5 Books for Educators

5 Books for Summer Reading

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I absolutely love reading books!  My summers are scheduled with books that I have been collecting all school year!  I never have time to really devour a book during the school year.  I may read a book each night for a few minutes before I pass out, but it’s not like during the uninterrupted time of June and July when  I can finish a book in a couple of hours. 

There aren’t many genres that I care to read.  If someone shares a book and it’s fiction I tend to shy away from it.  It’s just not my favorite genre.  I really enjoy non-fiction, especially if it deals with history or social issues.  I save my fiction for movie watching! 

Here is a list of books that I think are very helpful for educators no matter what stage of your career you’re in. 

Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School by Monique W. Morris 

Pushout

This book will have you walking away in disbelief if you have never heard of the cases Ms. Morris describes in the book.  It explains the school to prison pipeline for black girls via zero tolerance policies that have been put in place.   Black girls are being criminalized in the place where they should be receiving an education as well as help to underlying issues.  The author talks about the struggle of  African Americans female to receive an education while dismissing stereotypes that society holds.  It’s a very enlightening read because so much focus has been put on black males that we tend to forget the impact of incarceration as it relates to black girls. 

The Essential 55 by Ron Clark

Essential 55

I loved this book so much that I used its tenets to create a product for my classroom morning work.  Mr. Clark is the founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia.  There was a TV movie made about his life as an educator.  The book talks about the 55 guidelines or rules for interacting with others.  This book made my list because I am a believer in teaching character education to students along with geometry, reading, and learning about matter.  The book discusses things like having self-respect and how we treat others.  These are things that many students do not receive at home.  You many not need to go through all 55 lessons but it’s a great starting point. 

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

The New Jim Crow

This book is non-fiction but it had me in tears throughout until I came to the end.  The premise of the book is that there is now a new caste system which replaces the Jim Crow laws of old.  The author goes through the history of America and its racism towards people who aren’t of European decent.  She also compares mass incarceration to Jim Crow.  The United States’ incarceration rate is the highest in the world.  Alexander also discusses how the War on Drugs is a complete charade.  When you read this book through the lens of an educator, you have a new understanding of why it is so important to make sure that children of color have an excellent academic foundation.    

Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess

Get Your Pirate On!

This book is very inspirational and had me ready to stand on chairs and shout once I finished reading it.  It was all about student engagement.  I think this was the book that renewed my spirit for teaching.    Burgess offers practical techniques and innovative ideas that helped transform me as an educator. I think this is a great read for new teachers but a must read for us seasoned teachers that may have lost our way. 

Unshakeable: 20 Ways to Enjoy Teaching Everyday…No Matter What by Angela Watson

Check it out!

I found out about this book after researching Angela Watson who is the owner of the 40 Hour Teacher Work Week Club.  I had heard so many great things about the club I started researching Watson and fell in love with her ideas and techniques.  I submitted a video and was awarded a scholarship to take part in the club.  I’m all about working smarter and not harder and enjoying my workday because it will help alleviate stress.  If that’s you, this book should be your next read.  I’m such a book nerd that I have to take notes while reading.  I’ve almost written my own book with all the notes I have taken from this book.  It’s full of practical ideas and advice that can be implemented right away to get your passion back for teaching and make your day more efficient. 

Whatever you read during your summer break should be something that grows you as an educator but will also relieve the pressures that we go through as teachers. 

Enjoy your time off, it’s well deserved!!

Get Your Teach On Orlando

I attended one of the best teacher conferences ever!  The Get Your Teach On conference in Orlando, Florida was motivating, encouraging, and filled with ideas on how to set the stage to engage my students!!

First I have to give a big shout out to my class that helped me win the registration to the conference by submitting a video about why I should receive a scholarship to the conference. 

Thank You to my Awesome First Grade Class!

Get Your Teach On Video

I want to share my 10 takeaways with you!

10  Engagement Enhances

We all know that everything can’t be a bucket of fun when it comes to the content that we have to teach, however, there are little things we can change that will bring excitement to each lesson.  You may not want to undertake a large room transformation but you are willing to bring in extra props to help engage the students.  Any of that EXTRA is definitely going to help the kids remember the content just because you have created a happy or funny memory. 

 

 9  There is a difference between a

       worksheet and a recording sheet.

  I really enjoyed Deanna Jump discussing the differences between the two.  A recording sheet is meant to log the students’ ideas and conclusions.  A worksheet is truly meant to fill time.  There is a time for both so don’t beat yourself up!  It depends on what you want your students to do.    

 8   Do you!

If you want to change your room to look like an excavation site because you think it would tie in with a lesson you’re teaching on fossils, then do it!  Don’t let other teachers try to dissuade you because it’s something they wouldn’t do.  That’s okay.  Everyone has their own style of teaching and you should not feel bad either way.

7   Laugh at your mistakes

I hate to say it but I’m a horrible speller!  Sometimes I will get caught up in creating a word bank on the dry erase board and forget to check my spelling.  There are times when I have lined my students up to go to specials and we walk to specials and then I remember there are no specials that day, so I just tell the kids we went for a leisurely stroll.  I flash a big smile and keep it moving.  I truly believe that my students like the fact that I laugh at things so much.  Or maybe they just think I’m crazy.

 6   Become an expert in your field

I don’t think you have to go back to college and get a higher degree to do this.  I believe conferences and good professional development will help with this.  You can also read books by authors who have completed the research or have used a certain strategy in their own classrooms.   I think we need to be constantly learning and improving.  You will never know it all!  However, try to stay abreast of trends and techniques that are changing in education. Keep learning what works!

5   Connect everything

We have a lot of standards!   On the positive side, it’s a great way to integrate the subject areas.   That’s one thing that I like when I see teachers use room transformations and the activities assess about 15 different standards from various subjects.  That’s some major learning going on.  Connecting the learning is not only efficient but it just makes sense.  We always want to get more bang for our buck!

4   Know the why

There are days or maybe weeks when you think to yourself, “What else can I do with this degree?”  Go back to that moment when you wanted to save the world by educating children.   Remember the reason why you wanted to become an educator.  We know it wasn’t for the fame or fortune.  Find that passion again!

3   Approximations are accepted and celebrated

      Deanna gave an example of how a parent responded when her child’s writing was not fully corrected.  I’ve had this happen to me as well.  I know from experience that my students will shut down and their writing will come to a halt if they get held up on spelling a word.  Let them get absorbed in the story!

2   Don’t hide behind I can’t

This is another big one because I know I have complained about too many standards that are taught too soon to kids that are too young.  I have not met a teacher yet who just loves scripted curriculum or curriculum where one size fits all.   I always tell my students to solve the problem!  What can we change?  How can I take this boxed program and make it more engaging for my students?  It can be done!  Your superpower is your creativity!!

1 Choose joy

I know this almost sounds cliché, but it’s so true.  Wake up every morning and make the decision that you will choose joy.  Put a smile on your face going into the day knowing you have bus duty, no planning, and three parent teacher conferences when you know only one will show up.  Count it all joy.

I learned so much at the conference.  It was also the motivation that was needed and right on time.  I want to go back and attend the 2-3 sessions.  I didn’t know I was being moved to second at the time of the conference so I attended the K-1 session.   I’m almost sure that the 2-3 sessions will be just as wonderful as the K-1 sessions. 

If you get the opportunity to go, check it out. 

What conference or PD have you attended that motivated and renewed your passion for teaching?