I’m always on the hunt for new books to help sharpen my saw and I’ve recently found a few worth sharing.
Here is a list of 5 books I’ve found myself digging back into on a regular basis to help me answer questions, guide my coaching, and just work smarter.
Leverage Leadership, by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo
A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools
It’s been super motivating for me to continue to push myself in the area of effective feedback. With each coaching conversation, I feel like I’m getting a little better, and this book has been helpful with that. Oh, and it comes with videos of coaching conversations which I’ve watched and rewatched.
Leverage Leadership by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo
Transformational Literacy
Making the Common Core Shift with Work that Matters
If you’re studying Common Core instruction at your school the book includes a professional development guide you can use. It’s more aligned to upper grades, so if you’re looking for primary Common Core, this one probably won’t be the most helpful.
Transformational Literacy by Ron Berger, Libby Woodfin
Great Habits Great Readers
A Practical Guide for K-4 Reading in the Light of the Common Core
The section on guided reading is especially good and I’ve been referring to it frequently through my coaching with teachers. What I think I’ve especially appreciated in the book is the emphasis it places on identifying next steps and choosing texts for students based on Lexile levels or bands. We’ve relied on the traditional Fountas & Pinnell leveling system for so long, it’s a push to think about text selection differently, but a good push I think. And I’ve got a lot more to learn in this area.
Great Habits Great Readers by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, Aja Settles, Juliana Worrell
Leaders of their Own Learning
Transforming Schools Through Student Engaged Assessment
If you’re coaching and working with a more advanced teacher, this book would serve as a good push in learning, maybe for you both!
Leaders of their Own Learning by Ron Berger, Leah Rugen, Libby Woodfin
The Miracle Morning
The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8am)
I kind of want to write a book called “The Miracle Morning for Teachers” because I really believe it’s such an important daily ritual that supports your success and happiness in lots of different ways.
As teachers and coaches we’re giving so much of ourselves to others during the day, my vote is we give a little time to ourselves as well.