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 What Is and Is Not Working as Educators Transition to Online Learning
Four educators talk about what is and is not working as they transition to online learning, including the importance of taking time to plan and recognizing inequities.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 23, 2020
19 min read
Teaching Opinion Ten Strategies for Teaching English-Language Learners Online
Four teachers offer specific suggestions for teaching English-language learners online, including by maintaining consistency and not overdoing it.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 22, 2020
18 min read
Teaching Opinion Ways Educators Are Responding to School Closures
Five educators discuss ways to respond to the COVID-19 school shutdown crisis, including by listening, instead of talking, and by taking a step to "breathe."
Larry Ferlazzo, March 21, 2020
14 min read
Teaching Opinion Teachers Share Their Online-Teaching Plans
Four educators share their plans and hopes as they deal with school closures, including keeping things simple and using online tools to engage students.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 20, 2020
15 min read
Teaching Opinion Strategies for Teaching Online in the Age of the Coronavirus
Four educators share how they are transitioning to online learning during the school closure crisis, including taking into account the importance of supporting students' social and emotional health.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 19, 2020
18 min read
Professional Development Opinion My Favorite Teacher 'Showed Me How to Take Calculated Risks'
Five educators discuss their favorite teachers and highlight their credibility and caring, along with other attributes of being an outstanding teacher.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 17, 2020
16 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Professional Development Opinion Our Favorite Teachers & Why We Remember Them
Seven educators share the qualities of their favorite teachers, including consistency, providing support, and believing in their students.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 16, 2020
20 min read
Education Opinion Do You Want to Write About Your Experience Teaching Online After School Closures?
Educators are invited to write about their experiences teaching online in the age of COVID-19.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 16, 2020
1 min read
Professional Development Opinion Reflections on Our Favorite Teachers
Four educators reflect on their own favorite teachers and the support and encouragement those past models provided to them.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 15, 2020
16 min read
Teaching Opinion 'Culturally Responsive Teaching Is Not a Quick Fix'
Five educators share culturally responsive teaching "tips," including the use of restorative circles and creating lessons with students' cultures in mind.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 10, 2020
24 min read
Teaching Opinion 'Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Honors the Humanity & Identity of Young People'
Five educators provide recommendations on how to incorporate culturally sustaining pedagogy in the classroom, including offering a four-step process and encouraging teachers to start with educating themselves about their students.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 8, 2020
19 min read
Teaching Opinion Culturally Responsive Instruction Is 'Not Just About Adding a Hip Hop Song to Your Lesson Hook'
Ten educators offer specific ideas on how to apply culturally responsive pedagogy in schools, including through the use of diverse literature and by inviting students to share their own life experiences.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 3, 2020
19 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Steps to Make Classrooms More Culturally Responsive
Six educators share specific suggestions on how to make lessons more culturally responsive.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 1, 2020
20 min read
Teaching Opinion Connecting Reading & Writing 'Is a High-Leverage Move'
Five educators recommend strategies for using reading instruction as a tool to improve students' writing skills, including through the use of informal writing and sections of reading texts students can use as models for their writing.
Larry Ferlazzo, February 25, 2020
14 min read