Element 39
Understanding Students’ Backgrounds and Interests
Elements 1 -3 have a focus on Providing and Communicating Clear Learning Goals
Where do I start?
Your primary resource is your book The New Art and Science of Teaching by Robert J Marzano. This site will take you further into each element.
Click this link to view the folio. For Copyright reasons, this link will only work if you are logged into your D49 account.
Dive Deeper
The Marzano Compendium of Instructional Strategies is a great place to begin. This folio is designed to help teachers increase their effectiveness by focusing on professional growth. It includes numerous strategies and reproducibles.
Self Assess
This scale will help you assess and monitor your progress with this element.
4
Innovating
I adapt behaviors and create new strategies for unique student needs and situations.
A teacher seeks to better understand the backgrounds and interests of students who need additional support. For example, she first uses student background surveys and opinion questionnaires to get an idea of the backgrounds and interests of the students in her class. Once she identifies students who do not get as much support from home, she takes care to actively comment on those students’ achievements whenever possible and uses this information to inform her comments during parent-teacher conferences.
Hover for Example
3
Applying
I understand students’ backgrounds and interests, and I monitor the extent to which my actions affect students.
A teacher has a good understanding of his students’ backgrounds and interests and regularly applies this knowledge to his lessons and in his interactions with students. The teacher monitors students’ attitudes and behaviors in class and specifically reaches out to students with whom he has strained relationships or who seem to be disengaged.
Hover for Example
2
Developing
I understand students’ backgrounds and interests, but I do not monitor the effect on students.
A teacher has an understanding of students’ backgrounds and interests and uses this knowledge to inform instruction. However, the teacher pays little attention to whether students feel welcome and supported as a result of her actions.
Hover for Example
1
Beginning
I use the strategies and behaviors associated with this element incorrectly or with parts missing.
A teacher sporadically seeks out information about some students and their lives outside of the classroom. However, he does not use this information to improve interaction with students.
Hover for Example
0
Not Using
I am unaware of strategies and behaviors associated with this element.
A teacher knows relatively little about students’ backgrounds or interests. What background information she does know she found out by accident. As such, the teacher does not use students’ backgrounds and interests to inform instruction or interactions with students.
Hover for Example
What does it look like?
Here is an example video from one of our D49 teachers!
Watch Example: Providing and Communicating Clear Learning Goals Classroom: Kindergarten
Teacher: Jaci Reed (RVES)
iObservation Videos
More videos can be found in the Resource Library in iObservation.
Protocol Video: Understanding Students' Interests and Background
Grade: 9
Description:
In this video, Dr. Marzano introduces and discusses the lesson segment enacted on the spot with specific attention to understanding student interest and background.
Click this link to view the video.
For Copyright reasons, this link will only work if you are logged into your D49 account.
Protocol Video: Understanding Students' Interests and Background
Grade: 5
Description:
In this video, Dr. Marzano introduces and discusses the lesson segment enacted on the spot with specific attention to understanding student interest and background.
Click this link to view the video.
For Copyright reasons, this link will only work if you are logged into your D49 account.
Protocol Video: Understanding Students' Interests and Background
Grade: 11
Description:
In this video, Dr. Marzano introduces and discusses the lesson segment enacted on the spot with specific attention to understanding student interest and background.
Click this link to view the video
For Copyright reasons, this link will only work if you are logged into your D49 account.