What Works in Schools: Insitutionalizing Effective Instruction

On April 2, 2007, over 1,000 teachers and administrators from District 4J participated in a workshop with Bob Marzano. Widely respected as an educational leader able to make the link between research and practical application, his presentation was received with enthusiasm as participants planned for how strategies could be implemented in their schools the following day.

Superintendent George Russell introduces Dr. Marzano, emphasizing the importance of his presentation as part of our school improvement.	Dr. Marzano opened his presentation by saying that becoming a master takes 10 years of "deliberate practice."	The crowd appreciated his definition of the 3 aspects to happiness: 1) you are doing something difficult and get better over time; 2) you have a positive effect on people; 3) you have atonomy over what you do. Sounds like teaching!
Dr. Marzano modeled his presentation on the Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms (click to download PDF), walking his talk.	After having explained the first stage of institutionalizaing effective instruction, Dr. Marzano asks groups to discuss whether it occurs in their school.	Hands begin to raise to indicate their school does Stage 1: Teachers read books, attend professional development activities, and try strategies on their own.
The discussion gets livelier about Stage 2: The school/district develops a common "language of instruction" or model.	Hands start flying up to indicate perceptions of our meeting Stage 2 - the five years of Wallace leadership grant activities have made a difference here.	The latter stages become more challenging: Stage 3: Teachers systematically interact about effective teaching using the model. Stage 4: Teacher systematically observe maaster teachers and each other each using the model to focus feedback. Stage 5: The school/district develops descriptors of levels of performance and skill for each element of the model.
Dr. Marzano gave examples of how reflective practice about effective teaching could be encouraged at the school level.	A student combination note taking strategy: regular notes on the left, symbol or graphic drawn on the right, then the left text covered while the student writes a summary at the bottom.	An example was shared of the combined note taking system used in a science class prior to writing the summary.
Other examples of student interaction with new learning were discussed and tried by the group, with much enthusiasm.	After Dr. Marzano closed his presentation with a review of the leadership styles needed for different stages of change, Deputy Superintendent/Chief Academic Officer Tom Henry expressed a heartfelt thanks.	Participants left with Dr. Marzano's parting advice on the screen: "Don't ever give up," and a handout for continued deliberation: Focus Questions for Instruction and Management Strategies (click for a downloadable PDF).