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 Profession Opinion

Listen Up: Give Teachers a Voice in What Happens in Their Schools

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 26, 2022 4 min read
Illustration of leaders planning a course of action
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

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 Teacher Leadership.

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

teachersmustraise

1. What the Teacher and Classified-Staff Strike in Sacramento Means for the Country

If school district leaders changed their mindset about the concept of sharing power, students would be among the beneficiaries. Read more.

2. What Teachers Think Is—and Isn’t—Working This School Year

For teachers, mask wearing and student enthusiasm are working, while administration pressure on them to do more is not. Read more.

3. Teachers Share What They Want Central Offices & Public Officials to Hear

Those making policy decisions often don’t ask educators what they need. Teachers suggest ways they can be helpful to people in the trenches. Read more.

4. The Silence of Educators Is Dangerous’

Four educators share their thoughts on the biggest dangers facing schools, including the silence of educators, often keeping mum in the “face of injustices that in our hearts and minds we know are unethical.” Read more.

5. Educators Must Have a ‘Plan of Action’ to Confront Our Challenges

Three educators discuss dangers facing education today, including gun violence and teacher burnout, as well as shrinking school budgets that threaten programs and student well-being. Read more.

6. Teacher Leadership Is the Lifeboat to a Better School’

Megan M. Allen, David Allen, John DeFlaminis, Mustafa Abdul-Jabbar, and Eric Yoak, along with readers, share their suggestions for ways teacher leaders can respond when new administrators are not thrilled with their role or presence. Read more.

7. Teacher Leaders Are ‘Hungry to Learn’

Laura Robb, Kylene Beers, Susan Chenelle, ReLeah Cossett, Christopher Lehman, Matt Townsley, Anthony Cody, and Patty O’Grady contribute their ideas on teacher leadership. I’ve also included comments from readers. Read more.

8. ‘Schools Cannot Thrive’ Without Teacher Leadership

Regie Routman, Aubrie Rojee, Megan M. Allen, Shane Safir, Sean Slade, and Barnett Berry share their thoughts on what teacher leadership looks like. Read more.

10. Policy Decisions Must Be ‘Done With’ Teachers, Not ‘Done to’ Them

This post includes contributions from Randi Weingarten, Jody Spiro, Susan Ochshorn, and Meghan Everette discussing how teachers can effectively engage in educational policy decisions. I’ve also included comments by readers. Read more.

11. ‘Writing a Letter Isn’t Enough’ to Affect Ed. Policy

Karen Baptiste, Eric C. Heins, Mary Tedrow, and David Griffith share their suggestions on how teachers can affect education policy decisions. Read more.

12. Avoiding ‘Trust Busters’ When Making Change in Schools

Today’s contributors on the topic of making change in schools include Catherine Beck, Paul D’Elia, Michael Lamond, Julie Combs, Stacey Edmonson, Sandra Harris, PJ Caposey, and Kirke H. Olson. In addition, you can see quite a few comments from readers. Read more.

13. Change in Schools ‘Is a Process, Not an Event’

Educators Sally Zepeda, Bill Sterrett, Pete Hall, and Opal Davis Dawson share their thoughts on how teachers can encourage—and “embrace"—change. Read more.

14. Teachers Must Help Determine New Ideas Being Implemented

I share my thoughts here, as do Renee Moore and Kelly Young. Read more.

15. ‘Teacherpreneurs Can Lead Reforms': An Interview With Barnett Berry

I interview Barnett Berry about the book Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead but Don’t Leave (Jossey-Bass 2013) authored by Barnett and Center for Teaching Quality colleagues Ann Byrd and Alan Wieder. In it, they document the leadership journeys of eight classroom educators (several who are regular contributors to this blog) who are spreading their expertise beyond their schools, districts, and states—and even nationally and internationally. Read more.

16. We Need ‘Fewer John Waynes & More John Deweys’

This is Part One in a series responding to the question: “How can teachers best relate to superintendents—and vice versa?”

This post provides responses from a teacher’s perspective, with contributions from Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers; Dean Vogel, president of the California Teachers Association; and Barnett Berry of the Center for Teaching Quality. Read more.


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.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Education Funding Webinar
What Schools Need to Know About the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit
What schools need to know about the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit: A practical guide from a licensed teacher and policy expert.
Content provided by LearningSpring
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Building Your School Safety Roadmap: Key Priorities for the Upcoming Year
What should be on your school's safety roadmap this year? Join experts to discuss priorities, preparedness, and best practices.
Content provided by Evolv Technology & IdentiSys
English Learners K-12 Essentials Forum Rethinking Instruction for English Learners
Join this free event to explore teacher preparedness, family communication, and strategies to ensure equity and opportunity for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession What the Research Says States Roll Back Pay Incentives for Teachers in High-Need Areas
A new national study finds less differentiated pay for science fields, high-risk student groups.
3 min read
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva County Schools, Geneva, Alabama on August04, 2026
A classroom in Geneva Elementary School in Geneva, Ala., is pictured in August 2026. Alabama still offers pay incentives for teachers in shortage areas, but many states do not, a new report finds.
Trisha Crain/Al.com via TNS
Teaching Profession How Schools Can Help Support Postpartum Teachers
In an industry that provides little to no paid leave for parents, maternal mental health is a real concern.
5 min read
Collage-style illustration of a mother holding a young baby with her hand held up to her forehead. Pieces of paper and hand-written schedules surround her and scribbles are in the background behind her head.
Illustration by Emily Wright for Education Week + Getty
Teaching Profession Skills Change Fast in CTE. Can Teachers Keep Up?
As career education expands, teachers often are still left to find industry training on their own.
10 min read
Chief David Hope, left, instructs junior Madilyn Ruder during a Firefighting and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) academy course at South Tech High School in Sunset Hills, Mo., on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. Students spend half their school day learning skills before returning to their home high school for traditional courses. (Whitney Curtis for Education Week)
Teacher David Hope, left, instructs junior Madilyn Ruder during a firefighting and emergency Medical Technician (EMT) academy course at South Tech High School in Sunset Hills, Mo., on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. Hope has to foot the bill to keep up with fast-changing EMT technology, something many districts don't cover for their career and technical education teachers.
Whitney Curtis for Education Week
Teaching Profession Disciplined for Charlie Kirk Posts, These Teachers Fought Back—And Won
Several of them won settlements. But the legal line for punishing teachers over speech remains murky and contested.
14 min read
A collage of hate text messages that were directed toward a teacher in response to her social media post about Charlie Kirk's death. The group of text messages have foul language and people's names blurred out and appear on a dark black background.
A collage of messages show the invective directed towards a teacher in response to a social media post about Charlie Kirk's death.
Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week