School leaders and instructional coaches can also benefit from the variety of teacher-friendly supports to foster rigorous learning in their schools. Ultimately, Rigor by Design, Not Chance helps educators empower students to take greater ownership of their own learning.

For more than 2 decades, Karin Hess has worked with the concept of depth of knowledge (DOK) and expanded applications of cognitive rigor across content areas and grade levels, proving that every student can experience deeper learning. This interactive book offers a self-guided journey beginning with the basics: what DOK is, what it is not, and debunking common misconceptions about rigor. Karin shares how she synthesized ideas from various thinking models with DOK as the foundation to create the Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrices, now used in more than 100 countries. Each module is framed by frequently asked questions and provides practical tools and strategies for applying a cognitive mindset that supports student-centered classrooms, planning instruction that shifts student roles from taking in information to constructing meaning, and monitoring progress with assessments that uncover thinking. This unique, action-oriented workbook is a perfect companion to Karin's earlier books and a great DOK refresher for PK-12 staff!

Learn how to:

• Build a shared understanding of DOK and rigor among your teaching colleagues.
• Shift DOK levels in order to shift teacher-student roles in support of learning transfer.
• Create actionable standards-based and competency-based assessments.
• Analyze and adapt current curricular and assessment materials.
• Explore applications of DOK in progress monitoring and grading.

For more than 2 decades, Karin Hess has worked with the concept of depth of knowledge (DOK) and expanded applications of cognitive rigor across content areas and grade levels, proving that every student can experience deeper learning. This interactive book offers a self-guided journey beginning with the basics: what DOK is, what it is not, and debunking common misconceptions about rigor. Karin shares how she synthesized ideas from various thinking models with DOK as the foundation to create the Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrices, now used in more than 100 countries. Each module is framed by frequently asked questions and provides practical tools and strategies for applying a cognitive mindset that supports student-centered classrooms, planning instruction that shifts student roles from taking in information to constructing meaning, and monitoring progress with assessments that uncover thinking. This unique, action-oriented workbook is a perfect companion to Karin's earlier books and a great DOK refresher for PK-12 staff!

Learn how to:

• Build a shared understanding of DOK and rigor among your teaching colleagues.
• Shift DOK levels in order to shift teacher-student roles in support of learning transfer.
• Create actionable standards-based and competency-based assessments.
• Analyze and adapt current curricular and assessment materials.
• Explore applications of DOK in progress monitoring and grading.

Build assessments you can really use Unlock the how, when, what, and why

Watch your system become greater than its parts by building local capacity through common language and deeper knowledge of assessment components. For years, educators have turned to the Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrices (CRM). Now for the first time, the modules are packaged into one resource to help you evaluate the quality and premise of your current assessment system. Designed as a professional development guide for long-term use by school leaders, five content-rich, topic-based modules:

• Offer field-tested, teacher-friendly strategies for local school test development
• Can be used for individual or professional development opportunities
• Allow for sequential or non-sequential use