In this clip Marzano talks about the power of a common language to describe teaching. While he was talking about using his framework as a base to innovate from – I think no matter what framework the message is the same. We in Victoria have a 5E instructional framework.
However there was something a little deeper when he said “we are serious about teaching” when we tell people we expect them to open the doors, use technology and in describing and reflecting upon instruction seek to improve our practice.
What cultural and symbolic icons might there be in schools to show this seriousness of improving our instructional practice? I can think of one – during teacher selection we make it clear our framework and expectations. What about images for parents and students?
A couple of thoughts…
My experience tells me that having ‘common language’ embedded in schools across the curriculum / levels and used by students and teachers is not common. You can’t expect this to just happen. A common language and practice needs to be continuously developed,explicitly documented and used. For example, the successful initial implementation of the Early Years Literacy Program was premised on common language and practice. This took an enormous amount of professional development to achieve. Personally, a school with a strong culture and direction will attract teachers. The e5 Instructional Model is the only model I have found that actually describes teacher practice and contains a common language to describe what teachers do. Having ‘common language’ in schools is a huge challenge.
Cheers Nina
Thanks Nina for your comment on the challenge. I remember someone quoting a figure that teachers spend 3% of their total time talking about instruction [their daily practice] within their working week.
I think part of the challenge for leadership is setting a context and reason for teachers to spend a little more time reflecting, observing and discussing their practice using a common framework like E5.
Connecting one’s practice to student needs?
I recently spoke to an E5 Master Class at the Bastow Institute on using multiple entry points for teachers to have these conversations. We sometimes rely on the one strategy to engage teachers to use the common language or framework which like a classroom is often not enough to engage all learners.
Hi Mark,
A couple of thought here re common language. Firstly on the face of it I don’t think you can argue with the need for teachers to speak a common language ie use consistent terminology both for the kids sake so that they are not getting mixed messages and get to master terms so that they can work on the depth of understanding but secondly for the teacher’s sake so that it makes the art of instruction and planning for instruction easier. The cynic in me then says – whose terms? Is Marzana just putting in a plug for his framework? If that is the case then it matters not what framework – read curriculum we talk about here – we are talking about blanket use and hence common language. Now here is the problem with that. I like to think that teachers need so much more than that – they need to develop their understanding of whatever it is we are talking about and therefore know why the common language is important and what it actually means. You will know of experiences we shared when we thought we had a common language happening but it was only in the terminology and not in the practice. The next and last point is this – you could mandate the use of a particular type of common understanding/ instructional practice and for example advertise that only teachers with that practice need apply however I think the thinking practitioner who can adapt and grow with whatever a school is doing is far more preferable to the one who fits the mould at the time. Common language is only part of the journey I feel.
Hi Sarah – good to hear from you. Yes I agree with your thoughts that using the same terminology [read language] does not necessarily imply that there is the same depth of understanding [or skill] in the implementation of that particular strategy – as we found out when teachers said they implemented guided reading or literature circles.
As I unpack E5 a little more when it says we engage kids and use their prior knowledge lets say within a guided reading session then we might encourage teachers to reflect what does that look or sound like.
Yes common language is only part of the complex task of teaching.