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
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Unlocking Success for Struggling Adolescent Readers
The Science of Reading transformed K-3 literacy. Now it's time to extend that focus to students in grades 6 through 12.
Content provided by STARI
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
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
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
MTSS + AI in Action: Reimagining Student Support
See how one district is using AI to strengthen MTSS, reduce workload, and improve student support.
Content provided by Panorama Education

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 Letter to the Editor Small-Group Instruction, Revisited
A letter to the editor shares how to make small-group instruction work.
1 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Teaching Opinion From the Mouths of Teachers: Sage Advice in Six Words or Less
Educators on the front lines offer guidance to their peers in the classroom.
1 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
Teaching Opinion We Train Teachers to Deliver SEL. They Should Also Know How to Live It
Researchers share three practical moves that educators can start doing right now.
Marc A. Brackett , Robin Stern, Nicole Elbertson & Patricia (Tish) Jennings
5 min read
Happy woman meditating on smiling ball among other gloomy balls. Being optimistic, cheerful and happy. Positive thinking, Break time, calm and relax. Time out, stop burnout. Good mood, various emoji.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock
Teaching Opinion We All Agree Student Voice Matters. But What Do You Actually Do With It?
Start by assuming that students come to the classroom with important things to say.
10 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