Professional books reviewed by educators
Joyful Learning offers a student-centered vision to help teachers bring more meaning and fun into their practice. It offers a framework for considering key elements of teaching practice like relationships, curriculum, assessment, grading, assignments, writes Nicole Miller.
Aimed at middle and high school educators, 5 Questions for Any Text by Marilyn Pryle presents a structured yet flexible approach for helping students move beyond surface-level comprehension toward deeper analysis, reflection, and awareness, writes Melinda Stewart.
Jarred Amato “does a fabulous job” explaining how to structure an independent reading program in a middle to high school classroom. He not only explains the process well but also gives concrete examples of how to do activities and writing prompts, writes veteran literacy teacher Beth Hippen.
Neurodiversity Affirming Schools by Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin serves as a valuable call to action, encouraging all educators to reevaluate our practices and treat neurodiversity as an essential part of equitable education, writes behavior analyst Rachel Poirier.
In Enhancing Instruction for Multilingual Learners, Paula Polk positions coaching as a dynamic, collaborative process using concrete strategies that not only enhance the instructional skills of educators but also directly impact the success of MLs, writes Melinda Stewart.
Juliana Tapper’s book describes her ‘Math War’ instructional strategies to reengage students who’ve turned away from math and to teach them the math they need to know. It’s written for math intervention teachers and useful to any math educator, says teacher Andrew Krasnavage.
Dale Ripley helps readers delve into crucial methods for positively leveraging student learning, classroom behavior, and relationship development with tactics including handling bias, influence and motivation. The book offers many reflection opportunities, says Trishauna Pulos.
Whether you’re working to create more meaningful learning experiences, establish mastery of standards, or get your planning more organized, you’ll reach for this practical, ready-to-use resource again and again, writes teacher Amy Leach. A valuable companion on anyone’s teaching journey.
If you feel out of touch with our current student population, are at a loss for how to deal with students who don’t care, or want to glean some new motivational techniques, then read “10 to 25,” writes Sharon Ratliff. The book could be the spark you need this school year.
Cofino and Botbyl offer an accessible mentorship resource for women seeking to enhance their leadership skills and effectiveness. Principal DeAnna Miller found many valuable insights for both women who aspire to ed leadership roles and those interested in mentoring future leaders.
