Later this summer, I’ll begin writing a once-a-week blog/column for Education Week Teacher. It will be a “Dear Abby”- like column (without the melodrama 🙂 ) where educators can ask questions about K-12 classroom management, ELL instruction, professional development, instructional strategies, school reform and any other challenges facing teachers in their professional lives.
I’ll be providing answers, as well as colleagues I invite from around the world and readers of the blog/column. Unlike some in the education world, I’ll be reluctant to prescribe solutions on topics that I know little or nothing about and, instead, will often be relying on other educators to share their thoughts and experiences.
We’re still working out the logistics of it all at the Ed Week site but, for now, it would be great if you can contribute questions by either leaving them in the comments section of this post or sending them to me through my contact form.
When you send in your question, let me know if I can use your real name or if you prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind — if I end up publishing it.
Thanks!
I’ll let you know when the date is set for it to go “live” at Ed Week Teacher.
Dear Larry,
I hope you can settle a bet between me and my wife. Whenever my in-laws come over, it seems like … oh, wait… teaching?
But seriously – congratulations and well done!
Congrats Larry! Well-deserved. Here’s a question for you: How do we avoid the “carrot and stick” type of psuedo-motivation many College of Ed graduates have?
Perhaps even more important would be how can we “motivate” the unmotivated to learn something new?
smiles, cyndy
Dear Larry,
Congratulations! It is great to see that what you’ve been for our international community will have even wider reach!
Here’s my question: how do teachers make informed decisions in relation to a balanced use of technology in the classroom? Where can new teachers become better informed about best practices for technology use in the classroom without becoming overwhelmed and discouraged by the overload of information?
Let us know when you get started.
Beijos de Brasilia.
Here is a pretty basic question but one I’m having problems with in both my adult and student classes, how do you teach people to LISTEN better? Everyone seems to want very individualized instructions. They don’t listen to any of the instructions and then the minute they have a problem with the assignment they want me to explain it all over again to them personally. It seems to be almost every teachers number one problem, how to teach listening skills (or is it really short term memory skills?).
(also have you seen this web site…I’m learning Mandarin here, very motivating: http://www.memrise.com)
Larry, I always have felt that this type of teacher and/or principal column would be very helpful and reach a wide readership.
I’d like to recommend Shelly Terrell @ShellTerrell and @TheConsultantsE. She might be interested in writing a guest column. She’s very articulate, “passion driven,” always looking toward the future but with her feet on the ground. She’s quite an Educator with a capital E! Shelly’s enthusiasm is contagious.
Her http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/ is one of her many projects. Check it out!
Good luck with your new column,
Richard Lakin
Ed Week: Moving in the Right Direction. Glad to know you’ll be there–welcome. And it’s only one more thing for you to do.