Sept+25-+Marzano+Ch+9

Marzano in chapter 9 discusses expert teachers. He agrees that it is necessary to hirer highly qualified "expert" teachers in the beginning, but it is essential to actively develop them as well. His discussion on talent at birth is interesting and I agree that achievement in education is not attained by talents alone; hard work and dedication are necessary. In my //very// short time teaching, I have noticed that there are very smart students who hear a topic once and understand, but they are not necessarily the ones who have the highest grades in my class. I have one student who has earned an "A" on every quiz and test this first six weeks, but has turned in about one-fourth of his other assignments. In order to get the grade he is capable of attaining, he needs to put in the hard work and time by completing his outside assignments, but he seems to lack the self-motivation; hopefully as a #|teacher I can work with his parents to get him motivated. (Maybe he needs a greater challenge- he seems to do well on the course standards!) Marzano discusses the parts of the lesson segment to propose strategies used by expert teachers. His example of a #|middle school science teacher to explain communicating learning goals, tracking student progress, and celebrating success, does not really explain that type of segment at all; it just repeats the bulleted points directly above the paragraph. I would like to have more in-depth examples of how an "expert teacher" tracks each student's progress efficiently. Marzano's examples for introducing new content and deepening knowledge are helpful, I particularly like the example at the end with the videos and triad summaries. Generating and testing hypotheses is something I employ almost daily in my class, hopefully it helps my students see the big picture at the end of a lesson and understand that experimental design is not just a topic they learn in the beginning of the year, but is continuous. I like that Marzano addresses student engagement. It is somewhat disconcerting seeing glazed over eyes while you are teaching or even during an activity, so I will definitely utilize his suggestions to increase engagement. When it comes to building effective relationships with your students I am at a crossroads. I have always been told to be careful about this because a lot of actions can be misinterpreted. Also, I find it difficult to do this every day with every student, which I'm sure is not what Marzano is suggesting. The AP calculus example is troubling, but I can see as necessary. Although, I feel there must be a better way to raise expectations for every student other than calling them out in front of everyone. I understand all of the parts necessary for providing deliberate practice of topics, I only wish teachers had more time to do practice in class. I fit in labs and several activities throughout the week, but have found myself bogged down by time constraints and amount of content I have to impart on my students and have to assign it as homework. Homework is often not completed and therefore no benefit is gained because students are not motivated. I feel students are more motivated when they are completing the deliberate practice in class. This chapter was well written, but rather laborious to read. It is Marzano's book, but I feel the other authors he utilized in his book were more interesting.-Helen Phillips

Marzano examines developing expert teachers in Chapter 9, as Helen stated. I found this chapter very overwhelming. Marzano incorporates a great deal of information in this chapter regarding what makes an expert teacher and what he or she may develop in terms of strategy. Page 217 resonated with me in that a well-articulated #|knowledge base appears essential. A strong knowledge base, as I am learning, is not only in a content or field of concentration, but in skills and strategies for student and teacher success. Marzano broke down the essentials of an expert teacher into many "segments", which in turn have many "segments" within them. Page 222 deals with introducing new content and Marzano analyzes the behaviors of both the teacher and the student over the course of two or three pages. Some of which are: "The teacher presents new content in small, digestible "chunks" and At the end of the lesson, the teacher asks students to reflect on their understanding and their learning process (Marzano, 222-223)". One segment that really appealed to me was on page 227 dealing with Segments Involving Issues that Must Be Addressed as They Occur. One such issue was Increasing student Engagement. This section I found most interesting because I can see it being employed in the class room with a small degree of effort and also appears to build advocacy and rapport with students. Marzano explains the ideas of invoking small controversy with students to keep them engaged and providing small unusual information regarding the content. Like Helen, I also like the strategies for before and after viewing videos in class, as my research will be the benefits of film usage in history classes at the high and middle school levels. I found it inspiring that the assessment for this method can be something as simple as discussion or a short quiz. I have been struggling with a check in understanding and assessment for my graduate research and Marzano just pointed me in a direction. Page 231 deals with Communicating high expectations for every student. What I like most is Marzano conveys the application abilities of this segment to students performing poorly or slowly in the class. Towards there end of the chapter, Marzano uses less application based strategies and appears to speak directly to the teacher, as in what he or she can do to implement expertise. I found the chapter very helpful and I hope I am able to incorporate a good deal of the engagement strategies. My practicum curriculum is in Staunton River High School where the students and teachers are using the block schedule. To keep a student engaged for 90 minute classes seems to take a high priority. I am excited to use some of these strategies and develop rapports with students in the spirit of establishing trust and keeping students engaged. Marzano's strategies are designed to craft expert teachers. Going into this profession with no knowledge of teaching and no experience, I found Marzano's chapter the most helpful for students and teachers thus far in this book. **- James Cheatham**

Marzano’s chapter on developing expert teachers focuses on the need to train and support teachers in becoming experts. Using Leinhardt’s lesson segment, Marzano outlines the multiple segments which should be characteristic of lesson design and explains the purpose and framework for each, illustrating them with classroom examples. I found this useful in trying to determine how each segment might actually occur and for which type of lesson. The points listed under routine events seem common sense in any classroom as they maintain effectiveness in teaching and learning and provide encouragement to students through feedback. In introducing new content, I find the plan helpful as I can see the sequence of events taking place. Many of the points discussed are amended with the phrase when appropriate. Still unclear to me is when it is appropriate to do a particular thing. For my field, content includes vocabulary and grammar structures and the method students use to represent their understanding is to speak and to write accurately. In order to practice and deepen knowledge, I am not certain whether my lessons would be considered procedural or declarative knowledge, so I am not sure how to go about following the guidelines listed. In some ways I see my content as having both characteristics, so I could find a way to incorporate both: involve students in speaking and writing practice, and examine similarities and differences in using particular grammar patterns to communicate specific meanings. (That was more of a question than a statement.)

As far as student engagement is concerned, I have already begun to identify what I can do in the classroom. For example, in a beginning Chinese class each lesson is geared towards students and attempts to engage them in discussing their lives. In teaching grammar about moving to another location (she walked to the door, he jumped onto the chair, etc.), students are asked to perform these acts while other students make statements about what they are doing. In more advanced classes, students are asked to discuss their opinions about certain issues within the lessons’ texts; so again, they are engaged in talking about their interests. Due to the nature of the class and the speaking requirements, I believe it somewhat easy to communicate high expectations for every student as every student must respond to or ask questions and are provided support when the difficulty level is too high. This also ensures that students are engaged as they must follow the conversation to know how to respond.

Marzano goes on to identify steps in preparing an expert teacher: receiving instruction from a recognized expert in the district, observing the expert using specific strategies that occur in moment-to-moment adaptations, and practicing identified strategies in her own class. Of course, as much as I might desire to become an expert, it requires dedication on the part of the district to support me. Further, teachers must collect data on student performance to determine student knowledge gain and survey students about their perceived knowledge gain. Both of these strategies can help teachers discover if their strategies have been effective. The “ten year rule” in becoming an expert seems overwhelming, but as Marzano explains, teachers are in classrooms for hours a day and are able to deliberately practice the strategies mentioned. I do not agree with his statement that it is unreasonable to expect all teachers to become experts. We are professionals. To do our job properly and effectively, we must know the best ways to do it. Fortunately, I currently have a mentor who is intent on my becoming a highly effective expert in teaching Chinese and who is willfully imparting to me her twenty years worth of knowledge. And, although Marzano claims that the majority of teachers do not seek to become experts, everyone I have met in our program seems to desire this. ~ Joanna Bourque


 * As James, Helen, and Joanna have already stated Marzano is discussing in this chapter about developing expert teachers. Marzano's opening statement really hit me. "Today it is considered knowledge that a classroom teacher is probably the single most powerful influence on student achievement that is within the control of the educational system" (p.213). This statement really got me thinking about what makes an effective teacher and everything that we have been talking about in our previous and current M.A.T. classes. Teachers do play a powerful role in our student's lives. The teachers are one of the only constant faces that some children see on a regular bases. But, to spin a different view ** I do not believe that the student's achievement is solely based on the teacher. The student must contribute to their learning in order to achieve. It is the teachers responsibility to be their as a guide and the facilitator of the achievement but the student must also do some heavy lifting.

**Some of the segments that Marzano discusses are or should be no brainers if you have been paying attention to your M.A.T. classes. Other ones such as deepening knowledge are a little more in depth and interesting. Such as the way he breaks it down into procedural and declarative knowledge. His example of the two teachers one language arts and one history and how they use either procedural or declarative to get to the same end result. Increasing student engagement seems to be a hot topic in the education field. I have noticed just being in my practicum for a week that there will be some students that have to be reengaged with the lesson. Others stay engaged but sometimes during group or partner work the whole class has to be reengaged to the teacher. I think that the segment on communicating high expectations for every student is very important. Each student should be held to a standard and expected to perform. Spoon-feeding students and holding their hand to do things won't get them anywhere in life. You as the teacher cannot always be there to catch the student when they fall. I think as the teacher would should make your expectations for the class and each student very apparent in the first week of classes. Overall I believe this chapter was good and informative although some of his points we have discusses in previous classes. //-Ashley Knowles//**


 * Chapter 9 by Marzano was more of a "reinforcer" chapter for me. I agree with Marzano when he states that it is necessary to hire expert teachers, as well as develop them as well. However, I don't necessarily agree with his chart on percentiles (pg 214). Although it is crucial for students to gain knowledge, I do not believe it is dependent upon which percentile the teacher stands within a ranking. Given that it is common sense that highly qualified teachers should most likely create a more intellectually stimulating classroom, some lower-ranking teachers may be providing that same environment. ** The success of a teacher varies from year to year because his/her students change every single year... with this being said, how can we judge a teacher based one years "evaluation" of intellectual ability? ** Maybe they have a bad year, or maybe they had 5 good years followed by a bad year... the ability to teach changes like the seasons.... and must be altered and shape-shifted to fit the needs of each student body, every year. **


 * The bulk of the chapter seemed to be much of a review for me. The nine matters for consideration (pg 218), seem to have been pounded into my head by now, and are mostly common sense. However, I appreciate the stresses he puts on each and the method of categorizing each one into specific importance groups. All teachers should master classroom management skills, because you cannot have a successful learning environment if your classroom is not run smoothly. On top of all that, reflection, interaction, analyzing, and problem solving are all fit into Bloom's taxonomy of thinking, which we all should have memorized by now. I think this chapter was a good summary for everything we have discussed thus far about becoming a "highly-qualified" teacher. I can appreciate the teachers I work with more and more as I read further into this book, because I start to realize how much they have invested into their classrooms and their management techniques to get where they are now. As a first year teacher, with very miniscule amounts of teaching experience, I have consulted my fellow science teachers often. They always stress to me the importance of reflection, group interaction, and relating the topic to something they could understand (for instance, we are learning about energy right now, so they are creating rollercoasters). ** I find it so crucial to student learning to make learning fun, but while it's our job to teach the material, we have to find a subliminal way to get the students interested, and I think that is the key to being a successful teacher ** . -- Caitlin Unterman **


 * Marzano's chapter nine "follows Leinhardt's lead" and delves deeply into nine major segments that are present in expert teaching: making goals clear, following up on them and rejoicing at their completion; creating and using routine regulations and procedures; providing new information; lessons devoted to practice and depth of understanding; lessons designed to evoke application and provide products for assessment; high student engagement; meaningful teacher-student relationships; and maintaining high expectations. He also talks about "clear criteria for success" and "support to become experts". **
 * Something I noticed when I was reading is that nearly every bullet begins with "When appropriate" or "The teacher..." insert verb. I think a large percentage of becoming and being a great and effective teacher is knowing when to follow the plan and when to adopt flexibility. All the planing and all the classroom management in the world cannot ward off unexpected class discussions or classroom situations that need debriefing. In my experience as a student, it was those very moments that I remember the most and learned the most from. That said, I think the segments that Marzano describes in detail are the very elements that allow for those memorable teaching moments. With out practiced, disciplined, and informative order the occasional out of the blue and off topic event would not stand out enough to be of as much value. **
 * I've noticed that when planning for first grade small group activities all of what is on the docket rarely gets gone over because there is some other aspect of the lesson I didn't expect them to need explanation of or they see something that sparks their curiosity and really want further information regarding a side topic. I have the luxury as a practicum teacher in a small group to follow those avenues however I do understand the concern Helen expresses in her post. So much content and so little time. I hope that when I am head of my own class that I will be able to find that balance between engaging the students curiosity and covering the necessary materials to inform the young minds in my charge. **

Unlike some of you, I felt heartened by reading this chapter. That may just be because I've been overly worried about my future performance as a teacher so this was just the thing for me right now. Marzano summaries a framework for what expert effective teachers work to do in their classrooms, lays out an evaluation rubic and partnership system, and explains that expert teachers are not born but made over time. As a new pre-service teacher, I struggle with not being as good as my practicum teacher, even though sometimes I step back, look at what she's doing, and think that it could be better (though I could not tell her how to get there) and being reminded of the ten year rule helped me reconcile my frustration with my teaching and with her teaching. She's still really new at this herself--this is only her second year. Having guidelines and a list of quality practices has really filled in the blank for me on what makes someone effective or an expert. It's a way to gain focus amid high states testing and a need for critical thinking and my desire to create a motivating and welcoming classroom--having a name that can be applied to a action is a cardinal way to recognize it when you see it and when you do it. I have expectations of what demonstrable success on the part of my students looks like when I teach a lesson, I need to have these for myself and for when I observe another teacher, but until now I really have not had a system to label what they are. This chapter was just summarizing the qualities, so I'm left with a lot of illustration questions--for instance, how to manage small groups? or (a big one for me) what constitutes a reasonable and proportional response to a rule violation?-- so whenever I find the time (after graduation, probably!) I do want to make a point of delving into these practices further.

In all the media coverage about teacher ability and evaluations, I've heard quite a bit about "retaining the top 25% and improving/removing the bottom 25% of effective teachers" and the ten year rule coupled with Marzano's observation that its natural for humans to settle into an acceptable level of performance did conflict me. If a school district creates a healthy culture of not settling for the average, I do think this could promote and encourage many more teachers motivating themselves to become experts, but this would require a thorough, welcoming, and positive coaching and evaluation system to be set up. If it was not truly uplifting and supportive, I feel that many teachers might reject improvement efforts or feel threatened in their jobs due to factors they regard as out of their control. Given the current political environment around the education profession and the fact that NCLB continues to haunt us, school budgets are being cut, and many students' families are more unstable due to new economic norms, I fear that "non-expert teachers" are going to be blamed and under negative pressure in their ten years, not supported. It's why I have such fears about evaluation systems. Like Caitlin said, students have an effect--so do budgets and politics. I don't see how to take them into account in an evaluation system, but to ignore them seems to do teachers (as well as their students!) a real disadvantage in what should be an opportunity for gains for everyone.--Noren Bonner