I’ll get back into the regular schedule of “questions of the week” this coming Friday, but I thought readers might find it useful to see the ten most popular posts from this blog since it began in August.
But, before I list them, I wanted to invite you to contribute a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org.When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
Anyone whose question is selected for this weekly column can choose one free book from a selection of twelve -- including my own -- published by Eye On Education.
And, now, for the “top ten.” I’ll count them down to the number one post at the end:
10. Classroom Management Suggestions -- Part Three
In this post that’s part of a four-part series, my colleague Katie Hull-Sypnieski and I share our response to the question, “What is the one most important thing to remember about classroom management?” By the way, Katie will be leading an Ed Week Webinar on differentiating instruction on February 1st, and I’ll be sharing more about it in future posts.
9. The Best Ways To Use Tech In The Classroom
Popular ed tech blogger Richard Byrne, teacher Marsha Ratzel, and readers share their best ideas. In addition, I list the five questions I ask before using any kind of tech in my own classroom.
8. Reasons For The ‘Downgrade’ In Respect For Teachers
National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel and Center For Teaching Quality President Barnett Berry write about the social/political causes that have contributed to the downgrading of respect for the teaching profession. I contribute an intriguing chart.
7. Several Ways To Help Students Develop Self-Control
Internationally renowned researcher Professor Roy F. Baumeister writes about what he has learned through countless studies on self-control, and I share how I have applied his findings to the classroom.
6. Several Classroom Management Suggestions -- Part One
Authors Annette Breaux, Harry Wong, Roxanna Elden and Gary Rubinstein give their best classroom management advice to readers.
5. Several Ways To Teach Critical Thinking Skills
Several guests, including Ron Ritchhart from Harvard’s Project Zero, provide excellent advice on incorporating critical thinking skills in the classroom.
4. Several Ways To Respond To “Unpredictable” Student Behavior
Author Marvin Marshall provides his advice, and I list six specific strategies I use with students. All of our ideas are positive -- not punitive.
3. Several Ways To ‘Motivate’ the Unmotivated To Learn
This is my personal favorite! Best-selling authors Daniel Pink and Dan Ariely respond to the question -- with Ariely answering in a video.
2. Several Ways Teachers Can Create a Supportive Environment for Each Other
Co-authors Bill Ferriter and Parry Graham provide some great specific advice in this post, and I share an applicable lesson I learned during my nineteen year community organizing career.
1. Several Ways To Help Students Become Better Listeners
This post really struck a chord with readers, and was the most popular post -- by far -- this year. Teacher and author Heather Wolpert-Gawron, readers, and I provide some good and practical advice....
Even though it didn’t make the “top ten,” I’d like to mention another personal favorite of mine -- Several Ways To Tell The Difference Between Good & Bad Education Research.
I’ve been enjoying writing this column, and I hope readers have been finding it helpful. Keep those questions -- and answers -- coming!