ÌÇÐ͝Âþvlog

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 Profession Opinion

Q&A Collections: Entering the Teaching Profession

By Larry Ferlazzo — August 09, 2021 2 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

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

Today’s theme is entering the teaching profession. You can see the list of posts following this excerpt from one of them:

anyonewhowants

Alex Kajitani, Brianna Burnette, Dawn Mitchell, Tina H. Boogren, Ann Traynor, Carol Pelletier Radford, Ron Nash, and Melissa Jackson contribute their ideas on how to get a new teaching job.

Beth Gotcher, Jen Schwanke, Tamera Musiowsky, Richard Gerver, Otis Kriegel, Elaine Miles, and Cindy Terebush share their job-search suggestions for new teachers.

Marquitta Mitchell, Luis Javier Pentón Herrera, Susan Lafond, Julia Thompson, Joe Mullikin, and Sean Ruday offer ideas on how people can obtain their first teaching job.

*

Valerie Ruckes, Sanée Bell, PJ Caposey, Candace Hines, Mary Cathryn D. Ricker, and Rinard Pugh share recommendations on how to get your first teaching job.

Gladis Kersaint, Denisse R. Thompson, Jeri Asaro, Val Brown, Pia Wong, Megan Allen, and Anne Jenks share their advice with those considering a midcareer change into the teaching profession.

Jenny Grant Rankin, Marcy Webb, Otis Kriegel, Peter P. Leibman, and Karla St. John contribute their thoughts on people considering making a midcareer change into the teaching profession. I’ve also included several comments from readers.

This final post in the series features what I think is a particularly interesting combination—a guest response from Ted Appel, the principal of the inner-city school where I teach, who describes the innovative requirements he insisted upon if a university was interested in placing student-teachers with us; followed by a commentary from Pia Lindquist Wong, the director of a university teaching-credentials program, who found that her ideas dovetailed with those of Ted’s. The two then developed a partnership.

Emily Geltz, Linda Rief, Carol Ann Tomlinson, Jessica Bennett, and Jane Fung contribute to this post.

Michael Opitz and Michael Ford; PJ Caposey; Patty O’Grady; and Sally Zepeda all share their advice for student-teachers and their supervisors.

High school Principal Eric Sheninger, middle school Principal Pete Hall, and Superintendent Pamela Moran share their advice.

Related Tags:

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
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Managing AI in Schools: Practical Strategies for Districts
How should districts govern AI in schools? Learn practical strategies for policies, safety, transparency, as well as responsible adoption.
Content provided by 
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 
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.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Teaching Profession Teachers Say Student Behavior Has Made the Job (Almost) Impossible
Teachers say their morale is affected when student misbehavior is on the rise.
3 min read
swingspaces pgk 38
A sign reminds students about classroom norms at an elementary school on Aug. 15, 2025 in Bowie, Md. Many teachers in a recent Education Week survey said student behavior was a top problem—and affected their morale.
Pete Kiehart for Education Week
Teaching Profession 'Treated as a Professional': How District and School Leaders Can Boost Teacher Morale
California ÌÇÐ͝Âþvlog talked about the support they need at an event hosted by Education Week and EdSource.
5 min read
tk
From left, Alicia Simba, a transitional kindergarten teacher; Eric Lewis, a science teacher; Vito Chiala, a principal; Chris Hoffman, a school superintendent; and moderator Diana Lambert of EdSource appear on a panel during the State of Teaching discussion in San Francisco on March 19, 2026. The administrators and classroom ÌÇÐ͝Âþvlog spoke of what it takes to boost teacher morale.
Andrew Reed/EdSource
Teaching Profession Data From 50 States: Teachers on Class Sizes, Improving Morale, and How Salaries Stack Up
Teachers across the states report that they make a significant amount beyond what they earn teaching.
1 min read
Allyson Maldonado, a New Teacher Support Coach, brainstorms during New Teacher Support Coaches Professional Learning session on November 7, 2025 at Center for Professional Development in Fresno. California.
Allyson Maldonado, a New Teacher Support Coach, brainstorms during New Teacher Support Coaches Professional Learning session on November 7, 2025 at Center for Professional Development in Fresno. California.
Andri Tambunan for Education Week
Teaching Profession Data From 50 States: Teachers' Views of How the Profession Is Seen—And Their Own Career Plans
Most believe the public views teaching negatively, and many say they plan to work in other fields.
1 min read
A look at the state of teaching in Fresno, Calif.
A look at the state of teaching in Fresno, Calif.
Andri Tambunan for Education Week