Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock's Classroom

Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock's Classroom instruction that works: research-based strategies for increasing student achievement (2001) gives a thorough overview of recent research on effective teaching methods for elementary, middle, and high school grade levels. The book includes 9 major strategies as a guide for instructors wishing to improve the achievement levels of their students. The first strategy involves highlighting similarities and differences in order to positively influence learning.

The authors claim that research supports the hypothesis that both teacher and student directed activities related to recognizing similarities and differences between different elements, topics, features, events, chapters, etc. promotes a more comprehensive understanding of the given material (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). Secondly, the authors recommend the use of summarizing and note-taking to help incorporate and solidify knowledge (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). Note-taking should be informal and flexible and involve specific techniques, such as outlining and "webbing" (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).

A third strategy is "reinforcing effort and providing recognition" (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). The authors review the research and come up with four factors that influence performance: ability, effort, other people, and luck (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001). However, the only factor found to routinely positively influence performance is effort. The chapter then offers two main ideas for teachers to remember: "not all students realize the importance of believing in effort"; and "students can learn to change their beliefs to an emphasis on effort" (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001, p.

50) Fourth, advice is given on homework. This advice is again summarized in four main points: "the amount of homework assigned to students should vary from elementary, middle school, and high school (p. 61)"; "parent involvement in homework should be kept to a minimum (p. 63)"; "the purpose of homework should be identified and articulated" (p.63); and "if homework is assigned, it should be commented on" (p.64).

In the fifth section, strategies involving non-linguistic representations are discussed, and evidence is given that students learn more when presented with graphs, charts, pictures, and other non-verbal teaching tools (ASCD, 2001). The sixth strategy offered is using cooperative learning among students to take advantage of strengths and minimize weaknesses in individuals, and the seventh strategy covers the importance of setting objectives and providing feedback. In the eight section, the authors recommend "generating and testing hypotheses" (ASCD, 2001), and the final strategy discussed is the application of "cues, questions, and advance organizers" (ASCD, 2001).

Generating and testing hypotheses is critical to prepare students for the importance of drawing fact-based conclusions in the real world, and also promotes critical thinking skills and hands-on learning (two major principles advocated by the authors); the "cues and questions" chapter discusses issues such as allowing sufficient "wait time" and asking more analytical questions to foster critical thinking (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).

While all of the strategies mentioned can be important for improved student achievement, I believe the chapters on homework and rewarding effort are most important and most often overlooked. In my personal experience, I benefitted greatly from my parents never helping me with homework; student who have their own personal tutors at home not only have an unfair advantage but are much less likely to become self-motivated and independent thinkers.

In addition, I agree that homework is not as important as some teachers would like to think; rather, it's the quality, not quantity, that matters. I believe giving.