Born in the Bronx, NY, Larry grew up in NYC and New England as a child. After a brief stint in California where he started the first grade, his family settled once again in NY when his father retired from the navy. He didn’t play an instrument while young, and only picked up the guitar to play with friends while in college. He played a bit in his 20's and then as family and career took over his life he pretty much gave up playing, picking up a guitar every few months only to put it away again. He spent over forty years teaching, writing and publishing, editing, and consulting, loving music all the while, though still not playing very much. 

Then nearing retirement, he thought he’d give the guitar another go.  He bought a Martin D-18, still his favorite guitar, and began playing. (He now has more guitars than he needs, he says, and adds that they all deserve better players.) Because his playing skills were limited and he never sang, he had never learned many songs all the way through. So Larry thought he’d try his hand at writing songs—songs that he could play and sing, songs that he could handle, as it were. When he had a couple completed, he went to the Rhinebeck School of Music in the Hudson Valley not far from where he now lives, for guidance and to try them out on Karl Allweier, renowned guitarist and teacher. Encouraged by Karl, he then played at some open mics, and to his delight, people liked his songs, mentioning for comparison such singers and songwriters as John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Greg Brown, Mary Gauthier, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, and Townes Van Zandt. (Larry’s ready to admit that Prine and Townes are conscious influences.)  

Further encouraged, he thought he would record some of his songs, and began working through the Rhinebeck School with John Ross of the band Wild Pink. In 2002 he finished Some of What I Heard, an album of eleven of Larry's own songs and one cover ("Across the Borderline," by Ry Cooder), recorded, mixed, and produced by John, with Larry on guitar and vocals and additional fabulous musicians on most of the tracks. He followed that the next year with Where the Heron Hides, an album with ten new original songs and one cover ("Across the Great Divide," by Kate Wolf), also recorded, mixed, and produced by John Ross. Larry and John are wrapping up what will be his third album, tentatively titled All the Horses of the Sea, which they hope will be released in the fall 0f 2026.

With his wife Mary, teacher and poet, Larry splits his time between NYC and the Hudson Valley, where he lives close to his children and grandchildren. 

Some of his previous work

Books

Articles

         Teaching Non-Fiction in AP* English. Co-author. NY, Bedford /St. Martin’s, 2005. (2nd ed. 2011.) 

  • “Questioning Technology: One Teacher’s Polemic.” The English Record, New York State English Council, 2004.
  • “Celebrating Writing through Process, Presentation, and Publication.” The English Record, 1998. 

 

Teaching Career

  • Brewster High School, Brewster, NY, 1977 to 2007: Teacher of English, Writing, and Humanities.
  • College Board Consultant in English Language and Literature, 1995 to 2019.
  • Iona College, New Rochelle, NY, Adjunct Instructor in English, 2008- 2017.
  • Member, Advanced Placement Test Development Committee for English Language and Composition, 2005-2009 (four- year appointment).
  • Question Leader for the AP English Language and Composition Exam, 2005 to 2008 (four-year appointment).

 

Summer Institute Instructor

  • Pacific Northwest AP Institute. English Language and Composition. Bellevue, Washington, 2001 to present
  • Camden County College APSI. English Language and Composition, Camden, NJ, 2019. 
  •  Fordham University, New York, NY. English Literature and Composition, 2017.
  •  West Vancouver AP Summer Institute. English Language and Pre-AP English. British Columbia, Canada, 2011 and 2016.
  • Ocean County College AP Institute. English Language and Composition. Toms River, NJ, 2009 to present.
  • Southern California APSI. English Language and Composition. Palos Verdes, CA, 2014.
  • Middle East AP Summer Institute. English Language and Pre-AP English. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013. 
  • Cherry Creek AP Summer Institute. English Language and Composition. Denver, Colorado, 2012 to 2015.
  • Saipan AP Summer Institute. English Language and Composition. Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, 2011.
  • AP BY the Sea APSI. English Language and Composition. San Diego, California, 2011 to 2013.
  • New York State United Teachers / College Board. English Language and Literature. Albany, NY, 2011.
  • Hawaii International AP Institute. English Language and Composition. Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI, 2008.
  • Molloy College AP Institute. English Literature and Composition. Farmingdale, NY, 2008.
  • Manhattan College AP Institute. English Language and Composition. Riverdale, NY, 2001-08.
  • La Salle University AP Institute. English Language and Composition, Philadelphia, PA, 1999 to 2007, and 2009-2010.
  • Wilkes University AP Institute. English Literature and Composition. Wilkes-Barre, PA, 2004.
  • SUNY Stony Brook AP Institute. English Language and Composition. Stony Brook, NY, 2004.
  • New York State United Teachers / College Board. Content and Methods in AP English Literature. Albany, NY, 2001.
  • University of the Virgin Islands AP Summer Institute. English Language and Composition. St. Croix, USVI, 2001.
  • Galludet University APSI. Literature and Composition. Washington D.C, 1998 and 1999.

 

 

Consultant at High Schools, Professional Organizations, and Teacher Groups

 

  • Consultant to Manhasset HS English Department, Manhasset, NY. 2008, 2018, 2019.
  • Consultant to Basking Ridge HS, Basking Ridge, NJ. 2019
  • Consultant for English Literature, Massachusetts Insight, Marlborough, MA. October 2016.
  • Consultant in Rhetoric in English, Social Studies, and Science to Red Bank High School, Red Bank, NJ, September 2016.
  • Keynote Speaker for the Long Island Language Arts Council Winter Luncheon, 2003 and 2014.
  • Consultant to Herricks School District, New Hyde Park, NY. 2013-2014.
  • Consultant to Chicago, IL Public Schools. English Literature and Composition Webinar. October 2013.
  • Consultant to the Blue Valley School District in Blue Valley, Kansas, October, 2013.
  • Consultant to the A+ College Ready Program, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, October, 2013.
  • Consultant to the Plano Independent School District in English, Plano, Texas, February 2013.
  • Consultant to Project Opening Doors for English Literature, Hartford, CT, January 2013.
  • Consultant to Massachusetts Math & Science Initiative on English Literature, Boston, October, 2012.
  • Consultant to National Math and Science Initiative, Honolulu, HI, January 2012.
  • Consultant to Clarkstown Central School District, New City, NY, 2011-12 & 2012-13.
  • Consultant to Charles County Public Schools, Charles County, MD, March 2011.
  • Consultant to Bucks County Schools, Bucks County, PA, January 2011.
  • Consultant to Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math & Science, Little Rock, AR, November 2010.
  • Guest Speaker at NYC Association of Assistant Principals Supervision-English, New York, NY, October 2010.
  • Presenter to Houston teachers of English, Houston, TX, August 2010.
  • Consultant to Glen Cove High School, Glen Cove, NY, Spring 2010.
  • Presenter at the Georgia Council of Teachers of English, Pine Mt., GA, February, 2010.
  • Presenter at the Texas Council of Teachers of ELA, Austin, TX, January 2010.
  • Consultant to Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ, November 2009.
  • Consultant to Project Opening Doors Advanced Placement Conference, Rocky Hill, CT, October 2009.
  • Consultant to the Schenectady School District, Schenectady, NY, March 2009.
  • Consultant to the Manhasset School District, Manhasset, NY, November 2008.
  • REACH Program: Training for Teachers, Baruch College, NY, 2008 & 2011.
  • REACH Program for Students, Baruch College, New York, NY, 2008 to present.
  • Presenter on Rhetoric for High School Teachers, Maine Department of Education, January 2008.
  • Consultant to Floral Park Memorial High School, Floral Park, NY, 2007.
  • Presenter at the National Council of Teachers of English Convention, 2000, 2007, 2009, and 2010.
  • Instructor at the West Babylon Summer Academy, West Babylon School District, NY, 2006.
  • Consultant to St. Mary’s Ryken High School, Leonardtown, MD, 2006.
  • Consultant to the Mt. Pleasant School District, Westlake, NY, 2005-2006.
  • Consultant to the Jericho School District, Jericho, NY, 2005.
  • Presenter for the Northern Westchester / Putnam Teacher Center, 2002 to 2005.
  • Presenter for the Long Island Language Arts Council, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2013.
  • Consultant to Valley Stream Central Schools, Valley Stream, NY 2003.
  • Presenter at the Hudson Valley Writing Project, New Paltz, NY 1999-2000.
  • Consultant to Kingston High School, Kingston, NY, 1999-2000.
  • Consultant to Bronxville High School, Bronxville, NY, 1999-2000.
  • Annual presenter since 1996 at the New York State English Conference, Albany, NY 
  • Reader for the AP English Language and Composition Exam, 1995 to 2000.
  • Table Leader for the AP Language and Composition Exam, 2001 to 2004 and 2010 to present.
  • Workshop Leader in AP English Language & Composition and AP English Literature and Composition, 1995 to present.
  • Leader, AP English Literature Workshop for Students, SUNY Stony Brook, 1999.
  • Building Success Workshop Leader, NY, Maryland, and Alabama.
  • Syllabus Committee Member, NYSUT/College Board Partnership Course: Teaching Advanced Placement English, March, 2000.
  • Trainer of Instructors for NYSUT / College Board Partnership Course, July 2000.
  • Presenter at Middle States Region AP Specialty Conferences in English, Social Studies, and the Humanities, 1998, 2001, 2003.
  • Member of College Board Passage Review Committee, American Institute for Research, Washington, D.C. 2003.
  • Member of PSAT/NMSQT Verbal Skills Review Panel for ETS, 2003.
  • Presenter of sessions and workshops at AP National Conference in Los Angeles, July 2003, Houston 2005, Las Vegas 2007, San Antonio 2009,   Washington, D.C., 2010, and San Francisco, 2011.
  • College Board National Leader Consultant, 2005 to 2019.
  • College Board Mentor in AP Language and Composition, High School for the Arts and Business, Corona, Queens, NY, 2005.
  • Presenter of Full Day English Language and Composition Session at AP National Forum in New York, October 2005.
  • Presenter of College Board Online Event on the Changes to the AP Language and Composition Exam, April 19 2006, 
  • Presenter for the College Board at the Writing Program Administrators Annual Conference, Chattanooga, TN, July 2006.
  • Presenter, College Board Consultant Training at the AP English Language and Composition Reading, June, 2006.
  •  

International Teaching

 

  • Instructor in AP English Literature and Composition for teachers of English, Saskatoon Catholic School District, Saskatoon, Canada, October, 2017.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition for teachers of English. Tri-Association Conference, Guadalajara, Mexico, October, 2016.
  • Instructor in AP English Literature and Composition and Pre-AP English, West Vancouver AP Summer Institute, British Columbia, Canada, 2011.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition for teachers of English in East Asia. Shanghai, China, March 2014.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition for teachers of English in East Asia. Tokyo, Japan, October 2014.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and Pre-AP English for teachers in Middle Eastern Schools, Middle East AP Summer Institute, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2013.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and Pre-AP English, West Vancouver AP Summer Institute, British Columbia, Canada, 2011.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition, Saipan AP Summer Institute, Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands, 2011.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition for teachers of English in South America, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March, 2010.
  • Instructor in AP English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition for teachers of English in Eastern European Schools, Krakow, Poland, November, 2008.
  • Instructor in English Language and Composition at Hawaii International AP Institute, Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, HI, July 2008.
  • Instructor in English Language and Composition for the Association of American Schools of South America, Asuncion, Paraguay, November 2006.
  • Instructor in English Language and Composition for the College Board for the European Council of International Schools, The Hague, Netherlands, November 2005.