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12 Imperative Books For K-12 Educators
Here are a few highly recommended books for educators that dive into the world of teaching deeper and give a new perspective to the reader.
Reading is a conversation. All books talk but it’s a good book that listens as well. Mark Haddon
Here are a few highly recommended books for educators that dive into the world of teaching deeper and give a new perspective to the reader. From learning techniques to understanding a learner’s mind, these books contain anecdotes, psychological nuances, dealing with education in crisis, unorthodox and unconventional ways, and more.
1. Limitless Mind: Learn, Lead, and Live Without Barriers by Jo Boaler
A Stanford University professor, Jo Boaler, who is an acclaimed Math teacher, has debunked myths on teaching and has thrown light on 6 key principles that will change the way we think about learning. She has interviewed 62 people from around 6 countries in the world and has inculcated their knowledge of teaching and education as she also unlocks the learning potential of students based on scientific findings.
2. Alphabreaths by Christopher Willard and Daniel Rechtschaffen
Writers have used the alphabets to teach children aged from 4-8 about understanding emotions and further using them to cultivate skills. It talks about dealing with all sorts of emotions like sadness, fear, anger and how breathing can help them calm down and feel joyous. The book also stresses that something as simple as breathing can help them in building attention and make them kind and grateful.
3. Mindfulness in the Secondary Classroom: A Guide for Teaching Adolescents by Patricia Broderick
The author argues that teaching mindfulness is an important aspect that schools need to adopt as it can help in cultivating skills like working memory, flexible shifting of attention, emotion regulation, and emotions like motivation, increased interest, kindness, connection and purpose amongst mates and school staff.
4. SEL Every Day: Integrating Social and Emotional Learning With Instruction in Secondary Classrooms by Meena Srinivasan
This book by Meena Srinivasan helps high-school teachers understand the minds of their students better. She stressed the importance of integrating Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as a regular curriculum for high-school students. The book contains points that an educator can implement at the earliest.
5. Teaching When the World is on Fire by Lisa Delpit
This book is a collection of short essays on dealing with complex scenarios like race, culture, gender identity written by educators and school leaders. The book points out that conversing as it is, with compassion, can bring a major difference in students. It says that now more than ever when the world is changing, it’s important for teachers to start a conversation on complex topics.
6. The First Days of School by Harry K Wong and Rosemary T Wong
From pre-k to college, this book is a guide on structuring and managing class that can be applied to every culture, every year. Whether you’re a novice teacher or a veteran, Harry provides help for becoming an effective teacher for every stage.
7. Teaching Outside the Box: How to Grab Their Students by Their Brains by LouAnne Johnson
New at it or teaching for decades, every teacher continually strives to think of effective ways to teach that can nurture comprehending skills in students. This book helps you out with that. It helps you gain a new perspective and includes ways of engaging students. From Project-Based Learning to creating smooth transitions, this book holds all.
8. Developing Minds by Arthur Costa
A curation of short essays, this book By Costa explores the different minds in a classroom. It explores how each developing mind is different in understanding and comprehending. It includes chapters like Making Thinking Visible, and What is Problem-Solving
9. A New Culture Of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown
This one helps educators break free from the conventional ways of making students adapt to their environment. It talks about ways of making students more evolved. The author creates a vision of prosperous and more evolved learning using plays and other imaginative ways.
10. The Classroom Management Book by Harry k Wong & Rosemary T Wong
Want to manage your classroom, or for now, the online classes, better? This book by Harry Wong consists of 50 proven methods that can be implemented into any class regardless of its origin and culture. Along with the procedures, the book also shares points on the outcome that the procedures are likely to bring.
11. Bringing Words to Life by Isabel L Beck, Margaret G McKeown and Linda Kucan
This is a robust vocabulary book, which is quite helpful for elementary teachers especially as they introduce new words to their students daily. The book explains how to select apt words, introduce their meanings, and creative ways to build the word knowledge.
12. The Hidden Lives of Learners by Graham Nuthall
This book has been titled as a ‘must-read for every educator’ multiple times. It basically explores the different worlds and layers of learning that begin from the complex environment of a classroom. It’s a short read that includes real-life experiences of students and teachers.
