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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

Q&A Collections: Author Interviews

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 09, 2021 13 min read
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During the summer, I am sharing thematic posts bringing together responses on similar topics from the past 10 years. You can see all those collections from the first nine years here.

Here are the ones I’ve published so far:

The 11 Most Popular Classroom Q&A Posts of the Year

Race & Racism in Schools

School Closures & the Coronavirus Crisis

Classroom-Management Advice

Best Ways to Begin the School Year

Best Ways to End the School Year

Student Motivation & Social-Emotional Learning

Implementing the Common Core

Challenging Normative Gender Culture in Education

Teaching Social Studies

Cooperative & Collaborative Learning

Using Tech With Students

Student Voices

Parent Engagement in Schools

Teaching English-Language Learners

Reading Instruction

Writing Instruction

Education Policy Issues

Assessment

Differentiating Instruction

Math Instruction

Science Instruction

Advice for New Teachers

Today’s theme is author interviews. You can see the list of posts following this excerpt from one of them:

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*Author Interview: ‘Reading & Writing With English Learners’

Authors Valentina Gonzalez & Melinda Miller answer questions about their book Reading & Writing with English Learners: A Framework for K-5.

* Eight Strategies for Engaging in Culturally Relevant Teaching

Mariana Souto-Manning answers questions about her book, No More Culturally Irrelevant Teaching, in the final post of a two-part series.

* Author Interview: ‘No More Culturally Irrelevant Teaching’

Mariana Souto-Manning discusses her book, which highlights designing spaces where BIPOC students feel, see, and experience belonging.

* Author Interview: ‘Cultural Competence Now’

Vernita Mayfield agreed to answer a few questions about her book, Cultural Competence Now: 56 Exercises to Help Educators Understand and Challenge Bias, Racism, and Privilege.

* Author Interview With Gholdy Muhammad: ‘Cultivating Genius’

For the 100th book-related post in this blog, Gholdy Muhammad agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.

* Author Interview: ‘Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom’

Adeyemi Stembridge talks about his new book, Culturally Responsive Education in the Classroom: An Equity Framework for Pedagogy, including explaining the difference between “equity” and “equality.”

* Author Interview: ‘Be Excellent on Purpose’

Sanée Bell agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Be Excellent On Purpose: Intentional Strategies for Impactful Leadership.

* Author Interview: ‘Collaborative Lesson Study’

Vicki S. Collet agreed to answer a few questions about her book, Collaborative Lesson Study: ReVisioning Teacher Professional Development.

* Author Interview: ‘Unconscious Bias in Schools’

Tracey A. Benson and Sarah E. Fiarman agreed to answer a few questions about their book, Unconscious Bias In Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism.

* Author Interview: ‘Working Hard, Working Happy’

Rita Platt agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Working Hard, Working Happy: Cultivating a Culture of Effort and Joy in the Classroom.

* Author Interview: ‘Speaking for Ourselves’

Daisy Han and Lorena Germán agreed to answer a few questions about the new book they have edited, Speaking For Ourselves.

* Author Interview: ‘The Right Tools’

Towanda Harris answers a few questions about her new book, The Right Tools: A Guide to Selecting, Evaluating, and Implementing Classroom Resources and Practices.

* Author Interview: ‘Black Appetite. White Food.’

Jamila Lyiscott answers some questions about her new book, Black Appetite. White Food: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom.

* Author Interview: ‘Breathing New Life Into Book Clubs’

Sonja Cherry-Paul and Dana Johansen explain how teachers—and students—can get the most out of their book clubs, including helping students fall in love with reading.

* Author Interview: ‘Preparing Students for Writing Beyond School’

It’s important that students realize that writing, like reading and talking, will be a part of their continuing lives, say the authors of the new book, Preparing Students for Writing Beyond School.

* Author Interview: ‘Teaching Science to English Learners’

Stephen Fleenor agreed to answer a few questions about his new book, Teaching Science to English Learners, written with Tina Beene.

* Author Interview: ‘The Aspiring Principal’

Baruti K. Kafele agreed to answer questions about his book, The Aspiring Principal: 50 Critical Questions for New and Future School Leaders.

* Author Interview: ‘Co-Teaching for English-Learners’

Andrea Honigsfeld and Maria Dove agreed to answer a few questions about their book, Co-Teaching for English-Learners.

* Author Interview: Enhancing the ‘Mental Bandwidth’ of Students

Part Two of an interview with Cia Verschelden about her book, Bandwidth Recovery: Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Racism and Social Marginalization.

* Author Interview: ‘Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty and Racism

Cia Verschelden agreed to answer a few questions about her book, Bandwidth Recovery: Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Racism and Social Marginalization.

* Author Interview: ‘Adventures in Teacher Leadership’

Katherine Bassett and Rebecca Mieliwocki agreed to answer a few questions about their (with Joseph Fatheree) new book, Adventures In Teacher Leadership: Pathways, Strategies and Inspiration For Every Teacher.

* Author Interview: ‘What We Know About Grading’

Thomas R. Guskey and Susan M. Brookhart agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, What We Know About Grading: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Next.

* Author Interview: Sonia Nieto & Alicia Lopez on ‘Teaching, A Life’s Work’

* Author Interview: ‘All Learning Is Social and Emotional’

Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Dominique Smith agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, All Learning Is Social and Emotional: Helping Students Develop Essential Skills for the Classroom and Beyond.

* Author Interview With Rich Milner: ‘Reimagining Classroom Management’ for Equity

Rich Milner agreed to answer a few questions about his recent book, These Kids Are Out Of Control: Why We Must Reimagine ‘Classroom Management’ For Equity (co-authored with Heather B. Cunningham, Lori Delale-O’Connor, and Erika Gold Kestenberg).

* Author Interview With Jennifer Serravallo: ‘Understanding Texts & Readers’

* Author Interview With Shanna Peeples: ‘Think Like Socrates’

* Author Interview With Matthew Kay: ‘Not Light, But Fire’

* Author Interview With Donalyn Miller: ‘Reading in the Wild’

* Author Interview With Ellin Oliver Keene: ‘Engaging Children’

* Author Interview With Roxanna Elden: ‘Adequate Yearly Progress’

* Author Interview With Julia Thompson: ‘First Year Teacher’s Survival Guide’

* Author Interview With Regie Routman: ‘Literacy Essentials’

* Author Interview With Rick Wormeli: ‘Fair Isn’t Always Equal’

* Author Interview With Kelly Gallagher & Penny Kittle: ‘180 Days’

* Author Interview: ‘Creating Citizens’

Sarah Cooper agreed to answer a few questions about her book, Creating Citizens: Teaching Civics and Current Events In The History Classroom.

* Author Interview: ‘Deep Learning: Engage the World, Change the World’

Michael Fullan, Joanne Quinn, and Joanne McEachen agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, Deep Learning: Engage The World, Change The World.

* Author Interview: ‘Motivated: Designing Math Classrooms Where Students Want to Join In’

Ilana Horn, author of Motivated: Designing Math Classrooms Where Students Want To Join In, agreed to answer a few questions about her book.

* Author Interview: ‘Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement’

Heather Wolpert-Gawron agreed to answer a few questions about her book, Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement.

* Author Interview: ‘Write, Think, Learn’

Mary Tedrow agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Write, Think, Learn: Tapping The Power Of Daily Student Writing Across The Content Areas.

* ‘The Newcomers': An Interview With Helen Thorpe

* Author Interview: ‘The Listening Leader’

Shane Safir agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, The Listening Leader: Creating The Conditions For Equitable School Transformation.

* Author Interview: ‘Culturally Relevant Teaching’

Megan Adams, Sanjuana Rodriguez, and Kate Zimmer agreed to answer a few questions about their book, Culturally Relevant Teaching: Preparing Teachers To Include All Learners.

* Interview With Deborah Meier & Emily Gasoi: ‘Schools Belong to You & Me’

* Author Interview: ‘Teacher Agency for Equity’

Raquel Ríos agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Teacher Agency For Equity: A Framework For Conscientious Engagement.

* Author Interview: ‘Passionate Readers’

Pernille Ripp agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Passionate Readers: The Art Of Reaching And Engaging Every Child.

* ‘Disrupting Thinking': An Interview With Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst

* ‘Making Evaluation Meaningful’

PJ Caposey agreed to answer a few questions about his new book, Making Evaluation Meaningful: Transforming the Conversation to Transform Schools.

* ‘Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies’

Django Paris and H. Samy Alim agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World.

* ‘Learn Better’

Ulrich Boser agreed to answer a few questions about his new book, Learn Better.

* ‘The Essentials for Standards-Driven Classrooms’

Two co-authors of the new book, The Essentials For Standards-Driven Classrooms: A Practical Instructional Model For Every Student To Achieve Rigor, agreed to answer a few questions.

* ‘Teaching Kids to Thrive’

Debbie Silver and Dedra Stafford agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, Teaching Kids to Thrive: Essential Skills For Success.

* ‘Digital Writing for English-Language Learners’

Rusul Alrubail agreed to answer a few questions about her new book, Digital Writing For English-Language Learners.

* ‘101 Strategies to Make Academic Vocabulary Stick’

Marilee Sprenger, author of the book 101 Strategies To Make Academic Vocabulary Stick, agreed to answer a few questions.

* ‘It Won’t Be Easy': An Interview With Author Tom Rademacher

* ‘Teach Like Finland’

Timothy D. Walker, author of the new book, Teach Like Finland: 33 Simple Strategies For Joyful Classrooms, agreed to answer a few questions.

* ‘Understanding Key Education Issues’

Matthew Lynch, author of the new book, Understanding Key Education Issues: How We Got Here And Where We Go From Here, agreed to answer a few questions.

* ‘The Perfect Assessment System’

Rick Stiggins, author of the new book, The Perfect Assessment System (ASCD), agreed to answer a few questions.

* Growing Critically Conscious Teachers

Angela Valenzuela agreed to answer a few questions about the new book she has edited, Growing Critically Conscious Teachers: A Social Justice Curriculum for Educators of Latino/a Youth.

* ‘How the Brain Learns’

David Sousa, author of the popular book How The Brain Learns (now in its fifth edition), agreed to answer a few questions about it.

* ‘The ABCs of How We Learn’

The authors of The ABCs of How We Learn: 26 Scientifically Proven Approaches, How They Work, and When to Use Them agreed to answer a few questions about their book.

* ‘Students At the Center’

Bena Kallick and Allison Zmuda agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, Students at the Center: Personalized Learning with Habits of Mind.

* ‘The Writing Strategies Book': An Interview With Jennifer Serravallo

* ‘#EduMatch: Snapshot in Education’

Twenty educators recently came together to publish their own book, #EduMatch: Snapshot in Education, and its editor, Sarah Thomas, agreed to both answer some questions about it and coordinate responses from some of her co-authors.

* ‘Visible Learning for Mathematics’

Linda M. Gojak and Sara Delano Moore, two of the co-authors of Visible Learning For Mathematics: What Works Best to Optimize Student Learning, agreed to answer a few questions about the book.

* ‘More Mirrors in the Classroom’

Jane Fleming, Susan Catapano, Candace M. Thompson, and Sandy Ruvalcaba Carrillo agreed to answer a few questions about their book, More Mirrors In The Classroom.

* ‘Visible Learning for Literacy': An Interview With Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey

* ‘Why We Teach Now': an Interview With Sonia Nieto

* ‘No More Reading For Junk': an Interview With Barbara Marinak & Linda Gambrell

* ‘Partnering With Parents’ by Asking Questions

Luz Santana, Dan Rothstein, and Agnes Bain agreed to answer a few questions about their new book, Partnering With Parents To Ask The Right Questions: A Powerful Strategy For Strengthening School-Family Partnerships.

* ‘Critical Questions for Inspiring Classroom Excellence': An Interview With Baruti K. Kafele

* ‘Excellence Through Equity': An Interview With Pedro Noguera & Alan Blankstein

* ‘Learning That Lasts': An Interview With Ron Berger, Libby Woodfin, & Anne Vilen

* ‘Total Participation Techniques': An Interview With Pérsida & William Himmele

* “The Genius Hour Guidebook": An Interview With Denise Krebs & Gallit Zvi

* ‘Helping Children Succeed': An Interview With Paul Tough

* ‘Peak': An Interview With Anders Ericsson & Robert Pool

* ‘For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood...': An Interview With Chris Emdin

* ‘Reading Nonfiction': An Interview With Kylene Beers & Robert Probst

* ‘Building School 2.0': An Interview With Chris Lehmann & Zac Chase

* ‘The New Teacher Revolution': An Interview With Josh Stumpenhorst

* ‘See Me After Class': An Interview With Roxanna Elden

* Book Review: Ta-Nehisi Coates’ ‘Between The World & Me’

* ‘School Culture Rewired': An Interview With Steve Gruenert & Todd Whitaker

* ‘The Reading Strategies Book': An Interview With Jennifer Serravallo

* ‘Culturally Responsive Teaching': An Interview With Zaretta Hammond

* ‘Reinventing Writing': An Interview With Vicki Davis

* ‘The Marshmallow Test': An Interview With Walter Mischel

* ‘There Are So Many Inspirational Teachers Out There': An Interview With Meenoo Rami

* ‘Collaboration Is Crucial': An Interview With Carmen Fariña, chancellor of the New York City schools, & co-author Laura Kotch

* ‘A More Beautiful Question': An Interview With Warren Berger

* Teaching Without Connecting Is ‘Futile': An Interview With Annette Breaux & Todd Whitaker

* ‘Myths & Lies’ That Threaten Our Schools: An Interview With David Berliner & Gene Glass

* ‘Digital Leadership': An Interview With Eric Sheninger

* ‘Read, Write, Lead': An Interview With Regie Routman

* ‘Building A Better Teacher': An Interview With Elizabeth Green

* ‘The Teacher Wars': An Interview With Dana Goldstein

* Teachers As ‘Givers, Takers & Matchers': An Interview With Adam Grant* ‘Teachers Need To Behave Like Johnny Appleseeds': An Interview With Daniel Coyle

* ‘There Are No Shortcuts': An Interview With Rafe Esquith

* An Interview With Paul Tough On Character & Schools

* Teachers as ‘Persuaders': An Interview With Daniel Pink

* Several Ways We Can Help Students Develop Good Habits

New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg, author of the new bestselling book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, shares his responses to my questions on how to apply his research to our work in schools.

* Several Ways To Help Students Develop Self-Control

Roy F. Baumeister, director of the social-psychology program at Florida State University and co-author of Willpower: Rediscovering The Greatest Human Strength, describes his research on self-control as a “limited energy resource” and its classroom implications.

Part Two of Several Ways We Can Help Students Develop Good Habits

Author Art Markman lists several ways teachers can help students develop better study habits.

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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