What should I be reading to prepare for teaching?
Beginning your teacher training can be scary, I’m just about to begin and if you’re like me you want to do everything you can to be fully prepared. If you haven’t already check out the start of my journey here. You may complete an SKE (Subject Knowledge Enhancement) or spend some time volunteering in schools to get some experience.
One of the best things we can do is READ. We can draw on the wealth of knowledge of those who have spent year in education. This post will outline my top 10 books you can sink your teeth into before you start your training.
1. Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov
Teach like a Champion offers straight-forward, easy and engaging techniques every teacher can use to develop themselves and to keep their students engaged and learning.
Lemov gathered 62 techniques from teachers on the front lines of education to revolutionise your pedagogy, make your techniques more effective and keep students on track. This is a fantastic and simple resource for any teacher.
2. When the Adults Change, Everything Changes by Paul Dix
This book is a must for anyone who works in education. From the first page you discover a range of enriching strategies and explanation for the often mystifying behaviour exhibited by our young people.
Delve even deeper and there are hidden gems that help with behaviour management and inclusive culture. It is fantastically written; you almost feel taken on a journey of discovery that will enable you to transform the lives of your students.
3. Why the Brain Matters by John Tibke
Books based on doctoral research can often put you to sleep faster than counting sheep; Tibke on the contrary is a delightful exception. Grounded by evidence-based research and alive with crucial debate, Tibke presents a wonderfully written and wholly accessible book.
This book is a beautifully presented summary of a viciously complex subject – the brain and its implication for educators. This is a must for personal development.
4. Why Don’t Students Like School? By Daniel Willingham
Willingham focused his research on the cognitive foundation of learning, he has a profound understanding of the real challenges teachers face day by day in the classroom. His book is aimed at helping teachers improve their practice by giving them a deeper understanding of how their students think and learn.
Willingham explores factors such as emotion, story, memory, context and routine in the building of knowledge and creating life-long learning experiences. In nine clear principles Willingham will challenge your preconceived ideas and provide applicable lessons you can apply to your pedagogy.
5. The Hidden Lives of Learners by Graham Nuthall
Nuthall presents an original and stimulating book dealing with topics such as curriculum and methodology from the viewpoint of the teacher. The book provides valuable and thought provoking insight that allows you to move into a deeper understanding of yourself as a teacher.
Nuthall’s studied his classroom and the activities his students responded too and engaged in. This is a compelling resource for teachers that want to consider the classroom learning experience from the point of view of the student.
6. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teacher by Katharine Birbalsingh
This book outlines how The Michaela School has set up its ethos, culture, values and strategy. Presenting a unique and challenging view of how schools could be, their methods challenge the meta view of education. This book highlights the change that can be created with vision, energy and passion.
Delve into the wealth of experience from Michaela teachers, as they explore controversial concepts that improve the lives of disadvantaged pupils. If you want to turn your view of orthodox education on its head this book will do exactly that and you’ll wish you were working with Michaela.
7. How to Teach by Phil Beadle
How to Teach is a must read for trainee teachers. Thrilling and readable it is the most useful guide for teachers ever written. Beadle spent a lifetime working with urban students to break generational cycles and provide them with hope.
Sharing his tips and tricks, he enables you to do exactly the same – change a students life. If you want to know how to manage tricky classes to the minutiae of marking their work. This is everything you need to know to be the very best educator you can be.
8. Kagan Co-Operative Learning by Spencer and Miguel Kagan
Already a huge success this book offers today’s best cooperative learning methods. If you’re looking to increase the engagement and achievement of your students then look no further.
Chockfull of ready to go resources that will bring your students together to work co-operatively and enable your class to click. Offering hundreds of helpful tips and activities all founded in research and proven methods. This book is simple and easy to engage with and will dramatically increase your success in the classroom.
9. The Teacher’s Toolkit by Paul Ginnis
A phenomenal book to add to your reading list. Providing you with a plethora of ideas and activities you can incorporate and how to manage them in an easy to read package. Packed with practical classroom strategies that will help you differentiate between learning styles, stimulate creativity, add pizazz and challenge the gifted.
Drawing on all three elements of neuroscience, psychology and sociology you are left with an overview of the extensive innovations in teaching and learning techniques. A must have for trainee teachers it covers everything you could possibly think about from lesson planning and even performance management.
10. The Tail by Paul Marshall
Marshall is a crusader for extending opportunity to the most disadvantaged. Compelling, moving and persuasive in its mission to level the educational playing field for our most disadvantaged students.
If you want to give yourself a mission and reignite your passion for teaching this book provides you with a vision and the know how in tackling one of educations biggest failing.
If you’re a kindle user and haven’t already – signing up to the Amazon Kindle Trial is a great way to get access to some of these books without spending the £15 for each one.
These books have provided me with a wealth of information. There’s thousands out there and if there’s one you want a more in depth review on please let me know or if you have any recommendations please suggest!
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