Every time you open a new book, you’re embarking on a new intellectual and emotional journey. The ideas contained in a book can open your mind, helping you gain a deeper understanding of things that are significant to your personal or professional life. In particular, books about education can expand the knowledge database of educators, increase their awareness on the latest trends, and help them improve practices.
In this article, we are providing the list of the top 10 education books to support your growth as an educator. These books contain helpful and practical ideas on excellent teaching, leadership, improving school culture, boosting student achievement, and so much more. These are all great books; take your pick. Simply CLICK on the book’s title to find out more.
Best-selling author Mike Schmoker details a plan built on three core elements to improve student learning drastically. These elements are: 1) a focused and coherent curriculum (what we teach); 2) clear, prioritized lessons (how we teach); and 3) purposeful reading and writing (authentic literacy).
By applying this “less is more” philosophy, educators can help their students develop better critical thinking skills, learn content at a deeper level, and discover how content-area concepts affect their lives and the world around them. A call-to-action and a blueprint for creating more effective classrooms, this book will show how teachers who have embraced this approach immediately achieved spectacular results.
Paul Bambrick-Santoyo shows leaders how they can elevate their schools to greatness by adopting seven principles (levers). Each one answers the core questions of school leadership: What should an effective leader do, how, and when should they do it?
Aimed at all levels of school leadership, this book is perfect for principals, superintendents, and educators who want to be a transformational leader. The book includes an instructive DVD with 30 video clips of top-tier leaders in action. There are also many helpful rubrics, professional development tools, calendars, and templates.
Pirates are on a constant search for riches, but pirate leaders seek even greater rewards – engaged students, amazing schools, and empowered educators who know they’re making a difference. In this book, Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf map out character traits necessary to captain a school/district.
Learn where to find the treasure that is already in your classroom and school – plus, how to bring out the best in your educators. This book will encourage education leaders to be relentless in their quest to make school amazing for students, teachers, parents, and communities. Are you ready to set sail?
Inspire yourself and others with the 2nd edition of this bestselling book. With practical wisdom, heartfelt advice, and examples from the field, Todd Whitaker explains the practices and qualities that distinguish great principals.
Learn how to develop an accurate sense of self, understand the dynamics of change, and deal with negative/ineffective staff members. Discover what you can do differently. One of the leading experts on teacher leadership, staff motivation, and principal effectiveness, Todd Whitaker has written over 20 books for educators of every level.
The school is a lot more than a center for student learning. It also represents a self-contained culture, with expectations and traditions that reflect its mission and demographics. In this book, Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker offer tools, advice, and strategies for defining, assessing, and transforming your school’s culture into one that’s positive, forward-looking, and actively working to enrich students’ lives.
The authors present everything you need to optimize the culture and climate of your school. Whether your school is urban or rural, performing well or struggling, School Culture Rewired is the ultimate guide to ensuring that the culture in your school is guided by what’s best for your students.
In this New York Times bestseller, psychologist Angela Duckworth reveals that the secret to achievement isn’t talent but a blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” Drawing on her story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her lack of genius, Duckworth describes her early stints in teaching, consulting, and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives success is not genius, but a unique combination of passion and perseverance.
In this book, she takes readers into the field to visit finalists in the National Spelling Bee, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and cadets struggling through their first days at West Point. She also uncovers fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gained from modern experiments. Also, she shares what she learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers – from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.
In this book, Wade and Hope King show how to draw on your past experiences, interests, hobbies, and strengths to deliver content creatively. If you’re a teacher, the seven steps in The Wild Card will give you the knowledge and confidence to bring creative teaching strategies into your classroom. This book is a wonderland of ideas, inspiration, and “mind-blowing magic.”
The authors provide powerful, proven, and practical steps to discovering the creativity inside of us all. The Kings are expert educators who engage, uplift, and challenge their students on a regular basis. They’ve managed to capture the hopes and fears that every educator faces. Their words will leave readers empowered to find their own creative breakthrough.
Teach Like a Champion 2.0 is an update to the international bestseller. Over 700,000 teachers worldwide already know how techniques discussed in this book turn educators into classroom champions. A must-have for new or experienced teachers, it will provide ideas for everything from classroom management to student engagement so you can improve your teaching practice.
Updated techniques and tools make it easier to put students on the path to college readiness. The methods you will learn from this book can be adapted to suit any context. With the sample lesson plans and videos, you’ll be teaching like a champion in no time.
This book shows teachers how to close the achievement gap by teaching students innovative paths to academic success. Author Patrick Kelley presents strategies for helping learners improve grades and experience greater school engagement while streamlining the teacher’s work to yield maximum efficiency.
Strategies include using Socratic seminars, team-grading essays, allowing for re-dos, among others. Often humorous and irreverent in tone, this teaching guide will be the talk of the break room. Online digital content included.
In Helping Children Succeed, Paul Tough takes on a new set of questions: How does poverty affect a child’s mental and physical development? How does adversity at home affect a student’s success in the classroom? What practical steps can adults who are responsible for them take to improve their chances for a positive future?
Tough encourages us to think about the challenges of childhood. Rather than teaching skills like grit and self-control, he argues, we should focus on creating the kinds of environments (at home and at school) in which those qualities are most likely to flourish. Mining the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, the author provides insights and strategies for a new approach to childhood adversity, one designed to help more children succeed.
Conclusion
Reading a good book about education will allow teachers and administrators to expand their knowledge and skills, enabling them to become better at what they do. This list of the top 10 education books to read will help you choose books that will re-energize your passion for bringing the best out of your school, students, and yourself.
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