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.

Teaching Opinion

10 Ways to Build a Healthier Classroom

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 29, 2022 4 min read
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During the summer, I am sharing thematic posts bringing together responses on similar topics from the past 11 years. You can see all those collections from the first 10 years here.

Today’s theme is Relationships in Schools.

You can see the list following this excerpt from one of the posts:

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1. Want Great Life Lessons? Pay Attention to Students

Being more aware of privilege, talking less, and taking time to make judgments are a few lessons students have taught teachers. Read more.

2. A Lesson From Students: Believe Success Is Possible for Every Learner

Believe in the potential greatness of every student and don’t make assumptions are two takeaways teachers have learned from their students. Read more.

3. What Important Lessons Have You Learned From Your Students?

Ask for feedback and act on it. Drop the words “try harder.” Watch your explanations. Those are just a few lessons teachers have learned. Read more.

4. Who’s the Teacher? 14 Lessons Students Taught Their Teachers

Resilience and the importance of being observant are among the many lessons students have passed on to educators over the years. Read more.

5. Laughter in the Classroom

Teachers describe some of the funniest moments in their classrooms over the years and, in some instances, how those moments improved classroom relationships. Read more.

6. ‘You Can’t Get to Bloom Without Going Through Maslow’

This eight-part series on teacher/student relationships is wrapped up today by Tara Brown, Donna Wilson, Marcus Conyers, Jennifer Cleary, Stuart Ablon, Alisha Pollastri, Eileen Depka, and Richard Gerver. I’ve also included responses from readers. Read more.

7. ‘Don’t Just Teach the Curriculum, Teach the Students’

In this series’ next-to-last post, Julia Thompson, Mara Lee Grayson, Kris Felicello, Jennifer Lasater, Kristina DeMoss, Cindy Terebush, and Tamara Fyke write their responses to the question of how teachers can strengthen relationships with students. Read more.

8. Relationships Matter in the Classroom

Sanée Bell, Martha Caldwell, Oman Frame, Sarah Kirby-Gonzalez, Sarah Thomas, Debbie Zacarian, Judie Haynes, Madeline Whitaker Good, Barbara R. Blackburn, and Akira M. LeBlanc talk about teacher/student relationships. Read more.

9. Building Student Relationships by Applying ‘the Golden Rule’

Jana Echevarria, Beth Gotcher, Joe Mullikin, Denise Fawcett Facey, Rachelle Dene Poth, Chris Hull, Douglas Reeves, and Melissa Jackson share their thoughts on teachers’ strengthening relationships with students. Read more.

10. Be ‘Real’ & ‘Consistent’ to Build Positive Student Relationships

Lisa Westman, Kevin Parr, Cynthia “Mama J” Johnson, Ryan Huels, Catherine Beck, Sheila M. Wilson, Ed.D., and Steve Constantino provide commentaries on the topic of teachers’ positive relationships with students. Read more.

More Q&A posts about relationships in schools:


Explore other thematic posts:

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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