Top 5 Books for Professional Development
If you’re looking for some inspiration or general professional development advice, look no further than this list of excellent books that’ll open your eyes and inspire you to try new methods in your teaching.
1. The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Learn a Culture of Creativity – George Couros.
Couros suggests that students enter school curious and full of wonder, but that traditional models of structured education kills student’s innovative mindsets. Innovation starts at the top, and this book will encourage you to become a novel thinker who inspires critical thinking, exploration, and creativity amongst your students.
2. The First Six Weeks of School (Strategies for Teachers) – Paula Denton & Roxann Kriete
Written by teachers, this comprehensive guide outlines the first six weeks of the school year to ensure every part of the day flows smoothly and you begin fostering a supportive community in your classroom. The early weeks of each new school year offers teachers the opportunity to set expectations, goals, and routines. It’s vital to start the year off right to promote a productive learning environment, and this book will teach you exactly how!
3. Assessing with Respect: Everyday Practices That Meet Students’ Social and Emotional Needs – Starr Sackstein
This book addresses the 5 Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies - self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. SEL is the process through which students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to recognise and manage their emotions. We as teachers must identify students’ abilities and help them improve their learning. This book addresses how we can develop personalised assessment systems to ensure an accurate and fair evaluation of each student.
4. An Educator’s Guide to STEAM: Engaging Students Using Real-World Problems – Cassie F Quigley & Danielle Herro
This practical book helps teachers understand the fundamentals of STEAM and how we can implement it into our classrooms through problem-based learning, technology integration, and student led discussion strategies. The book includes real-world examples of what STEAM education looks like in primary and secondary classrooms and includes accounts from teachers on how to secure success with students’ STEAM-related skills.
5. Integrating Technology in the Classroom: Tools to Meet the Needs of Every Student – Boni Hamilton
With technology dominating today’s society it’s important for educators to teach using relevant and up-to-date methods. This book will help you to find the right technologies and tools that fit your unique teaching style and the curricular goals of your students. There are hundreds of digital tools and activities for you to choose from that are guaranteed to meet the needs of all your students, no matter their learning style.
