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

Schools Just Let Out, But What Are the Best Ways to Begin the Coming Year?

By Larry Ferlazzo — June 24, 2022 2 min read
Photo illustration of colorful school supplies
  • 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 ten years here.

Today’s theme is Best Ways to Begin the School Year. You can see the list of posts following this excerpt from one of them:

aconsiderable

1. Start the Year With a ‘Primary Focus’ on Relationship-Building

Four educators share ideas on how to start a pandemic-effect school year, including by organizing scavenger hunts and having students share and write captions for their favorite photos. Read more.

2. Steps to Make Your Students Feel Welcome This Fall

Three teachers explain how they are going to start the COVID-19-affected new school year, including by sending videos or letters to students before classes begin. Read more.

3. Classroom Activities to Start Your Online or Hybrid New Year Strong

Katie Hull Synieski and I share a book excerpt offering ideas on building relationships as our online or hybrid school year begins, including question starters and “show-and-tell” activities. Read more.

4. Giving Students ‘a Place to Belong’ When Starting a School Year

Tricia Ebarvia, Maia Heyck-Merlin, Debbie Diller, Erik M. Francis, and Jennifer Orr write about their experiences and recommendations in this fourth and final post on ways to successfully begin a new school year. Read more.

5. Begin the New School Year With a Positive ‘Mindset’

Jen Schwanke, Kevin Scott, Pia Lindquist Wong, and Otis Kriegel provide their ideas on good ways to begin a new school year. Read more.

6. Starting the New Year by ‘Building Relationships’

Jeryl-Ann Asaro, Anabel Gonzalez, Karen Nemeth, Kristina J. Doubet, Jessica A. Hockett, Stephen Lazar, and Timothy D. Walker contribute their ideas on the best ways to begin a new school year. Read more.

7. Ways ‘to Launch a Successful Year With Students’

Roxanna Elden, Dave Stuart Jr., Ekuwah Moses, Matt Wachel, Pam Allyn, and Kevin Parr offer suggestions on how to start a new school year on the right foot. Read more.

8. “A Good Beginning Is More Than Half of the Whole”

Author/educators Joanne Rooney, Harry and Rosemary Wong, and Peggy Campbell-Rush provide their suggestions on how to start a new school year well. Read more.

9. Ways to Start Off the New Year on a Positive Note

This post is a special-guest response from author and educator Julia Thompson. Read more.

10. Several Ways to Get the New Year Off to a Good Start—Part One

Two of the best thinkers and writers on education issues today, Rick Wormeli and Roxanna Elden, respond to this issue. Read more.

11. Several Ways Teachers & Parents Can Start the New Year Well—Part Two

Teachers Neil Wetherbee, Marsha Ratzel, Jessica Lahey, and Robyn Shulman share their suggestions. Read more.

12. Don’t Wait Until Christmas to Smile

Author/educators Annette Breaux and Neila A. Connors contribute their thoughts. 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
Teaching Webinar
Maximize Your MTSS to Drive Literacy Success
Learn how districts are strengthening MTSS to accelerate literacy growth and help every student reach grade-level reading success.
Content provided by Ignite Reading
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar How High Schools Can Prepare Students for College and Career
Explore how schools are reimagining high school with hands-on learning that prepares students for both college and career success.
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
GoGuardian and Google: Proactive AI Safety in Schools
Learn how to safely adopt innovative AI tools while maintaining support for student well-being. 
Content provided by GoGuardian

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 What the Research Says Teachers Value 'Patriotic' Education More Than Most Americans
Nearly two thirds of teachers favor presenting America as "fundamentally good."
4 min read
Image of a small U.S. flag in a pencil case.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Six Seven! The 2025 Dictionary.com Word of the Year Causes School Chaos
As the new trend spreads, teachers are left to wonder—should they stop it or embrace it?
3 min read
Chalk board with 6 7 written in chalk.
iStock/Getty and Education Week
Teaching What’s the Secret to Managing Today’s Classrooms? Teachers Weigh In
Classroom management continues to top teachers' concerns. They weigh in on what helps make it work.
2 min read
Jon Becker, upper school history and English teacher, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book during their 9th grade English class at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore. In a social media poll, teachers weigh in on how they manage student behavior in their own classrooms.
Jon Becker, upper school history and English teacher, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book during their 9th grade English class at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore. In a social media poll, teachers weigh in on how they manage student behavior in their own classrooms.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Teaching Opinion The Books That Teachers Say Made Them Better at Their Job
Educators have taken inspiration through books dealing with a diverse range of subject.
12 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week