Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, August 17, 2019

This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007


This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... 

 The latest news and resources in education since 2007





Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. . Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learn

YESTERDAY

Video: “A 15 Year Old Hong Kong Student Talks About What Protests Mean for Her and Her Future”
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay I’m adding this new video from Voice of America to The Best Resources Sharing The History Of Teens Organizing For Justice :
A Look Back: We Need To Talk More About Schools As Mediating Institutions
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2018. During my nineteen year career as a community organizer, we spent a lot of time talking about religious congregations, labor unions, neighborhood organizations and schools as “mediating institutions” (page 699). These are groups that “mediate” between individua
Two New & Incredibly Useful Lesson Collections For Teaching About American Slavery
Earlier this week, I posted about the amazing interactive published by The New York Times recognizing the introduction of enslaved Africans to America (see Amazing NY Times Project On The 400th Anniversary Of The Beginning Of Slavery In America ). The Pulitzer Center has now announced an accompanying set of lesson plans to the Times project. Check out The 1619 Project Curriculum . At the same tim
Have Students Transcribe Correspondence Between 19th Century Anti-Slavery Activists
Quite a few institutions are “crowdsourcing” historical documents so that the public can help transcribe them – thereby making them searchable and readable. You can see a list of them at The Best Sites Where Students Can Transcribe Historical Texts . Now, the Boston Library is “getting into the act” by inviting the public’s help in transcribing “Antislavery Manuscripts” – correspondence between a

AUG 15

Pins Of The Week
I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 19,000 resources there that I haven’t shared on this blog. I thought readers might find it useful if I began sharing a handful of my most recent “pins” each week (I’m not sure if you can see them through an RSS Reader – you might have to click through to the original post). You might also be interested in My Seven Most Popular Pins In 2018
A Look Back: Leading With Inquiry, Not Judgment
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2018. mohamed_hassan / Pixabay Earlier this summer, I was asked to share advice to the over two hundred students entering the Sacramento State University teacher credentialing program. I shared one thing: Use inquiry, not judgment. I told them that they might very we
The Best Resources For Learning How To Promote A Sense Of “Belonging” At School
johnhain / Pixabay A fair amount of research has been coming out highlighting the importance of students feeling a sense of “belonging” at school, and I’ve previously shared quite a bit of it. Today, Ed Week wrote about yet another piece of research (see Students Who Feel They Belong Are Less Likely to Bully, Study Finds ) and I decided it was finally time to create a related “Best” list. I’m add
Google Makes Another Big Announcement Unveiling Updated “Socratic” App To Help Students With…Just About Everything
Less than twenty-four hours after unveiling two major new tools to help teachers and students (see GOOGLE UNVEILS TWO BIG TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS: “ASSIGNMENTS” & “ORIGINALITY REPORTS” ), Google announced yet another one. They gave Socratic , an app they had bought, a big Artificial Intelligence upgrade, and it sounds like it can do a lot (read more at Google’s post, When students get stuck, Socratic c
Labor Day Is Coming Up – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources
Labor Day is coming up soon. You might be interested in The Best Websites For Learning About Labor Day .

AUG 14

Ed Tech Digest
Six years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in THE BEST ED TECH RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . You might also w
“What Is the Funniest Thing That Has Ever Happened in Your Classroom?”
What Is the Funniest Thing That Has Ever Happened in Your Classroom? is the new question-of-the-week at my Ed Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave responses in the comments section there or here…
A Look Back: We Should Be Obsessed With Racial Equity
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2017. I have often shared links to Education Week posts by Walt Gardner in this blog. His pieces are short, to-the-point, and often, in my opinion, right on target. However, I have to say that I was shocked and appalled by his latest post, The ‘Racial Equity’ Obsessi
Video: “A Hidden Life” Might Be A Movie Worth Watching By Students & Teachers
ulleo / Pixabay “A Hidden Life” opens in theaters in December. Here is how it’s described: Based on real events, from visionary writer-director Terrence Malick, A HIDDEN LIFE is the story of an unsung hero, Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his l
August 15th Is India’s Independence Day – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay India Independence Day is on August 15th. You might be interested in The Best Sites For Learning About India .
Most Popular Posts Of The Week
I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFT
Google Unveils Two Big Tools For Schools: “Assignments” & “Originality Reports”
377053 / Pixabay Google made two big announcements today. I don’t think I can give an accurate description of Assignments, which is why I’ll just link to some other articles and embed a video about it below. It seems to me possibly like a way to assign and grade work if you don’t want to go through the trouble of creating a Google Classroom (it connects to your Google Drive and Docs) but, again,
“Q&A Collections: Writing Instruction”
Q&A Collections: Writing Instruction is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Writing Instruction (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this compilation post. Here’s an excerpt from one of them:

AUG 13

A Look Back: KQED Interviews Me About Saul Alinsky & His Connection To Teaching
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2016. Two days after Ben Carson suggested that Saul Alinsky was, and Hillary Clinton is, a devil worshiper , the KQED Mindshift blog published an interview with me about how I apply his work in the classroom. Check out Books Teachers Share: Larry Ferlazzo and Rules f
“Author Interview: ‘Working Hard, Working Happy'”
Author Interview: ‘Working Hard, Working Happy’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, 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.” Here are some excerpts:
Amazing NY Times Project On The 400th Anniversary Of The Beginning Of Slavery In America
KlausHausmann / Pixabay The 1619 Project from The NY Times is edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, and is an amazing interactive: The 1619 Project is a major initiative from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history, understanding 1619 as our true founding, and placing the consequences of slavery and the contributio

AUG 12

Video: “What Will Happen If The Big One Hits The West Coast”
Angelo_Giordano / Pixabay I’m adding this new video from Science Insider to The Best Sites For Learning About Earthquakes :
Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week
Each week, I publish a post or two containing three or four particularly useful resources on classroom instruction, and you can see them all here. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES ON CLASS INSTRUCTION IN 2019 – PART ONE. Here are this week’s picks: Tips for ‘Floating’ Teachers: How to Survive Without a Classroom of Your Own is from Ed Week. Getting to Know Our Students is by Ric
A Look Back: Animated Video I’ve Done With Ed Week: “What Is ‘Transfer of Learning’ and How Does It Help Students?”
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2017. You can see other videos, including a series Katie Hull and I did on differentiated instruction, here . Look for a series on student motivation appeared on the Ed Week site in the fall. In preparation for a series I did for them, I worked with Education Week to
PBS Video Segment: “Trump administration seeks to penalize immigrants for using public benefits”
Free-Photos / Pixabay In yet another attack on immigrants, the Trump administration announced today penalties against documented immigrants if they utilize public benefits they are legally entitled to… And, if teachers don’t think this will affect us and our students, check out this tweet: Real world impact of the public charge regulation from today: multiple clients calling my office today to as
‘School Library Programs Should Be the Heart of School’
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Rita Platt, Penny Sweeney, and Ann Neary provide their thoughts on collaboration ideas for teachers and school librarians. Here are some excerpts:

AUG 11

Very Interesting Video: “How To Stay Motivated – The Locus Rule”
geralt / Pixabay This new animated video is pretty intriguing. Though it doesn’t really use the term “growth mindset,” it talks about the concept using a slightly different perspective using research on “the locus of control.” It basically means that by praising effort instead of natural ability, motivation is increased because it is within the person’s control. Obviously, not everything is withi
SEL Weekly Update
I’ve recently begun this weekly post where I’ll be sharing resources I’m adding to The Best Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources or other related “Best” lists. You might also be interested in THE BEST SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE Finally, check out “Best” Lists Of The Week: Social Emotional Learning Resources . Here are this week’s picks: Extrinsic Motivation: It Mi
A Look Back: “Irritation Vs. Agitation”
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2013. Daniel Pink interviewed me, and my wife, for one of his books. I thought readers might find this reflection useful as it connects my community organizing career with teaching:
This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Useful Posts & Articles On Ed Policy Issues
Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in THE BEST ARTICLES, VIDEOS & POSTS ON EDUCATION POLICY IN 2019 – PART ONE ): Chicago teachers are threatening to strike against new Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Here’s why. is from Salon. Charter schools in some cities enroll few students mid-year. Here’s why that matters. is from Chalkbeat. I’m a
Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL
BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. . Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learn
‘Just as School Libraries Have Changed, So Have School Librarians’
is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Teresa Diaz, Bud Hunt, Marci K. Harvey, Jennifer Orr, and Jen Schwanke offer their suggestions about how teachers and librarians can work best together. Here are some excerpts:
New Resources On Race & Racism
I’m adding these new resources to various “Best” lists. You can find links to all of those many lists that relate to race and racism at “Best” Lists Of The Week: Resources For Teaching & Learning About Race & Racism: You don’t want to miss this interview with Gloria Ladson Billings that appeared in The 74. Here’s an excerpt: I’m adding it to The Best Resources About “Culturally Responsive Teachin
The Hajj Began On Friday – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources
Konevi / Pixabay Millions of Muslims make the annual pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. This year, it began on Friday and will continue to Wednesday. You might be interested in The Best Sites To Learn And Teach About The Hajj .
A Look Back: Ways A Mainstream Teacher Can Support An ELL Newcomer In Class
I thought the summer might be a good time to re-share posts from My All-Time Favorite Posts! list… This post originally appeared in 2016. In addition to teaching full-time in high school during the day, I’m on the adjunct faculty in the teacher education programs at California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. I’m finding an important question keeps on cropping
Eid al-Adha Takes Place This Weekend – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources
adjieargoputra / Pixabay On August 10th, 2019, Muslims around the world begin celebrating Eid al-Adha, or “Festival of Sacrifice.” You might be interested in The Best Online Resources For Learning About Eid al-Adha .

AUG 10

Fascinating Video: “Laser Pointers and Traffic Cones: Creative Ways Hong Kong Protesters Are Organizing”
succo / Pixabay I’m adding this New York Times video (and the tweet following it) to The Best Sites For Learning About Protests In History: They're also using Roman Shield tactics: pic.twitter.com/TF4wY0rOGG — Matt Austin (@Matt_Austin86) August 1, 2019
Guest Post: “The Welcome Back to School Letter I Wish I had Received”
This is a guest post by Victoria Trujillo Onodera. Victoria Trujillo Onodera is a Culturally Responsive Education Coach, educator, and teacher leader with over 25 years of classroom and instructional coaching experience. When the Welcome Back to School letter pops up on my email, I am not surprised. As an educator and as a parent, I know the routine. Yet, nothing about this year feels routine. As
Two Useful Historical Visualizations Of U.S. Population Patterns
OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay I’m adding these two videos, both which are based on U.S. Census data, to The Best Websites For Teaching & Learning About U.S. History : [OC] US City Populations 1790-2018 from r/dataisbeautiful
“Q&A Collections: Reading Instruction”
Q&A Collections: Reading Instruction is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. All Classroom Q&A posts offering advice on Reading Instruction (from the past eight years!) are described and linked to in this 




Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007