Opinion Blog

Classroom Q&A

With Larry Ferlazzo

In this EdWeek blog, an experiment in knowledge-gathering, Ferlazzo will address readers’ questions on classroom management, ELL instruction, lesson planning, and other issues facing teachers. Send your questions to lferlazzo@epe.org. Read more from this blog.

An award-winning English and Social Studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif., Larry Ferlazzo is the author of Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Challenges, The ESL/ELL Teacher’s Survival Guide, and Building Parent Engagement In Schools.

Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
School & District Management Opinion 12 Strategies Administrators Can Use to Prevent Staff Burnout (and Their Own)
Creating a healthier school culture begins with building trust, but it doesn't end there.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 23, 2026
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7 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Opinion AI Is Different From Other Ed Tech. Here's How
Debates over artificial intelligence are really about asking some big philosophical questions.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 20, 2026
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4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion The World Seems Intent on Stripping Teaching of Its Sacredness. Don't Let It
Christopher Emdin explains how to make school feel like a sanctuary in troubled times.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 18, 2026
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6 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion How Two Educators Are Teaching History Right Now
The "fire hose" of current events provides an opportunity for classroom discussion.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 16, 2026
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9 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion How Can Educators Teach in These Turbulent Times?
To quell the anxiety of the chaos, make your teaching more human, not more heroic.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 9, 2026
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9 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
English Learners Opinion To Teach (and Reach) English Learners, Center Their Identity
Instructing multilingual learners effectively requires a balancing act from teachers.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 29, 2026
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9 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion The Most Exhausting Part of Teaching Isn't the Students
Teachers reveal what drives them from the field and what leaders can do to improve teachers' lives.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 26, 2026
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9 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion A Little Shift in Teaching Can Go a Long Way in the Classroom
These teachers explain how a small change here and there can impact the classroom.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 20, 2026
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10 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion Minnesota Students Are Living in Perilous Times, Two Teachers Explain
The federal government is committing the "greatest constancy of deliberate community harm."
Larry Ferlazzo, January 14, 2026
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6 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion 'Survival Mode': A Minnesota Teacher of the Year Decries Immigration Crackdowns
Federal agents are creating trauma and chaos for our students and schools in Minneapolis.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 13, 2026
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5 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion 'Fear Is a Thief of Focus.' A Teacher on the Impact of ICE and Renee Nicole Good's Death
At a time that feels like a state of emergency, educators are doing their best to protect students.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 12, 2026
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4 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Profession Opinion For Teachers With the Novel-Writing ‘Bug,’ Authors Have Advice
How do I start to write a novel? How do I get it published? Look here for those answers and more.
Larry Ferlazzo, January 6, 2026
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11 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
English Learners Opinion 10 Ways to Support Instruction for English Learners
Graphic organizers, anchor charts, questions to ask yourself, and more can simplify instruction.
Larry Ferlazzo, December 30, 2025
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10 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Policy & Politics Opinion Larry Ferlazzo’s 10 Education Predictions for 2026
Gazing into his crystal ball, Larry Ferlazzo divines what's ahead for education next year.
Larry Ferlazzo, December 18, 2025
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3 min read
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