Master educators keep writing books for teachers because there are few jobs more courageous than becoming a teacher. And teachers have to come up with inspiring lesson plans, schedules, and homework.
Good teachers are lifelong learners, always looking to develop new skills and understandings. This year should be the time for more professional reading; reading is the most efficient professional development.
Where Do Teachers Find Books?
Fortunately, hundreds of books written by real teachers share real stories, tips, tricks, and motivation that will transition from college campus to a primary or secondary school teacher.
However, finding cheap books for classrooms can be a challenge. Sure, the school provides the standard texts, but if you want to buy a book, you must consider your budget! Other than used books, the best way to get the cheapest books is using Amazon Audible. Yes, Audible is the best and largest audible library. Moreover, you can try 30 days for free!
What are the Must-read Books for Teachers?
Here, I listed 20+ inspirational books for teachers recommended by master educators. This list has a little something for everyone, such as classroom management strategies, race issues, being a teacher during the digital age, and more. I believe every teacher should spend some time reviewing these carefully-selected books to stay up to date.
A famous computer scientist demonstrates the value of educating children on the fundamentals of computers in this ground-breaking book, emphasizing how it can help them succeed in the rapidly changing tech industry.
Computers have completely transformed the way we teach kids, and we can thank Mindstorms for that. In this book, pioneering computer scientist Seymour Papert argues for the benefits of training kids with computers by citing the creation of LOGO, the first kid-friendly programming language. Children are more than capable of learning how to use computers, according to Papert, who also claims that teaching computational skills in the classroom, such as debugging, can transform how we learn everything else. He also demonstrates how technologically advanced schools may enhance socializing and interactivity among pupils.
James J. Dillon’s Inside Today’s Elementary Schools offers a penetrating look into the realities of public elementary schools through the discerning eyes of a psychologist. This book is an essential read for parents, educators, and stakeholders who seek to understand the intricate dynamics of modern classrooms and the pressing need for reform.
Dillon sets the stage by taking readers on a detailed tour of a typical day in an elementary school, highlighting ten critical concerns that plague today’s educational systems. This immersive approach provides an authentic glimpse into the daily grind of students and educators, making the issues more relatable and urgent.
One of the central themes of Dillon’s work is the necessity for transformation within the educational landscape. He argues for schools to become exciting learning environments with purposeful instruction. Dillon advocates for smaller class sizes to optimize time and efficiency, ensuring that every moment is directed towards meaningful learning.
Dillon challenges the status quo by proposing that schools should be managed by rotating teacher administrators rather than career managers. He contends that this change would reduce the oppressive layers of bureaucracy that currently hinder educational progress.
The book critiques the one-size-fits-all approach to education, especially the obsession with a rigorously evaluated college prep curriculum. Dillon emphasizes the importance of a diverse educational experience tailored to prepare students for healthy adult lives within a democratic society.
For schools to succeed, Dillon believes they must be staffed by knowledgeable and committed teaching professionals. Additionally, he stresses the vital role of family support and involvement in the educational process. According to Dillon, a partnership between schools and families is crucial for fostering a conducive learning environment.
Dillon advocates for classrooms dedicated to clear and focused curricula, catering to restricted ability ranges. This approach aims to ensure that every student receives the attention and resources they need to thrive academically.
James J. Dillon’s Inside Today’s Elementary Schools is a thought-provoking and timely examination of the current state of elementary education. His insights offer a roadmap for reform, emphasizing the need for engaged educators, supportive families, and a shift away from bureaucratic constraints. Dillon’s vision for future schools is one of inspiration and practicality, making this book a valuable resource for anyone invested in the future of education.
If you’re interested in understanding the complexities of modern elementary education and exploring actionable solutions, this book is a must-read. Join Dillon on this enlightening tour and discover how we can transform our schools into vibrant, purposeful institutions for the next generation.
“Misinformation. Loss of employment, an overabundance of information monetary disparity, digital dependency, the erosion of truth itself, civility, and democracy.
The norms, beliefs, and traits that shape behavior in Silicon Valley, the world’s high-tech epicenter, as well as the industry it represents, are examined in this open access book. It has become clear how little we know about the companies driving these developments in an age where the scope and influence of a single industry have the power to determine the course of our planet. The Psychology of Silicon Valley is an insightful look at the most powerful industry in the world and how Big Tech’s identity, culture, myths, and goals are affecting society.
The book makes the case that Silicon Valley’s terrible morals and lack of emotional intelligence will have long-lasting effects on everything from social equality to the nature of work in the future to our collective mental health. Katy Cook skillfully guides us through Silicon Valley’s psychological terrain, including its leadership, ethical, and cultural issues, and articulately argues why we can no longer afford to disregard the psychology and principles that underlie our technology.”
From infancy to the beginnings of puberty, this Very Short Introduction provides a current, trustworthy, and intelligible summary of modern child psychology. Usha Goswami explores the bonding and attachment process from infancy on, showing how secure attachments encourage the development of self-awareness. Goswami examines how infants and toddlers understand the natural, biological, and social environments and how they acquire sophisticated skills like morality and language. He also looks at cognitive reasoning and language acquisition.
Goswami emphasizes the value of sibling relationships and early friendships for psychological growth by illustrating how a child’s learning is influenced by their environment, including those at home, school, peers, and society. By explaining the foundational theories in child psychology, Goswami demonstrates why children develop the way they do and how society could better enhance their development throughout the adolescent years.
“How to Write Like Tolstoy is a thought-provoking journey inside the minds of the world’s most accomplished storytellers, from Shakespeare to Stephen King, for anyone who has ever identified with a hero or heroine, been seduced by a strong opening sentence, or been powerfully moved by a story’s ending.
In an effort to take readers on a journey into the concerns, strategies, tricks, foibles, and, occasionally, obsessions of our most brilliant writers, I have made an effort to describe the art of writing in as much of the authors’ own words as possible.
— from the Foreword
Every celebrated piece of literature is the result of a wealth of thoughtful choices. The best writers laboriously—and perhaps obsessively—work on every aspect of their works, from dialogue and point of view to narrative and character development.
What prompted Nabokov to choose Lolita as her name? Why did Fitzgerald choose to write The Great Gatsby in first person? How did Kerouac, who was adamantly opposed to revision, decide to eventually rework On the Road? Richard Cohen, a seasoned editor and educator draws from his extensive library from a lifetime of reading as well as his understanding of what makes excellent prose soar. Your book’s opening paragraph should fix most of the difficulties, according to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Virginia Woolf’s concept of style (“It is all rhythm. The nature of fiction has been discussed by Vladimir Nabokov (“All great books are wonderful fairy tales”); once you understand that, you can never use the wrong words.
To identify the components that contributed to our best authors’ prose being remembered, Cohen studied their published works and unpublished writing. The result is a distinctive investigation into the process and art of writing that enhances our enjoyment of the greatest works of classic and contemporary fiction. He illustrates the difficulties that even the best writers faced and demonstrates how they overcame them by invoking the fantastic, the well-known, and the irreverent.”
Define depression. Bipolar disorder: what is it? How are they identified and dealt with? Can and should a young child be given an antidepressant diagnosis and treatment for depression?
This Very Short Introduction covers depression, manic depression, and bipolar disorder. It begins with a brief history of these ideas before concentrating on the current descriptions and understanding of these conditions. Jan Scott and Mary Jane Tacchi discuss the creation and introduction of antidepressants and mood stabilizers as they examine the advent of contemporary remedies for those who suffer from depression. They look at the different disorders’ symptoms, warning indicators, and the link between medical illnesses and depression.
They examine the significance of bipolar illness and depression in society and the connection between creativity and mood disorders. Scott and Tacchi wrap off by talking about depression treatments and the future.
“Many people believe that mathematics is the iciest manifestation of rational thought. However, there are few topics that elicit more love and hate than mathematics. The tale of arithmetic is nothing if not human; in many cases, it is all too human, despite the widespread idealization of math as existing above the chaos of human life. The book Loving and Hating Mathematics explores the unseen social, emotional, and human variables that influence mathematics and impact both students’ and mathematicians’ lives. Loving and Hating Mathematics captures the profound pleasures and frustrations of a mathematical existence in a colorful, approachable style and with the help of compelling stories and anecdotes.
These tales dispel a number of clichés, such as the assumption that mathematics is a solitary activity and a “young man’s game,” the notion that mathematicians are emotionally distinct from other people, and even the notion that it helps to be a little bit crazy to be a brilliant mathematician. Reuben Hersh and Vera John-Steiner recount the lives of mathematicians from their earliest days to their later years. They discuss teaching and mentoring, friendships and rivalries, relationships and marriages, and the experiences of women and underrepresented groups in a field that has historically been hostile to both. Stories of persons for whom mathematics has provided enormous comfort through times of crisis, war, and even jail are also included here, as are those rare individuals who have been driven to insanity and even murder by a mathematical passion.
This book is for everyone who wants to comprehend why one of humankind’s most logical pursuits is also one of its most emotional.”
In What School Could Be, Ted Dintersmith takes readers on an enlightening and inspiring cross-country tour of American schools. Unlike traditional educational reformers, Dintersmith’s approach is grounded in real-world observations and interactions with educators and students across all fifty states during the 2016–17 academic year. His mission? To reimagine education in a way that prepares students for the rapidly evolving demands of careers and citizenship in an innovative world.
Dintersmith highlights the pressing need to rethink how we educate our children. The traditional education system, which emphasizes rote memorization and standardized testing, is increasingly out of step with the needs of today’s society. In an age defined by rapid technological advancements and constant change, students require an education that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability.
Throughout his travels, Dintersmith encountered numerous examples of innovative classrooms where learning is deep, joyful, and meaningful. These educational environments are characterized by project-based learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and an emphasis on real-world problem-solving. In these settings, students are not passive recipients of information but active participants in their own learning journeys.
One of the most compelling aspects of What School Could Be is its celebration of educators who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the classroom. Dintersmith showcases teachers who engage and excite their students, instilling in them a sense of purpose, agency, and fundamental skills. These educators are the unsung heroes of the book, and their stories provide both inspiration and practical guidance for others seeking to innovate in their own schools.
Dintersmith’s narrative is not just a critique of the current system; it is also a hopeful vision of what education could be. Through the lens of his observations, he paints a picture of a future where schools are places of exploration, creativity, and joy. He provides a roadmap for getting there, emphasizing the importance of community involvement, teacher autonomy, and a shift away from standardized testing toward more holistic measures of student success.
What School Could Be is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of education. Ted Dintersmith’s firsthand accounts and insightful analysis offer a powerful testament to the potential for change within our schools. By shining a light on the incredible work being done by educators across the country, Dintersmith inspires readers to believe in a future where every student can experience the joy of learning and be prepared for the complexities of the modern world.
For those passionate about transforming education, this book is not just a call to action; it is a guidebook for making change happen. Read it, share it, and join the movement to redefine what school could be.
Francesco Guala’s Understanding Institutions is an enlightening exploration into the fabric that holds society together—its institutions. By merging ideas from social science and philosophy, Guala presents a groundbreaking theory that redefines our understanding of social structures like money, private property, and marriage. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the mechanics of societal organization and the intricate interplay between rules and norms.
At its core, Understanding Institutions combines elements from three prominent theories of institutions—equilibriums of strategic games, regulative rules, and constitutive norms. Guala’s innovative approach integrates these concepts into a unified theory that is both comprehensive and accessible. By doing so, he brings clarity to the complex mechanisms that underlie social structures.
The book isn’t just theoretical; it has significant practical and political ramifications. Guala dives into current debates, such as the meaning of marriage, and demonstrates how philosophical questions about institutions affect real-world issues. This makes the book not only intellectually stimulating but also relevant to contemporary societal discussions.
Guala tackles enduring problems in the social sciences, including reflexivity, realism, Verstehen, and fallibilism. By addressing these issues head-on, he provides a robust framework that can be applied across various academic disciplines. His insights into the criteria of causal and ontological dependence, as well as his analysis of “looping effects” and “interactive sorts” as defended by Ian Hacking, offer fresh perspectives on these complex topics.
One of the book’s standout features is its straightforward presentation. Despite incorporating principles from game theory, Guala’s writing remains clear and understandable. This makes the book accessible to a wide audience, including academics from different fields and anyone interested in the philosophical underpinnings of societal structures.
Understanding Institutions offers new insights into what institutions are, how they function, and their potential roles in our lives. By transcending individual case studies and focusing on general models and principles, Guala provides a fresh perspective that is both theoretically rich and practically relevant. This book is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in the science and philosophy of living together.
In “The Case against Education,” Bryan Caplan takes a controversial stance on the American education system. He argues that much of what is taught in schools is not vital for students’ futures but rather serves to signal desirable traits to potential employers.
Caplan’s central thesis is that the primary purpose of education is not to impart useful skills or knowledge but to showcase traits like intelligence and conformity. This signaling theory suggests that students are more focused on obtaining easy A’s and accumulating credentials than on learning. Despite increased access to education, the average worker’s job prospects have not significantly improved, according to Caplan.
One of the book’s most compelling arguments is the concept of ‘runaway credential inflation.’ Caplan posits that employers value the costly schooling experience more for its role in proving a worker’s reliability and trainability than for any specific skills gained. This leads to an educational arms race where more degrees are needed for the same jobs.
Caplan’s solution is radical yet thought-provoking. He advocates for cutting education spending as a way to curb this credential inflation. Although this idea might be unpopular, he believes it would ultimately serve to redirect focus toward more practical forms of training and education that directly benefit the labor market.
The Case against Education is a challenging read that invites readers to question the fundamental assumptions about the value and purpose of education. Whether you agree with Caplan’s arguments or not, the book provides a fresh perspective on a system that many take for granted.
