One of the many “good” things we have been told about the Common Core Standards is that they are more rigorous. The question has been asked, “What is meant by more rigorous?”

First let’s define rigorous. According the dictionary.com:
rig·or·ous  [rig-er-uhs]  adjective
1. characterized by rigor; rigidly severe or harsh, as people, rules, or discipline: rigorous laws.
2. severely exact or accurate; precise: rigorous research.
Synonyms 
1. stern, austere, hard, inflexible, stiff, unyielding. See strict. 2. demanding, finical. 3. hard, bitter.

rig·or  [rig-er]  noun
1. strictness, severity, or harshness, as in dealing with people.
2. the full or extreme severity of laws, rules, etc.
3. severity of living conditions; hardship; austerity: the rigor of wartime existence.
4. a severe or harsh act, circumstance, etc.
Synonyms 
1. inflexibility, stringency. 4. cruelty.

Now that we have the definitions of rigor and rigorous, please watch this video. Is this what “more rigorous” means in Kindergarten?

Note the name of the educational publishing company on the math papers – Sir Michael Barber is CEA of Pearson Educational. You can read more about him here.