Teacher Summer 2023 Reading

 

My favorite reading is almost here ... summer reading. There's something about the slower pace and longer days that leads me to read more slowly, carefully, and reflectively than I tend to at other times of the year. If you're looking to add some good literacy-leaning books to your summer stack, here are some I recommend.

• Reading Reconsidered by Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, and Erica Woolway. Whether you read it with us last year during our book study or it's landing in your stack for the first time, this is a book that deserves reading and rereading. You'll want a pencil nearby, because you'll be scribbling notes all in the margin. It's one of my favorites because of all I learn that's practical for the classroom.
• Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov. This will be our book study for this coming school year, so if you want to get a jump start on it, this summer would be a great time to do that.
• The Courage to Teach by Parker Palmer. This one has been around a while, but if you want to take a philosophical step back and think deeply about what it means to be a teacher, this is a wonderful, beautiful, poetic look at it. 
• A History of Literacy Education by Robert Tierney and P. David Pearson. If it sounds super teacher nerdy, it's because it is. But if you're interested in digging deeeeep into literacy education and how it's led us to where we are today, this is the book for you. (Note that P. David Pearson is one of the primary architects of the CCSS.)
• Assessing the Nation's Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP by Chester Finn. This book will take you down a delightful rabbit hole of all things standardized assessment and NAEP. 
• The Vocabulary Handbook: This book, from the trusted folks at the Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education, is one I'll be leaning heavily on for vocabulary work districtwide next year. If you want to get an advance look at what our "Year of Vocabulary" will look like, you'll love this part textbook, part practical handbook.
• "The Melissa and Lori Love Literacy Podcast": Sometimes I'm in the mood to pop in some earbuds and give something a listen, and you'll love every episode of this podcast. It's become one of my favorites, but I've learned to listen when I have a notebook nearby because I'm wanting to capture so much. 

Whether you choose one or several, I hope your summer is filled with rest, relaxation, and lots and lots of good reading!

Here's to simply teaching well,