High-quality teaching balances knowing, connecting, and applying core knowledge. This enables students to take ownership of their learning process. Using ten learning habits paired with practical tools and relevant templates, teachers can implement rigorous instruction in small and doable ways that drive student learning and create a lasting impact. Discover how to connect the dots between surface learning, deep learning, and transfer learning. This book will help K–12 teachers: Create a schedule for habits to ensure routines are employed often and at optimal times - Understand the connections among surface learning, deep learning, and transfer learning with elementary and secondary examples - Learn various routines for each of the ten habits—the four learner quality habits and the six learning process habits - Distinguish between declarative, procedural, and contextual knowledge Contents: Foreword by John Hattie Introduction Chapter 1: Redefining Rigor Chapter 2: Making Rigorous Learning Doable Chapter 3: Developing Learner Quality Habits Chapter 4: Making Surface Learning a Habit Chapter 5: Developing the Habits of Deep Learning Chapter 6: Developing Transfer Learning Habits Epilogue References and Resources Index “ Rigor Redefined is going to be such an invaluable resource for our district work as a professional learning community. The multitude of effective strategies and habits shared in this book can be used at any grade level and with any content. We will be able to support teachers as they make small shifts in classroom practices to ensure our students become experts of their own learning.” -- Julie Moore , Assistant Superintendent for Liberty Public Schools, Missouri “This book is a comprehensive and essential guide that provides actionable insights, protocols, sentence stems, questions, and habits that empower educators to inspire all students to apply deep learning effectively.” -- Erik Youngman , Director of Teaching and Learning, Zion Elementary School District 6, Illinois “McDowell is one of the most exciting and inspiring thinkers in education today. In Rigor Redefined, he challenges assumptions with research and provides a vision for what powerful student-centered learning can look like in every classroom. This book is valuable for every educator, and it is one that can help us re-envision what school can be in the current cultural and technological moment.” -- Paul Rutishauser , EdD, Director of Secondary Education, Ceres Unified School District, California “ Rigor Redefined clearly and practically outlines the impact of a well-balanced pedagogical approach with teacher agency at the center. By providing structured protocols to support students in navigating levels of complexity, McDowell drives home the importance of flexibility in instructional practices. This book provides a tangible framework for establishing small, doable habits in the classroom that yield big results.” -- Christine Hanley , Instructional Coach, United Federation of Teachers, New York “This book provides teachers with concrete instructional strategies across the surface, deep, and transfer spectrum. McDowell emphasizes the importance of balancing the development of students’ dispositional habits, like engaging metacognition and navigating challenges, with competency-based habits to build knowledge and apply conceptual understanding.” -- Jenni Donohoo , Educational Consultant and Author, Collective Efficacy: How Educators' Beliefs Impact Student Learning Michael McDowell, EdD , has been a public school educator for the past eighteen years, serving in the roles of classroom teacher, academic and athletic coach, school principal, assistant superintendent of personnel and instruction, and superintendent. During his tenure as a superintendent, his school district received state and national accolades, including the National Blue Ribbon Award, which recognized their work for student performance and mental health and well-being in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. McDowell serves on numerous boards, served as a college professor, and worked for nonprofit organizations to enhance student learning around the world. Over the course of his career, Dr. McDowell has authored best-selling books, created professional learning programs and workbooks, provided keynotes and workshops, and provided practical tools and resources for thousands of teachers and leaders on almost every continent around the world. A prolific author and consultant, Dr. McDowell is recognized as one of the leading authorities on integrating innovative and impactful practices into schools. Offering keynotes and executive coaching to heads of school around the world, he partners with educational leaders to implement high leverage strategies that will enhance teaching and learning in classrooms, schools, and systems.