In today’s classrooms and schools, rigorous instruction and learning don’t just happen by accident. In fact, ensuring rigorous instruction happen consistently, teachers must be willing to pay close attention to their respective learning environments. And that includes having the foresight to plan for the conditions within that learning environment before ever moving on to traditional content planning. Without the appropriate conditions in place, consistent levels of rigorous instruction, learning, and performance are unachievable.
Therein lies the practical magic of Classroom Techniques for Creating Conditions for Rigorous Instruction by authors Jennifer Cleary, Terry Morgan, and Dr. Robert J. Marzano. It speaks to the conditions in the classroom that are required to achieve rigorous instruction, and provides teachers of all grade levels and subjects the strategies to get there, including:
· Establishing rules and procedures
· Recognizing adherence and lack of adherence to rules and procedures
· Using engagement strategies when students are not engaged
· Establishing and maintaining effective relationships
· Communicating high expectations for all students
With step-by-step activities for each of its five main strategies, the guide doesn’t just provide useful information, it turns that information into actionable insights and templates for bringing solid ideas to life.
