A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond Knowledge and Insight for Brave Teachers

Part I: You're as Ready as Anyone Has Ever Been  1. Why Bother  2. Shuck the False Notions  3. Teenagers Are Teenagers  Part II: Getting Your Groove  4. Develop Your Brand  5. You've Kind of Got to Love Kids  6. And Get to Know Your Students  7. It's All About Them Always  8. Be a Presence in Their Lives  9. Some Focus on Fairness  10. Empowerment is Power  Part III: Win Win  11. Modest Goals and a Vision of the Long Term  12. Bring the Passion  13. Nice Is Not Weak  14. Fun Is the Goal, Always  15. Plan to be Spontaneous  16. Create Authenticity  17. Manageable Differentiation  18. Success is the Means and the End  19. Noise  20. What They Call Classroom Management  21. We Are All Beginners  Part IV: All in for the Kids and Ourselves   22. Dispatching Demands and Weathering Fads  23. Try to Be an Ally with Admins  25. Try Being a Partner with Parents  25. Protecting Kids from Travesty of Test Mania  26. Don't EVER Lose Your Sense of Humor  27. Change Is the Constant  28. Teaching through the Learning Tools of Evasion and Distraction  29. Sanity First, Martyrdom Is Overrated  30. Don't Let Heartbreak Bury You  31. Give and Get Support  32. Keep Pushing for Systemic Change

Biography

Larry Strauss has taught thousands of children in South Los Angeles since the early 1990s and has mentored dozens of new and struggling teachers since the early 2000s. A National Board Certified teacher since 2003, he created an AP program and an athletic program at his school and saw both programs blossom—and coached an LA City basketball championship team whose coaching staff included the captain of the school’s very first basketball team 23 years earlier. In his youth, he was a New York subway graffiti writer, a stand-up comic, a disco bouncer, and, for two seasons, a writer on the first-generation Transformers cartoon. Bluesky Handle: @Lstrauss

"As a former student of Mr. Strauss, I can attest to his profound impact on those fortunate enough to cross his path. His classroom was more than a place to learn; it was a space to grow, laugh, and be seen. A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond captures the heart of the educator I remember—unwavering in his belief in students, honest in his humor, and generous in sharing his wisdom. This book is a gift to anyone in education or considering the journey. Strauss didn’t just teach English; he taught life, and these pages reflect the legacy of a teacher who truly cared."

Emerald Woodland, Arizona State University Professor of Educational Leadership

"A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond" is a must-read for anyone considering a career in education. This book offers the optimism, joy, and love that can make teaching sustainable, and the wisdom of life lessons to help teachers become positive catalysts in the lives of young people. It is essential reading for anyone looking to gain deeper insight about educating the next generation."

Dr. Patrick Jones, Senior VP, The Mind Trust; Former Strauss Student

"Larry Strauss helped me immensely through my first few years teaching, and now speaks to a generation of other teachers trying to grasp the realities of classrooms in the post-COVID-19 era. He masterfully captures what makes education an arduous yet ultimately rewarding endeavor. This book offers an honest and authentic account of what it means to be an educator and will be the reason why someone becomes or remains a teacher, a role that is more necessary now than ever."

Elias Gonzalez, L.A. Public School Teacher of Ten Years