ABSTRACT
It is important to remember the characteristics of effective rigor and assessment. Assessment provides information to the teacher about what students know and do not know, which allows him or her to adjust instruction. Effective assessment informs both the teacher and the student, but it also transforms the teaching and learning experience. Having high expectations starts with the recognition that every student possesses the potential to succeed at his or her individual level. High expectations are important, but the most rigorous schools assure that each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels. It is essential that teachers design lessons that move students to more challenging work while simultaneously providing ongoing scaffolding to support students' learning as they move to those higher levels. In terms of learning about individual strengths and weaknesses, transformation occurs when the student, with the teacher's guidance, improves on weaknesses and builds on strengths to learn at new levels.
