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Teachers: What's on your summer reading list?

 
 

Has this every happened to you?

Every spring, my stack of books starts growing…around April (spring break), I start adding a few highlighters, flair pens, and new notebooks to the pile. Fast forward to the end of May and this stack begins toppling over with ALL my summer reading books and fresh ideas I want to explore and implement in anticipation for the next school year.

Anyone else? If you're nodding yes, please read on…

My list is actually too long to share, but for the sake of this blogpost, I'm listing my top four professional development books for this summer.

Professional Books for Special Educators

All of these recommended books for teachers can be found on my Amazon Books for Special Educators list – plus many more! (affiliate link)

1. Purposeful Play by K. Mraz, A. Porcelli, C. Tyler

Did I really need to purchase this book? Probably not. I've spent years extensively researching this topic, specifically how to incorporate play in grades BEYOND Prek-Kindergarten.

I'm excited to read this because I want to be able to effectively communicate the rationale for using play, for example if another educator or administrator suggests there's not time for “extras.” I'd like to have my facts ready to go!

 2. The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

This reference book was assigned to a grad class I took, however we barely used the “handbook” part. I'm ready to dive into see what this is all about.

I definitely subscribe to the “too many books, too little time” belief, especially when it comes to sharing high quality literature with our students. I'm hoping this book will help me prioritize read aloud materials!

3. Get Better Faster by P. Bambrick-Santoyo

Next year, I'll have more opportunities as a Teacher Development Leader at my school! This includes receiving training in order to effectively coach and mentor newer special educators at my school. I also accepted a position with Teach for America as a site mentor for my school.

These extras roles are in addition to my own position as a special educator, so I need to get organized NOW.

I asked my favorite administrator for a recommendation and she suggested this book. Not only will it support my new coaching, but I also believe it will help my own teaching practice. Has anyone had experience with juggling both?

4. The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo

This book is the BOMB! I literally carry it with me back and forth to school every single day. I'm even considering purchasing a second copy so I have it wherever I need it – it's THAT good!

Did any of these book titles surprise you? Do you have any recommendations to add?

Please let me know!

Hi there.

I'm Jennifer!

I’m Jennifer and I was a special educator in the elementary school setting over the past decade. I entered the classroom every day dedicated to making learning inclusive AND engaging.

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