Book Recommendations

What are our BEST teachers reading?  These are the book recommendations from this year’s Teacher of the Year Semi-finalists!

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris is a phenomenal book that encourages young students to rise above the norms set by our society and to do hard things. Although the book is geared towards teenagers, I felt that as an educator, it applies to any teacher with any age group of children. It is a book that inspired me as a teacher, to make sure I rise above the normal expectations and set a tone for my students that encourages them to stand up for what is right, be a risk-taker, and make a difference in their generation.

Crystal Taylor, Hyde Grove Elementary

A treasured text I reference for both my Amnesty International Club as well as my AP Language and Composition class is Citizens of the World: Readings in Human Rights published by the Great Books Foundation. This anthology is so valuable in these times of increasing globalization and often volatile international issues. It includes speeches, essays and articles from Nadine Gordimer, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Ji-li Jiang, just to name a few.

Melanie Manuel-Webb, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

An inspirational and eye-opening read, The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Teacher and 150 Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them by the Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell chronicles a high school teacher at an inner city school in California. Aghast after learning that most of her students had never heard of the Holocaust, she introduces them to Ann Frank and Zlata Filopvic (from Sarajevo). These readings inspired her students to write about the violence and poverty in their lives. By the end of their year, most students were getting better grades, staying in school and going on field trips to the Holocaust museum. Many continued on to college, ending the cycle of abuse and gang-warfare that surrounded them.

Melanie Manuel-Webb, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

Arts with the Brain in Mind by Eric Jensen is a great resource that explains how the arts are needed in education, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because it boosts brain development.  This books is a very enjoyable read and is full of great ideas for the modern day classroom.

Staci K. Pendry, John E. Ford K-8 School

One of the best books I have read recently is not a professional book, but rather a children’s book.  Ish by Peter H Reynolds is a beautiful story that relates the importance of how to speak to a child.  It tells how Ish’s love of art and imagination is crushed with a few harsh words spoken by someone he looked up to.  Read it while listening to the song Cristofori’s Dream by David Lantz.  I guarantee it will make an impact.

Staci K. Pendry, John E. Ford K-8 School

“The keys to improved academic achievement were the professional practices of teachers and leaders, not the economic, ethnic, or linguistic characteristics of the children.” Douglas B. Reeves is the author of Accountability for Learning: How Teachers and School Leaders Can Take Charge. In education today one of the main topics is accountability.  This book discusses the modern day keys in education with ideas on accountability for the teacher, administrators and district personnel. 

Staci K. Pendry, John E. Ford K-8 School

The faculty at every secondary school ought to be encouraged to participate in a book study of  Creating Literacy-Rich Schools for Adolescents by Gay Ivey and Douglas Fisher.  These two literacy experts advocate the school-wide adoption of a few transportable and transparent literacy strategies.  The book describes the learning gains that Herbert Hoover High School, an urban school in San Diego, achieved by focusing on seven literacy strategies.  Anticipatory activities, read-alouds, and graphic organizers are three of the strategies this school chose to implement.  Ivey and Fisher explain a wide range of strategies and stress that each school should choose only a few.  Providing ongoing teacher training in the use of the selected strategies is also required for successful implementation of this literacy plan.  Reading coaches, this book is a great tool for providing the type of teacher training that will enhance teaching and learning at your school.

Margie Nolan, First Coach High School

The Essential 55 by Ron Clark is one of my favorite books.  I recommend it to all of the new teachers I mentor because it had a significant impact on me as a new teacher and has continued to impact the tone of my classes each year.  It inspired me to make personal relationships with all of my students and never assume children automatically know what is expected of them. 

Rebecca Couch, Baldwin Middle High School

I thoroughly enjoyed the book Outlearning the Wolves: Surviving and Thriving In a Learning Organization by David Hutchens. The book provides an interesting vantage point about searching for a common solution when people learn differently.  It references a metaphor about a flock of sheep that slowly disappear due to a group of hungry wolves. In order to implement systemic change, the sheep had to come together to find a way to stop the wolves. The sheep shared, accepted and implemented different ideas along the way to achieve the common goal of surviving the wolves. This is something teachers face on a daily basis as they meet the needs of each individual child. Teachers use different strategies to address the different learning styles and levels of cognitive abilities to achieve the highest level of success for each child. This book is a great resource for both first year and seasoned teachers.

John Garman, Matthew Gilbert Middle School

In her latest book, Teaching with Intention: Defining Beliefs, Aligning Practice, Taking Action K-5 Debbie Miller stresses defining your own beliefs about teaching. Once you have your own philosophy of teaching and learning, it is time to align them with your classroom practices. Miller discusses in depth the importance of the physical environment of your classroom as well as creating classroom cultures that support and promote student thinking. She shows how to design lessons based on the principles and practices you believe in. Never underestimate the power of reflection on your teaching!

Alice Smith, Henry Kite Elementary

Also recommended by Amy Bright, West Jacksonville Elementary

Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children’s Learning grew from Peter Johnston’s interest in how teachers’ use of language might explain their students’ success in becoming literate. He gives specific examples and phrasings to use to build healthy learning communities. He states, “Through language, children learn how to become strategic thinkers, not merely how to use literacy strategies.” If you want to become more conscious of the ways your language affects children acquire literacy skills and view their world, this book is for you!

Alice Smith, Henry Kite Elementary

My first year of teaching I was involved in a book study.  We read the book On Solid Ground:  Strategies for Teaching Reading K-3 by Sharon Taberski.  As a new kindergarten teacher, this helped me to realize the importance of laying the foundation for beginning readers and gave me several strategies and skills I could utilize with my class.  These are strategies and skills I have used every year since.

Jessica Bush, Greenfield Elementary

I recently finished reading the book Differentiating Instruction in Kindergarten by Cindy Middendorf.  Kindergartners today come to our classrooms with varied background experiences.  Some have been to a Pre-K program and some have never held a pencil.  I believe it is important to meet students where they are and this book gave me many great ideas to help do this.

Jessica Bush, Greenfield Elementary

Dr. Myles Munroe's The Principles and Power of Vision - Keys to Achieving Personal and Corporate Destiny states, "Nothing noble or noteworthy on earth was ever done without vision. Vision is the source of personal and corporate discipline. It is the prerequisite for passion and the source of persistence. Vision is persistent and unselfish. This book focuses the reader on true, deep reflection that results in setting concrete, attainable short and long term goals. I believe he sums it up best by saying, "We make to do lists and shopping lists but few of us make lists of what we want to do with our lives." It's time we as a society reassess our priority list. I believe our children should be at the top of that list. I have answered the call of my heart. That's why I teach.

Diane Brown-Smith, Itinerant Physical Education

In his book, The Art and Science of Teaching, Robert Marzano presents a research-based framework for effective instruction that teachers can use to examine their own pedagogy. This framework includes three general characteristics of effective teaching: effective instructional strategies, classroom management strategies, and effective classroom curriculum design. At the same time, Marzano stresses the importance of remembering that “educational research is not a blunt instrument that shatters all doubt about best practice. Rather it provides general direction that must be interpreted by districts, schools, and teachers in terms of their unique circumstances.” 

I highly recommend this book to all teachers!

Ruby M. Hayes, Twin Lakes Academy

When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do by Kylene Beers is a reference I return to time and time again because it offers learning strategies to assist the struggling intermediate level reader.  Her book provides suggestions to improve skills, attitude and confidence of the reader during prereading, while reading and after reading.  To capture students’ interest Beers prescribes a “Tea Party”; a“Say Something” to stimulate thinking, and “Somebody, Wanted, But, So” to assist in summarizing.  For an educator who wishes to fill their medicine chest with a variety of prescriptions for success I recommend this book.

Maggie Kundert, Chaffee Trail Elementary

This is one of the books that have helped me improve my instruction the most. We are always told to differentiate instruction, but very few times are told how. Carol Ann Tomlinson’s book How to Differentiate Instruction in a Mixed Ability Classroom gives teachers a lengthy list of ideas on how to differentiate. I like that she explains various approaches to differentiation so that each individual teacher can use the method that best fits his or her teaching style. Tomlinson explains how to get started, the different ways to differentiate instruction, and gives multiple examples for everything she recommends. If you are a teacher who wants to learn how to effectively differentiate instruction, I highly recommend you read this book.

Brett Hartley, Twin Lakes Middle School

Literacy Strategies for Improving Mathematics Instruction by Joan M. Kenney et al. is a valuable resource for all mathematics educators. It takes an in depth look at mathematics as a language and provides research based approaches to decoding that language for our students. The book sends the important message that the bridge between literacy and mathematics must be reinforced in order for mathematicians to reach their full potential. In this day and age where word problems are the norm, and isolated skills based problems are seen less and less, educators need to be educated in the value of incorporating these strategies into the math workshop.

Amy Bright, West Jacksonville Elementary

Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun by Geoffrey Canada is a gripping memoir of Canada’s experiences with violence while growing up in the Bronx. Canada explores the evolution of violence in America and the effects it has had on our society as a whole, and specifically children living in urban areas. He not only views the rise of violence as a crisis but outlines his vision of what is needed for the plight of the urban community to be alleviated. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to be educated in the problems that face today’s youth.

Amy Bright, West Jacksonville Elementary

The Last Dropout: Stop the Epidemic! by Bill Milliken (who is also founder of Communities in Schools) gives an explicit framework designed to meet all students’ needs while strengthening the school’s academic core.  His model has been proven to work in the most poverty stricken areas across our country.  As we continue to increase rigor while simultaneously focusing on minimizing the dropout rate we will need his model to survive.  

Matt Campese – Sandalwood High School