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.

Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
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Teaching Opinion Ways to Make Lessons 'Relevant' to Students' Lives
Six educators share strategies for making lessons directly relevant to students' lives, including by building relationships.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 26, 2020
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16 min read
Reading & Literacy Opinion Spreading 'Poetry Love' in the Classroom
Nine educators share instructional strategies they use to teach poetry, including through read-alouds and through studying and writing odes.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 24, 2020
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16 min read
Reading & Literacy Opinion Teaching Poetry in 'Playful' Ways
Four educators share multiple ways to teach poetry, including by modeling and by mimic writing, so that students can enjoy and appreciate the literary form.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 21, 2020
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13 min read
Teaching Opinion Videos: Student-Motivation Tips for Remote Learning
I share two videos that highlight how to use the concepts of "autonomy, competence, relatedness and relevance" to encourage student intrinsic motivation in remote learning.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 20, 2020
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1 min read
School & District Management Opinion A Superintendent's Thoughts on Reopening Schools in the Fall
Amid the coronavirus, a district superintendent weighs the pros and cons of different strategies for reopening schools in the fall.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 19, 2020
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8 min read
Teaching Opinion Nine Ways to End This Crazy School Year Strong
Eight educators share nine activities that can be used to close this COVID-19-interrupted year, including reflecting back on the year and looking ahead to see how it will be viewed in the future.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 18, 2020
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11 min read
Teaching Opinion Adapting Social Studies for Remote Teaching
Three social studies teachers share the instructional strategies they are using in distance learning, including project-based learning and various online tools.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 16, 2020
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12 min read
Teaching Opinion Social Studies Instruction in the Age of the Coronavirus
Five social studies teachers discuss their online instructional strategies, including emphasizing relevancy and maintaining high standards.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 15, 2020
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17 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology Opinion What Students Are Really Thinking About Online Learning
Seven high school students share their feelings about distance learning compared with learning in person, and they aren't pretty.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 12, 2020
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10 min read
Teaching Opinion 'Challenges, Curiosity, Creativity, & Community' in the Online Science Classroom
Four science educators share online teaching tips, including having students conduct hands-on experiments at home and maintain scientific notebooks.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 11, 2020
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12 min read
Teaching Opinion Two Podcasts Supporting Teachers During the Coronavirus
Eight educators discuss two topics related to distance learning. In one, four reflect on lessons learned over the last few weeks, and, in the other, four discuss how to still encourage students to read during this crisis.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 11, 2020
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1 min read
Education Opinion What Activities or Lessons Are You Doing With Students to End This Crazy Year?
The upcoming question-of-the-week is: What activities or lessons are you doing with students to end this crazy year?
Larry Ferlazzo, May 10, 2020
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1 min read
Teaching Opinion Science Instruction in the Age of the Coronavirus
Four science educators share their experiences adapting to online instruction, including through collaborative learning and the use of online labs.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 10, 2020
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15 min read
Teaching Opinion 'I Am Doing My Best': Teaching Math During the School Closure Crisis
Four teachers offer remote teaching tips for math instruction, including recognizing that nothing they do is going to be anywhere near "perfect."
Larry Ferlazzo, May 9, 2020
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15 min read
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