With the sun shining bright and days getting longer, educators can take advantage of the perfect opportunity to engage in essential professional learning. Grab a refreshing glass of lemonade, find a comfortable spot to unwind, and explore the top five must-read books that Kent ISD Educational Consultants recommend. These books will inspire, motivate, and transform your teaching practice.
1. Intentional Interruption: Breaking Down Learning Barriers to Transform Professional Practice by Steven D. Katz and Lisa Anne Dack
Explore the world of intentional interruption to learn how to overcome learning barriers and foster professional growth. Katz and Dack present research-based protocols that challenge conventional thinking among educators, promoting innovative ideas, and long-term transformation.
Our Math Team highly recommends this book. According to Kelli VanSetters, it defines what impactful leadership means and sheds light on why learning can be challenging. The book explores how humans operate and how our lack of awareness can hinder our progress. Kelli also notes that it provides space to draw connections to what students might face as they learn new things, making it a great read.
Marcus Deja shares that our habits and mental processes are often on autopilot. This text helps us understand how to better recognize and adjust our behaviors so we are primed for the hard work of changing how we think and act. The book acknowledges that learning is not easy, but it can better prepare us for change.
2. Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills by Dr. Julia Lindsey
Dr. Julia Lindsey’s routines are backed by evidence and help young readers decode words efficiently. This allows them to focus more on comprehending and enjoying what they read. Her book includes the essentials of how kids learn to read, principles of high-quality foundational skills instruction, and teacher-approved instructional “swaps” to improve early reading. Dr. Lindsey also emphasizes content learning, culturally responsive practices, and the importance of engaging readers.
Sarah Shoemaker, an Early Literacy Coach, and Mark Raffler, a Literacy Consultant for Kent ISD, recently interviewed Dr. Julia Lindsey about her book, “Reading Above the Fray,” on an LLCN brief podcast. The podcast has quickly become one of the most popular among literacy coaches and teachers due to its engaging content. Check out the podcast to discover more about the book.
Sarah highly recommends this book. The book is a quick and easy read, yet professional. Dr. Julia Lindsey writes in a style that makes it easy for early elementary teachers to transfer research into practice. She emphasizes the importance of foundational skills in reaching and teaching young readers. Dr. Lindsey is generous with her time and extensive literacy knowledge, not just through this book but also through the LLCN Brief podcast and statewide teacher book study. A wonderful benefit is that the book aligns with the Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy!
3. Ambitious Science Teaching by Mark Windschitl, Jessica Thompson, and Melissa Braaten
Ambitious Science Teaching uncovers ways to engage students in scientific literacy understanding, such as implementing student talk, consensus discussions, evidence-based claims and arguments, and developing and revising models. This book illustrates innovative approaches to science teaching that spark curiosity while promoting an inclusive learning environment for all students.
According to Wendi Vogel, the Science Consultant at Kent ISD, the book “Ambitious Science Teaching” contains valuable tools and strategies teachers can use in their classrooms. The book was developed through collaboration between researchers and teachers, emphasizing that great teaching can be learned. If you’re a science educator, this book is a must-read. It’s even used as an anchor text for pre-service teachers at several Michigan universities.
Wendi also recognized the book “Growing and Sustaining Student-Centered Science Classrooms” by David Stroupe with an honorable mention. This book emphasizes the importance of promoting student agency for improved learning outcomes. It provides vignettes as examples of shifting classroom power structures and empowering students. Practical systems, classroom, and student-level reflections are provided to reflect on current practice and move towards more student-centered learning.
4. Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning by Dr. Gholdy Muhammad
Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s book, a follow-up to another highly recommended book “Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy,” introduces a new pursuit to her teaching model – Joy. She defines joy as not just happiness and celebration, but also as a state of wellness, beauty, healing, and justice for oneself and humanity. Educators can help students cultivate their identities, skills, intellect, criticality, and joy by incorporating cultural and historical realities into their teaching practices. This will give them a strong sense of purpose to learn and contribute to society. In addition to insightful content, this book offers helpful tools such as implementation advice, templates, guiding questions for you and your students, sample lessons, and assessment tools for various subjects and grade levels.
Sheree Joseph-Bos, the Diversity, Equity, and Belonging Consultant for Kent ISD, shared that Unearthing Joy builds on Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s first book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. It offers practical suggestions, opportunities for true reflection, and guided implementation in advancing scholars’ and educators’ pursuits of cultivating genius and unearthing joy by drawing lessons from history and community.
According to Brenna Fraser, the Early Literacy Coach at Kent ISD, the book is a valuable resource for educators who want to implement Culturally and Historically Responsive teaching and engage in personal growth through self-reflection. Additionally, she has integrated Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s teachings into the Ignite Engagement program, which has been recognized as a Promising Practice by the Michigan Department of Education. To learn more about this integration, check out Brenna’s recent blog post titled “The Story of Two Best Friends: Student Engagement and School Belonging.“
5. The Shift to Student-Led: Reimagining Classroom Workflows with UDL and Blended Learning by by Catlin R. Tucker and Katie Novak
Many educators feel disheartened and overwhelmed by their profession, burdened with excessive workloads and unattainable expectations. The ongoing pandemic has only added to the mental and emotional exhaustion due to the constant uncertainty and changes. To help teachers revamp their teaching approach in a sustainable and fulfilling way, Catlin Tucker and Katie Novak have written a book full of principles, strategies, and resources that can be implemented immediately. This book is intended for K–12 educators, instructional coaches, and school leaders who want to create academically robust, inclusive learning communities at any level.
Educational Technology Consultant, Sarah Wood from Kent ISD, recommends this book for teachers looking to improve their student-centered teaching and learning practices. The book is based on best practices for universal design for learning (UDL) and incorporates face-to-face and virtual learning environments. It provides numerous practical ideas and resources for teachers to utilize.
Enjoy Your Summer Reading!
Get ready for an enlightening and informative summer by exploring these influential works. Gain new insights, practical strategies, and a revitalized sense of drive that will impact your teaching even after the summer season ends. Share your thoughts on these books or suggest other recommendations in the comments below.
#SummerReadingList #Learning #WeLeadLearning #KentISDpd #Math #Literacy #Science #DBEI #EdTech
This blog post was written by Amanda Walma, Professional Learning Coordinator for Kent ISD and in collaboration with Kelli VanSetters, Marcus Deja, Sarah Shoemaker, Wendi Vogel, Sheree Joseph-Bos, Brenna Fraser, and Sarah Wood.
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