“The book to read is not the one that thinks for you but the one that makes you think” – Harper Lee
Reading – it is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Who doesn’t enjoy looking around a good book shop, deciding on a book to read. Its great when you find a novel in which to immerse yourself and take you away to another world. Books are a fantastic way to escape whilst at the same time being a great means to pick up new ideas and learn along the way.
Reading can also significantly contribute to professional development and self reflection for teachers, helping them enhance their instructional methods and personal growth.
As you may know, here at Impact Teachers we have many former teachers working with us in our offices. Some are UK trained, others searching for teaching positions overseas came to teach in the UK with Impact Teachers. So we decided to ask them, what books they think all teachers would benefit from reading? They can be books that provide practical advice to those which help teachers relate to students.
Therefore, without further ado, here are our top 5 books all teachers should read:
Why Don’t Students Like School? by Daniel Willingham
For primary school teachers looking to refine their teaching practice, “Why Don’t Students Like School?” by Daniel Willingham is an essential read. Willingham, a cognitive scientist, bridges the gap between research and classroom application, offering practical advice that can transform your teaching approach. This book challenges the common misconception that students are naturally adept at thinking, instead positing that memory is the residue of thought. Willingham delves into the intricacies of student motivation, emphasizing that while motivation is crucial, it doesn’t always equate to learning. By understanding how students think and learn, teachers can adapt their methods to better meet their students’ needs, making this book a valuable addition to any educator’s library.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Chosen by Ashley this book offers great insight into the mind of a young person with Asperger’s Syndrome. The novel shows the world from his point of view and can really help teachers to understand the different view of the world that each young person can have. It provides practical strategies for educators to enhance teaching practices and improve student outcomes.
How to Manage Children’s Challenging Behaviour with Practical Advice by Bill Rogers
The book comes chosen by Alexandra and is a more practical guide to help teachers in the classroom. It offers practical tips on behavior management from a highly respected teacher and education consultant. The book also provides lesson plans to help manage behavior effectively. Alexandra highly recommends this book to anyone new to teaching looking for ways to manage student’s behaviour. It contains useful suggestions on how to tackle difficult behaviours that can be seen in any school setting.
To Sir with Love by E.R. Braithwaite
Recommended by Elaine, this book is a wonderful autobiographical novel about an English teacher who turned around a tough East London class where he was working. He faced huge adversity in the 1960s as he did so. This book can help teachers understand the importance of close reading as a fundamental technique for analyzing texts. This is a great book about how to break down barriers with students that you may encounter in the classroom.
Legacy: What the All Blacks can teach us about the business of life and Professional Development by James Kerr
Chosen by Nathan (who just happens to be a rugby fan who plays in his spare time) this book provides a great insight into the success of the All Blacks for primary teachers. It demonstrates how the book can help teachers plan lessons effectively. It demonstrates the importance of preparation, character, humility and responsibility for good leadership.
How to Win Friends and Influence People through Self Reflection by Dale Carnegie
The final book in our list (chosen again by Ashley) can help give teachers valuable lessons in techniques and management that can be applied to the classroom, including addressing special educational needs. This book serves as the ultimate guide for teachers, offering comprehensive resources on behavior management strategies.
From ways to handle people to ways to make them like you, these lessons can be utilised at school, helping to teach about the power of respect.
So that’s it from our team but there are many more recommendations out there for other books you can read to help you on your path as a teacher.
