After coming across Dr Marzano on the Excelsior Gradebook website, I did a little search (never afraid of hard work, me), and found this inspiring review of one of Marzano’s books, Classroom Assessment & Grading That Work.

Another Marzano book What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action has the blurb

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.”

That’s all we need to do? Follow the guidance from a staggering 35 years of research? You mean that hasn’t been tried before? What a genius! I foresee an era of unprecedented effectiveness for the public practice of education! He’s right! Waddaya mean, look at the track record? History is dead!

Still, I’m intrigued. I ordered some of his books (not the ones mentioned here, unfortunately, couldn’t find those) via inter-library loan and we shall see what we shall see, boys and girls.