Professional Development Reading List

Happy summer folks! It's only the beginning of July, but here in SoCal we've already experienced a massive heatwave (temps over 100!). Of course our AC broke so I cannot be happier that the temperatures are finally creeping back to normal. For three days this was us in front of the fan:

As a teacher, summer is when I certainly enjoy my free time. I am definitely hanging out by the pool, binge watching tons of TV, and hitting up mid-day exercise classes (which I love because most of the time its only a handful of people and you get great personal attention from the instructors). Still, I like to be organized so I am making sure I am doing something each day in preparation for the upcoming school year.

Before school ended in June, our admin gave us a chart to list any professional texts or articles we have read over the summer. We are supposed to record our biggest takeaway from our reading and indicate whether we would recommend it to our colleagues.

So without further ado, here is my list of titles I am digging into this summer:

1. Out of the Classroom and into the World by Salvatore Vascellaro 

I received my masters in elementary education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. It was the best decision I ever made for countless reasons. All of my courses were interesting and relevant. One of my favorite classes was a children's literature course, taught by one of my favorite professors, Sal Vascellaro. Two of my favorite memories of that class was practicing oral storytelling, and the final project. By the end of the course, each of us had to write and illustrate a children's book for a specific age range. Sal is passionate about experiential education, and writes about how to integrate a curriculum around field trip and out of the classroom experiences!

2. I Learn from Children by Caroline Pratt 

While taking classes for my masters,  I taught as an associate teacher at one of the handful of  progressive independent schools New York City. Many of these progressive schools were inspired by the work of Caroline Pratt, who founded the City and Country School. I was fortunate enough to attend some workshops at City and Country so I was excited to receive this book at one of those events!

3. Teach Your Children Well: Why Values and Coping Skills Matter More Than Grades, Trophies, or "Fat Envelopes" by Madeline Levine, PhD

Although this book is geared more towards parents, I am interested to read it from the perspective of a teacher.

4. A Mind in the Making by Ellen Galinsky 

Everyone knows the marshmallow test, right? A kid is in the room with ONE marshmallow. They can eat the marshmallow in front of them, or they can wait for a longer period of time and then get TWO marshmallows. Galinsky continues to research other important social-emotional skills that are an important part of early learning experiences.

Are there any titles you think are worth reading? Let me know!