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

Give Students a Role in Their Education

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 05, 2022 3 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 Cooperative and Collaborative Learning.

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

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1. How Small-Group Instruction Benefits Your Teaching

Small-group work can provide opportunities for reteaching, student practice, and formative assessments. Read more.

2. Small-Group Instruction: Work It for Your Students—and You

Gradual release of responsibility to students, personal learning plans, and formative assessment are successful components for small groups. Read more.

3. 15 Ways to Improve Small-Group Instruction

Assigning student roles, choosing the right number of members, and providing feedback are among the strategies teachers can use. Read more.

4. What Are the Best Strategies for Small-Group Instruction?

For teachers starting out, take small steps in introducing small-group instruction. Try a single strategy and add time as you go along. Read more.

5. Four Good Science Teaching Strategies & How to Use Them

Three science educators share their go-to teaching strategies, including encouraging student talk and implementing project-based learning. Read more.

5. ‘Students Will Ask Great Questions If We Give Them the Chance’

Four educators share ideas for encouraging students to develop questions, including through project-based learning. Read more.

6. Don’t ‘Make the Math Classroom a Project-Based-Learning-Free Zone’

Three educators share advice on incorporating project-based learning in math classes, including asking the question, “What’s nearby?” Read more.

7. Using Project-Based Learning in Math Classes

Two teachers share practical strategies for using project-based learning in math classes, including one called “notice and wonder.” Read more.

8. To Maximize Group Work, Make It Metacognitive’

A three-part series of supporting effective student group work is wrapped up today with commentaries from Nancy Frey, Doug Fisher, Michael Fisher, Laura Greenstein, Debbie Zacarian, Michael Silverstone, and Cindy Terebush. Read more.

9. ‘Maximizing Student Learning Gained Through Collaboration’

Katrina Hankins, Dawn Mitchell, Andrew Miller, Andrea Keith, and Michael D. Toth share their ideas about ensuring that group work in the classroom goes smoothly. Read more.

10. Effective Group Work Starts With Classroom Culture

Karen Goeller, Jill Kester, Rachael Williams, Kara Pranikoff, and Cheryl Mizerny share their ideas for effective student group work. Read more.

More Q&A posts about cooperative and collaborative learning:


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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