School’s out for summer and there’s no better way to relax than put your feet up and get stuck in to a great book. Whether you’re an NQT or a seasoned old-timer, these are the books you need on your bookshelf. If you’re looking for some motivation to get prepared for September, we’ve compiled a list of 5 inspirational books to kick start your professional development, gather some useful tips and creative classroom ideas. Here’s our best books for teachers.
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Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger, Mark A. McDaniel, 2014
Bring science to your lesson planning with Make it Stick, a unique book that uses scientific findings in psychological study to provide ingenious advice on how to improve learning. This lively and energetic book gives us the facts from professors of Psychology, presented in clear and simple language. Teachers can be safe in the knowledge that the practical advice and strategies in Make it Stick are backed up by genuine scientific research.
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The Happy Teacher Habits: 11 Habits of the Happiest, Most Effective Teachers on Earth by Michael Linsin, 2016
Michael Linsin presents his “success roadmap” for effective teaching. This highly anecdotal book exposes the false information often given to teachers and presents us with some home truths. From the importance of a tidy classroom to tips on managing workload, each chapter provides useful advice for every teacher. Rather than giving specific instructions, each chapter sails through a series of different stories and anecdotes with an underlying message which you can keep in mind on entering the classroom.
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Take Control of the Noisy Class: From chaos to calm in 15 seconds by Rob Plevin, 2016
Every teacher experiences difficult classes and sometimes theory just doesn’t cut it when it comes to behaviour management. Rob Plevin knows the daily challenges teachers confront with students and provides some useful relief to struggling teachers. This book sets out clear, practical behaviour management strategies with step-by-step plans on how to establish and maintain control in the classroom. This manual to successful behaviour management means you can rest easy the next time you’re faced with that troublesome class. For more top tips on controlling your noisy class, read our guide.
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How to Be an Outstanding Primary School Teacher by David Dunn, 2011
This book is not as recently published but is widely praised by primary teachers. Along with providing step by step classroom guidance and an abundance of ideas for creating outstanding primary lessons, this book aims to teach you how to change your whole mindset. David Dunn believes that everyone has the potential within themselves to be an outstanding teacher and just needs to know how to bring it out. This book aims to help you along the way to becoming outstanding.
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Help Your Child Love Reading: A Parent’s Guide by Alison David, 2014
While this book is primarily a guide for parents, it has some useful ideas that teachers can bring to the classroom. Alison David works in children’s publishing and is passionate about the importance of reading from a young age. In the age of social media, Instagram and Snapchat, encouraging reading in young children is harder than ever, making this book increasingly relevant. Alison David points out the importance of putting time aside for reading, with a well-rounded mix of views from experts in child literacy to personal stories from teachers and teaching assistants. Her passion is clear to see as you read the book, which has been praised by poet and children’s laureate Michael Rosen.
