Debra J. Pickering

Debra J. Pickering was an American educator and researcher who consulted with schools and districts nationally and internationally, including serving as vice president of field services for Marzano Research Laboratory. Over more than three decades in education, she worked as a classroom teacher, staff development coordinator, building leader, and district administrator, focusing her research and development on the study of learning and on designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment aligned to clearly identified learning goals. She held a master’s degree in school administration and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in cognitive psychology.

Pickering coauthored numerous influential works on K–12 teaching and learning, including The Highly Engaged Classroom, Dimensions of Learning, Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher, Building Academic Vocabulary, and articles such as “The Case For and Against Homework.” She was widely recognized for helping educators translate theory into effective classroom practice, and she continued this work with Marzano Research and through extensive consulting with teachers and administrators until her passing in 2020.