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

Q&A Collections: Relationships in Schools

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 18, 2021 4 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

Author Interviews

Entering the Teaching Profession

The Inclusive Classroom

Learning & the Brain

Administrator Leadership

Teacher Leadership

Today’s theme is on relationships in schools. You can see the list of posts following this excerpt from one of them:

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* 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.

* ‘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.

* ‘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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* We Must ‘Notice the Uniqueness in Each Student’

Debbie Silver, Nedra Robinson, Tamera Musiowsky, John Seborowski, Bryan Christopher, Becca Leech, Kelly Wickham Hurst, and Diane Mora contribute their ideas on positive relationships between teachers and students.

* ‘Building Relationships With Students Is the Most Important Thing a Teacher Can Do’

Timothy Hilton, Valerie Ruckes, David Bosso, Jenny Edwards, Pamela Broussard, Kara Pranikoff, Patty McGee, and Jonathan Eckert share their thoughts on the importance of building relationships with students—and how to do it.

* Why It’s Important to Build Positive Relationships With Students

Part One in a seven-part series on building positive relationships with students is kicked off with responses from Adeyemi Stembridge, Candace Hines, Jacki Glasper, Mary Beth Nicklaus, Valentina Gonzalez, and Julie Jee.

* Manage Classrooms Through ‘Positive Relationships’

Karen Baptiste, Gianna Cassetta, Harry Wong, Rosemary Wong, and Julia Thompson share their classroom-management recommendations.

* ‘Care Is the Catalyst for Learning’

Sean McComb, P.J. Caposey, Cindi Rigsbee, A. William Place, Jennifer Fredricks, and several readers share their thoughts on the role of “care” in the age of standards.

* ‘There’s Nothing More Innovative Than Care’

Educators Andre Perry, Sara Ahmed, Kristine Mraz, Sean Slade, and Mai Xi Lee provide responses to the question: “How does caring relate to our current focus on standards in education?”

* Many Ways to Help Our Students Grieve

Several exceptional educators have contributed to this column, including Mary Tedrow, Stephen Lazar, Larry Swartz, Sherrel Bergmann, and Judith Brough. In addition, I’ve included responses from readers.

* Great Teachers Focus on Connections & Relationships

Eric Jensen, Jason Flom, and PJ Caposey provide guest responses.

* A Teacher-Counselor Partnership Is ‘Essential’ for Student Success

This post includes responses from Julie Hartline, the 2009 National Counselor of the Year, and educator/authors Trish Hatch, Sherrel Bergmann, and Judith Brough. In addition, I’ve included comments from readers.

* Ways to Develop a Teacher-School Counselor Partnership

This column features suggestions from three exceptional educators on how to solidify the teacher/counselor partnership: Dean Vogel, counselor, teacher, and president of the California Teachers Association (I am a proud member of CTA); Leticia Gallardo, who works at the school where I teach and who is the most amazing counselor I’ve ever seen; and Mindy Willard, the 2013 National Counselor of the Year.

* Several Ways Teachers Can Create a Supportive Environment for Each Other

Author/educators Bill Ferriter and Parry Graham provide guest responses to this tricky question.

* Can Teachers Be Friends With Students Using Social Media?

Educators Bud Hunt and Ernie Rambo take on an issue that always seems to be in the news.

* Part Two—Can Teachers Be Friends With Students?

Jose Vilson and I give our observations on the topic.

* Can Teachers Be Friends With Students?—Part One

Well-known author-educator Rick Wormeli contributes his thoughts.

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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