In many classrooms, the teacher's role is to talk and the student's role is to listen. Whose brain is doing most of the work in this scenario? Authors Michael D. Toth and David A. Sousa present an alternative: a new pedagogical model called student-led academic teaming. In academic teams, students collaborate, peer coach, and peer teach while engaging in rigorous, standards-based tasks-a combination that leads to true social, emotional, and cognitive learning (SECL). The simple truth is student-led academic teaming elevates core instruction to a level of rigor far beyond that of traditional classrooms and familiar grouping strategies. This book includes a groundbreaking 10,000-student research study on a large urban district where teaming raised achievement across the board, and narrowed achievement gaps for African-American students, English Language Learners, and students with special needs. Toth and Sousa describe here a path to predictable success for every student, in every classroom, in every school-all backed by student data, neuroscience research, and experiences from superintendents, school leaders, teachers, and students who have made the shift. Teach for the 21st?century through the power of student teams. This is the last major school reform you will ever have to make.

In this essential new book, best-selling author and researcher Robert J. Marzano and teacher-effectiveness expert Michael D. Toth lay out a framework for the ""next generation"" of teacher evaluation: a model focused primarily on helping educators develop and improve their practice. By taking into account multiple accurate, data-rich measures of teacher performance and student growth, the model ensures that all teachers receive fair, meaningful, and reliable evaluations. The book includes: Standards, rubrics, and suggested rating methodologies. A detailed, five-phase plan for implementing the model. Guidelines for calibrating evaluation criteria according to teachers' experience levels. A step-by-step guide to creating a coaching program for teachers who require intervention. Recommendations for using technology platforms to enable teacher collaboration. Teacher evaluation has too often focused on affixing ratings to teachers rather than helping them grow into mastery. The practical, field-tested model proposed in Teacher Evaluation That Makes a Difference has everything your school or district needs to provide teachers-and, by extension, their students-with the support necessary for success.

As a supplement to the Essentials for Achieving Rigor series, this guide gives teachers a big-picture view of the Essentials model and its research-based strategies. Its valuable tips and guidance empower educators and leaders to increase classroom rigor and transform their schools into thriving, sustainable communities of practice.