Books for Teachers

The best advice I have for teachers is to read widely and read often. I find as much inspiration from history and biographies as from books about teaching.

But education focused books have their place; here are a few that I have found helpful.

The First Years

With All Due Respect: Keys for Building Effective School Discipline by Ron Morrish (Amazon)

Actually, this book should be required reading for every teacher every year. :)

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath (Amazon)

The Grizzled Years

Bored teachers are boring teachers. So good teachers are always perfecting their craft. Here is a collection of books to broaden your perspective on the art of teaching.

Language at the Speed of Sight by Mark Seidenberg (Amazon)

A book about how we learn to read. I found it very helpful to understand disadvantaged students (e.g. those that had a limited English vocabulary, those that had few books at home, etc.).

Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin (Amazon)

Probably the best argument for abolishing the requirement for Algebra to graduate high school. She laments the loss of skills in America. In her descriptions of Object-Thinkers, Spatial-Thinkers, and Verbal Thinkers; I thought of different students that I've taught.

Teaching as a Subversive Activity by Neil Postman
(Amazon)

Although Amusing Ourselves to Death is one of the best introductions to Neil Postman, for teachers I recommend Teaching as a Subversive Activity. Are we falling into the trap of "The Vaccination Theory of Teaching" (i.e. once it's taught, you got it, and we never have to cover that again).

Writing to Learn: How to Write—And Think—Clearly about Any Subject at All by William Zinsser
(Amazon)

The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America's Broken Education System—and How to Fix It by Natalie Wexler
(Amazon)

Don't remove history and science from the lower grades. For some students (especially boys), these subjects may be the only classes keeping them engaged at school.