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.

Teaching Opinion All Classroom Q&A Posts on the Coronavirus Crisis
You can find links here to all Classroom Q&A posts related to supporting teachers, students, and parents during the school closure crisis.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 20, 2020
6 min read
Education Opinion Visualization of '7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning'
Teacher Wendi Pillars shares a visual illustration of the points made in Larry Ferlazzo's video, "7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning.'
Larry Ferlazzo, April 19, 2020
1 min read
Professional Development Opinion Writing a Book Is a 'Teacher's Version of Climbing Mount Everest'
Six teacher-authors discuss what they learned over the past year and a half as they wrote books that are set to be published in the coming weeks.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 18, 2020
13 min read
Teaching Opinion Infographic: '7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning'
Teacher Lindsay Kuhl shares a visual illustration of the points made in Larry Ferlazzo's video, "7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning."
Larry Ferlazzo, April 17, 2020
1 min read
Education Opinion Ways to Handle Student Absences in Remote Teaching & When We're Back in School
Four educators share advice on dealing with student absences. These include trying to find out the real reasons behind the lack of attendance and building positive teacher/student relationships.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 16, 2020
13 min read
Teaching Opinion Helping ELLs Succeed in Distance Learning
Teacher Sarah Said offers suggestions about how teachers can better communicate with English-language learners when teaching online, including by modeling and offering empathy.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 15, 2020
6 min read
Teaching Opinion Infographic: '7 Tips for Remote Teaching'
Teacher Wendi Pillars shares a visual illustration of the points made in Larry Ferlazzo's video, "7 Tips For Remote Teaching."
Larry Ferlazzo, April 14, 2020
1 min read
Teaching Opinion Four Ways to Help Students Feel Intrinsically Motivated to Do Distance Learning
I share four ways to help students feel intrinsically motivated to participate in virtual learning, including by teachers' developing positive relationships with students and by creating opportunities for small-group independent work.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 13, 2020
6 min read
Teaching Opinion Responding to Absenteeism During the Coronavirus Pandemic & Beyond
Four educators share strategies for responding to absenteeism - whether from remote learning or from the physical school. They include a reduced emphasis on negative consequences and a renewed focus on relationship-building.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 13, 2020
21 min read
Education Opinion Strategies to Support Some of Our Most Vulnerable Students Through Distance Learning
Three educators share advice on how to connect to some of our most vulnerable students, including English-language learners and those with no internet access during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 12, 2020
15 min read
Education Opinion Video: 7 Tips for Parents Supporting Remote Learning
Larry Ferlazzo speaks directly to parents and offers 7 tips for supporting their children's learning journey during the school closure crisis.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 9, 2020
1 min read
Education Opinion Five Ways to Boost Student Participation in Remote Learning
Helping students form habits and explaining they'll get a chance to see their friends are just two ways to motivate them to do their online learning, says educator and researcher Harry Fletcher-Wood.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 8, 2020
5 min read
Professional Development Opinion Editors Offer Suggestions to Teachers Who Want to Write a Book
Two editors explain what it takes for teachers to get published in the education realm, such as doing homework about the education book field and the publishers, knowing the audience, and focusing the topic.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 8, 2020
8 min read
Teaching Opinion Overcoming Apathy in Remote Teaching
"Tomorrow will come, and you should make every effort to meet it on your own terms to do what you can, for those you can, for as long as you can," says teacher Susan Scott.
Larry Ferlazzo, April 7, 2020
6 min read