Rigor and Relevance in Asia

Rigor and Relevance in Asia

Recently I returned from doing extended work in Asia. This trip was one of the most unique and exciting learning experiences of my career. I was invited by the government of Taiwan to lead a conference on the Rigor and Relevance Framework® in Taipei.

For over 10 years I’ve been deeply committed to training educators in the Rigor and Relevance Framework®, created by Dr. Bill Daggett, founder of the International Center for Leadership in Education. But this conference provided my first-ever opportunity to apply the Framework in a non-educational setting.

This extraordinary Rigor and Relevance Conference in Asia involved scientists, government officials, and college professors from Taiwan and Japan. It was sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency of Taiwan and the University of Taipei, but did not include K-12 educators. The essential question being addressed was how to balance the needs of growing their economy, while protecting the quality of the environment, a big issue in both Taiwan and Japan.

I was greatly impressed by the Chinese leaders’ deep understanding of the R/R Framework, and their special insight: that it could be used as a “theoretical framework” to guide, gage, and measure their country’s understanding and engagement with the Environmental Protection Agency’s agenda.

I’ve long believed the Rigor and Relevance Framework has useful application beyond the K-12 classroom. I want to thank my new Chinese colleagues and friends for making that belief a reality… and for translating our work into Mandarin. How exciting! And how validating.

I learned so much from this experience. My wonderful hosts, Professor Lee and his associate, Jackie Wang, were so thoughtful and kind. They graciously provided me tours of museums, historical sites, National Parks, and many delectable meals! Thank you. I learned much about your history, culture and environment.

I’m also grateful to Dr. Bill Daggett and the International Center for Leadership in Education for trusting me to carry their ideas to Asia. It was a journey I will long remember.

To find out more about the Conference you may visit http://rigorandrelevance.weebly.com/

About Jim Warford

Jim Warford is the author of, The Chemistry of Culture: Strategies You Can Use to Create a Culture of Learning. For 15 years Jim Warford was Senior Advisor and Keynote Speaker for the International Center for Leadership in Education. Jim is an author, speaker, Leadership and Instructional Coach. He was named in March 2003 as Florida’s first Chancellor of K12 Public Schools. He stepped down in September, 2005 to become Executive Director of the Florida Association of School Administrators, representing over 10,000 Florida school leaders. As a Senior Advisor for the International Center for Leadership in Education, he works with states, districts and schools to provide coaching and executive training and support to school leaders and their staffs. As Florida’s Chancellor, he led the creation and state-wide implementation of Florida’s Continuous Improvement Model, FCIM, which resulted in that state’s dramatic gains in student achievement and an 80% reduction in the number low-performing schools. FCIM remains Florida’s required intervention for all low-performing schools. As Superintendent of the Marion County, Florida Public Schools, he first implemented the Continuous Improvement Model district-wide. As a result, school grades went from three “F”, eight “D” and only one “A” school in 1999 to twenty “A”, 16 “B” and no “F” schools in 2003. Under his leadership the high school dropout rate was cut in half. He taught applied technology courses at the high school level for 17 years and created a Computer Graphics/Video Production program that won many national and state awards. He was named Vanguard High School Teacher of the Year three separate times.

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