ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the myths of rigor, the basic concepts of rigor, beliefs related to rigor, and the role of student motivation in a rigorous classroom. It looks at a combined model for ensuring rigor in a differentiated classroom. Differentiation has a long history, from as far back as the one-room schoolhouse. In 2010, the Common Core State Standards were created to increase the level of rigor in schools. The component of rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels. The most common complaint about differentiation is that, by meeting the needs of students at their level, especially struggling students, teachers lower their expectations and decrease the level of rigor. Differentiation, which is commonly viewed as a model for meeting students' needs, is more accurately described as a set of beliefs about teaching and learning that are reflected as a set of practices.
