What Works in Schools

Any school in the United States can operate at advanced levels of effectiveness—if it is willing to implement what is known about effective schooling. "If we follow the guidance offered from 35 years of research," says author Robert J. Marzano, "we can enter an era of unprecedented effectiveness for the public practice of education." In What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action, Marzano synthesizes that research to provide clear and unequalled insight into the nature of schooling.

Marzano defines the factors affecting student achievement and offers compelling answers to once-elusive questions:

• How can schools set academic goals that do not underestimate student potential?
• How critical are staff collegiality and professional development?
• Do all students have equal opportunity to learn, given current curriculum requirements?
• Supplemental versus required content-is there room for redefinition?
• What types of parental and community involvement make a real difference?
• What instructional strategies really work?
• What influence can an individual teacher have (as separate from the influence of the overall school)?
• How can teachers manage classrooms that promote positive student-and-teacher relationships?
• How can teachers structure their curricula to better sequence and pace content?
• Can teachers really overcome a student’s negative home environment?
• How does an understanding of motivation theories help students and teachers overcome learning obstacles?
• What specific learning strategies can enhance learned intelligence and background knowledge?

In each chapter, Marzano recommends specific-and attainable-action steps to implement successful strategies culled from the wealth of research data.

Schools can and do affect student achievement. In his latest work, Marzano leads the way in establishing positive approaches that can make the long-held dream of effective public education a reality.