Debra Pickering

Debra Pickering is an educational consultant. She has served as a senior program associate at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) in Aurora, Colo., and has consulted extensively with K–12 administrators and teachers. During her 20 years in education, she gained practical experience as a classroom teacher and district staff development coordinator. Her research and development work has centered on the study of learning, specifically in the areas of complex thinking and reasoning. Pickering is a member of ASCD's What Works in Schools Cadre and a coauthor of Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. She received a bachelor's degree in English and drama education from the University of Missouri, a master's degree in school administration from the University of Denver, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, with an emphasis in cognitive psychology, from the University of Denver.

Area of Expertise: Building Academic Background Knowledge, Classroom Management That Works, Standards-Based Grading and Reporting, The Art and Science of Teaching, What Works in Schools