Atwell, N. (1998). In the middle: new understandings about writing, reading, and learning.

(2nd
ed., p. 148). Portsmouth: Boynton/Cook Publishers, Inc. DOI: www.heinemann.com
I really enjoyed this book. Atwell’s narratives along with strategies make this book not
only informative but easy to read. My copy is riddled with post it notes marking the many times
she made me reflect on the type of literacy teacher I want to be. Atwell’s description of herself
as a different reader, truly struck a chord with me, and the anecdote about rereading Pride and
Prejudice in her twenties and how it seemed like a completely different book was exactly how I
felt reading it again at 30. A quote that really struck me was, “Invite readers’ minds to meet
writers’ books.”

Bass, J. E., Contant, T. L., & Carin, A. A. (2009).Teaching science as inquiry. (11th ed.). New
York City, NY: Pearson Publishing. DOI: www.pearson.com
This book is a constant valuable resource! The basic premise that Science instruction
should be engaging and student based is a fun and refreshing look at this content area. The
Science activities and experiments provided at the end of the book are wonderful. Each
experiment is broken down into five specific areas of instruction: engage, explore, explain,
elaborate, and evaluate. The hooks at the beginning of each lesson are a question that inspires
the students to lead the investigations and follow their instincts. It is a brilliant resource for
supplementing any basal Science curriculum.

Charles, C. M. (2010). Building classroom discipline. (10th ed.). New York City, NY: Pearson
Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.pearson.com/
I liked that this book offered the opinions and insights of so many professionals and
experienced teachers. It made reading the chapters more personal and applicable to classroom
situations. Specifically, Chapter 3 was really relevant to my current teaching situation. In a
classroom of 11, I have 3 students with disorders that daily exhibit neurological-based behavior
and often struggle with how to best support them as children and learners. The examples were
not far removed from some I have had myself and to read how they were approached by positive
and caring teachers was inspiring. After reading the suggestion that you sit in the student’s desk
and observe the classroom from their level to help determine possible triggers, distractions, or
annoyances; I did just that and it was eye opening. It is my sincere belief that students with NBB
should remain in the general classroom as much as possible and that through differentiation and
multiple teaching strategies, intentional teachers can make this happen.

Clements, R. D., & Wachowiak, F. (2010). Emphasis art: a qualitative art program for
elementary and middle school. (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing. DOI:
www.pearsonhighered.com
I loved that this book focused on the creativity and possibility that resides in every child.
It also opened my eyes to the links between a student’s developmental level and age with their
artistic ability. The book really helps teachers to create instruction and art lessons that will get
the most out of each student. The number of suggestions for art projects and descriptions of the
processes is very helpful. I liked that the authors broke it down into grade levels and every
lesson I have tried from this book has been successful. It is a great resource for teachers without
a school-wide art program that want to give their students every chance to shine and build their
confidence in all areas of self-expression and creativity.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS. New York: Random
House, Inc. DOI: www.ballantinebooks.com
The author of this book, Carol Dweck, offers up the theory that there are two types of
mindsets a student can have: fixed and growth. Fixed is defined as the belief you are born with
a fixed intelligence and you can do what you can do with what you were given and no more.
Growth would basically be the opposite; you are able to expand your intelligence, become
smarter and attain more based on having the confidence and courage to try. The book focuses on
examples of each mindset and how children view failure: as an opportunity to learn more or
reinforcing your inability to learn. Dweck goes on to claim that what mindset a child embraces
is the result of a parent or teacher says to a child as praise. For example, phrases such as “Good
job!”, “You’re so intelligent!”, or “Look, what a smart girl/boy!” then you are setting the student
up to feel limited in their intelligence and only capable of being successful in the areas you are
praising. Examples of growth mindset praise would be, “This might have been too easy for you,
let’s try something more difficult” or “Good job, you worked so hard, let’s move on to a harder
task”.
This book for me seemed to offer an overly simplified rationale for why some kids face
challenges head on and others seem to struggle. I’m not sure I agree with Dweck on many of her
assertions, however, I do agree that we have to be so careful with our words when speaking with
our students. I remember very well a class discussion in one of my courses with Katy Spangler
about word choices when praising a student’s work and how ineffective phrases like “good job”
and “excellent” are in really verbalizing to a student why they have done well or achieved the
desired goal. This book gave me several moments of self-reflection about how I speak to my
students and how to best acknowledge their success, but also inspire future growth.

Fields, M. V., Perry, N., & Fields, D. M. (2009).Constructive guidance and discipline: Preschool
and primary education. (5th ed.). New York City, NY: Pearson Publishing. DOI:
www.pearson.com
I was struck by this book almost immediately. Chapter 1 is riddled with notes and
highlighted text! I think I was immediately drawn to this book because the authors stated there
was not one perfect answer to discipline and I think that admission and honesty is something I
respect far more than someone attempting to persuade me they have all the answers. I believe
they offer real insight into classroom discipline that is respectful of the psyche of a child. The
vignettes and anecdotes were not only helpful but often involved the inclusion of parents in
decision making which is so important. The overall theme of avoiding humiliating a child is one
that I greatly value. Specifically, the discussion in the book and class about “I” messages has
really made me a better teacher. I think it has helped foster a better relationship between my
students and me. Chapter 10 also had an example of a student who accidentally broke a bracelet
and by communicating with his parents the teacher was able to suggest the idea of restitution.
This was a situation that the child most certainly learned a lifelong lesson and his self-respect
remained intact. Again, I really enjoyed this book and the opinions and strategies it held.

Fletcher, R., & Portalupi, J. (2001). Writing workshop, the essential guide. (1st ed.). Portsmouth:
Heinemann. DOI: www.heinemann.com
This book was easy to follow and offered practical advice for developing a writing
workshop in my classroom. I liked that it broke down the process into its essential components.
It is a great starting point for a new teacher and I like that it can be applied in a real classroom.

Freeman, D. E., & Freeman, Y. S. (2004). Essential linguistics, what you need to know to teach
reading, esl, spelling, phonics, and grammar. (1st ed., p. 112). Portsmouth: Heinemann
Educational Books. DOI: www.heinemann.com
The spelling instruction strategies presented in this book were extremely helpful. The
idea of treating spelling with a problem-solving approach is quite genius. Students learn spelling
rules through investigation and study, rather than weekly lists and tests. The suggestions for
lessons on the different rules of spelling were also great and leave a lot of room for creativity and
fun to be included.

Hicks, T. (2009). The digital writing workshop. Portsmouth: Heinemann. DOI:

www.heinemann.com
This book was a real eye opener for me; apparently I’m not as hip to technology as I
thought! I enjoyed the way the text read both conversationally and informatively. It really made
me think about the possibilities for choice students are afforded by electronic technology and
methods. The numbers of places students have the opportunity to discover topics that interest
them like blogs and other Internet sources is phenomenal. The limits of a school or public
library are no longer an issue for students today. This does create new challenges for students
such as: internet safety, credibility of sources, and unintentionally plagiarizing another’s work.
However, it fosters choice in a remarkable new way. The way he defines rich site summary and
social bookmarking is user friendly and the resources he provides to further your understanding
are extremely helpful.
Kafele, B. K. (2016). The Teacher 50: Critical Questions for Inspiring Classroom Excellence.
Alexandria: ASCD. www.ascd.org
Baruti Kafele has been an educator for three decades and believes the most important
thing a teacher does is inspire excellence. This book is less than 100 pages and gets right to the
point of asking its reader to be reflective about their attitude, organization, and motivation for
teaching amongst many others. It really does hit home in many ways and make you think. The
most impressive thing about this book is that while it provides you with positive examples of the
author’s own experiences, it isn’t critical if in some way you find that you don’t like the answer
you have for her question. Kafele follows up each overarching question with follow-ups that can
help you find the path of being the type of educator you want to be without being preachy.
I really get a lot from books that make me reflect on my own practices in the classroom,
because so many times they are learned from my childhood experiences as a student or observing
other teachers, and I didn’t take the time to unpack why I do what I do. This book makes you do
the work and really think critically of your practices and whether they are truly effective. I also
liked being reminded of my goal in teaching with questions like “Do I teach Math or do I teach
Matthew?” rather simple, but a humbling reminder of why I chose this profession, for Matthew.
Kidder, T. (1989). Among Schoolchildren. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. DOI:
www.hmhco.com
The author, Tracy Kidder, is a nonfiction writer who spent an entire school year
observing Mrs. Zajac’s fifth-grade classroom in Holyoke, Massachusetts in the 1980s. The story
follows the triumphs and struggles of a compassionate and dedicated teacher as she strives to
meet the learning needs of all her students, while dealing with the everyday constraints of
funding, parental involvement, staffing, and poverty. Mrs. Zajac works tirelessly to provide her
students with a safe place to learn and the expectation that they always do their best. She is an
example of an educator who knows she must meet a student where they are and doing her best to
get them to where they need to be.
I find that the books I learn the most from and most enjoy tend to be narratives about
someone’s teaching experiences and this book is no exception. I really liked the way Kidder for
the most part remained objective in describing his observations of Mrs. Zajac’s teaching style
and classroom, but also gave us insight into what she was thinking and feeling. I could most
certainly relate to the descriptions of critiquing lessons and even several days later making notes
about how it could be improved for the next school year. I could also relate to how much Mrs.
Zajac wanted to help her students outside of the classroom, whether it be their quality of life or
provide them with parents that are loving and nurturing, but how truly limited we are most of the
time, but also how important the time a student spends in my classroom really is to making sure
they have a place that is always safe and a port in the storm. I liked very much that this book not
only described professional struggles, but also the emotional ones that come with teaching.

Lemov, D. (2010). Teach like a champion: 49 techniques that put students on the path to college
(k-12). New York City, NY: Jossey Bass. Retrieved from http://www.josseybass.com/
This was easily my favorite book of the semester. It will be a resource for me as a
teacher for many years to come. The tools and techniques provided in this book are so easily
integrated into the classroom and the descriptions and examples of how to utilize them are clear
and concise. I also learned a lot from watching the DVD and seeing the techniques in practice.
It was just so impressive to see teachers seamlessly and without appearing rehearsed use the
techniques. I have yet to read them all but I know I will. The ones I have read have so much
application in nearly every classroom and seem to be so effective. I really liked the key idea
blocks in the text and the personal reflection they tended to inspire. I feel like I’m gushing but I
just really love this book. To be honest, I’m surprised I got a used copy of it, as I don’t know
why you wouldn’t want this resource on your shelf.

Lickona, T. (1994). Raising good children: From birth through the teenage years. New York
City, NY: Random House Inc. Retrieved from http://bantam-dell.atrandom.com/
Dr. Lickona has a brilliant ability to speak profoundly in a language that is simple and
relatable. His examples throughout the book are easily understood and often recognizable in
many of the children and youth I have known. His Stages of Moral Reasoning accurately
describe what I have seen in my classroom and this made me respect his opinion almost
immediately. The section in Chapter 1 titled Teach by Example, really resonated with me. It
made me reflect on many moments of my childhood where my parents were strong models of
morality and it made me thankful, and also, reminded me of the power I have to model that same
morality in my classroom. Not a parent yet, myself, I simply enjoyed the opinions of Dr.
Lickona and could see the value in his techniques. The section on spanking was very
interesting, not that this has any application in my classroom, but he offered up sound advice and
ways of limiting this form of punishment for small children. When discussing each stage he
offered strategies for challenging the reasoning of the child that I think are effective and
powerful teaching tools that could be used in a classroom.

Lu Chi. (2000). The art of writing: Lu Chi’s Wen Fu (S. Hamill, translator). Minneapolis:
Milkweed. DOI: www.milkweed.org
This is a very powerful book. It is both profound and simple. Lu Chi covers the agony
and bliss of writing with ease and grace. My copy is riddled with notes and reading it offered me
many moments of personal reflection on what writing is to me. I had many favorites but one that
still speaks to me now, “sometimes the words come freely; sometimes we sit in silence, gnawing
on a brush.” I love this book and know it will provide inspiration for me and my students for
years to come.

Mackenzie, R., & Stanzione , L. (2010). Setting limits in the classroom. (3rd ed.). New York
City, NY: The Crown Publishing Group. Retrieved from http://crownpublishing.com/
This book was enlightening on many levels. I really got a lot out of Chapter 2,
Developing Positive Relationships. It was remarkable to me to see the list of negative
motivational practices and realize how often they were used in classrooms of my youth. I can
also tell you the specific names of students who rebelled and am now realizing the correlation
between those students and their low academic achievement. It really solidifies my own goal to
never use shame, blame, or embarrassment to discipline students. I liked that the authors pointed
out through vignettes that of course a student is going to retaliate wouldn’t you? In the same
chapter the discussion about providing a safe learning environment that supports and encourages
students to take risks, which I couldn’t agree with more. I believe a big part of a teacher’s job is
providing encouragement and guidance when students fail, as it is such an important life lesson.
Those moments of failure for young learners are critical, in that they help determine how that
student will view failure for possibly the rest of their lives, which is huge. An effective teacher
will provide an environment where both success and failure are opportunities for learning and
celebration.
I really enjoyed Chapter 4, PAT. As a new teacher, I have attempted a system similar to
PAT, but after reading “What PAT is not” I’m not sure if a few of my bonus activities would
have made the cut. I think the way the authors introduced it and by explaining it through the
example of Mrs. Fahey’s classroom made it very concrete and user friendly incentive option in
any classroom.
Overall, this book was an asset and easy read. While there are several highlighted
sections in my copy, these are the two examples that have stuck with me most.

Moline, S. (2012). I see what you mean. (2nd ed.). Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. DOI:
www.stenhouse.com
The first sentence of this book had me hooked, “This book is for the teacher who believes
that literacy is more than reading stories.” This book helps all teachers of students in grades K-8
to find a chance to invite literacy instruction into all content areas. It is full of examples and
ways to improve instruction for all learners. Moline has a real gift for finding ways to engage
students and make learning fun. The abundance of graphic organizers and data charts are
creative and inspiring. This will be a constant resource in my classroom for years to come.
Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote
Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
DOI: www.josseybass.com
This book stems from research done by Project Zero at Harvard and is meant to provide
educators with strategies that can make critical thinking a visual process at any grade level and in
all content areas. The thinking routines it suggests are strategies to help kids engage in thinking
skills in the classroom environment. The DVD is a valuable resource for seeing the thinking
routines in practice in a variety of classrooms.
This book provides you with so many possibilities for allowing students to learn the way
they learn best. If one strategy doesn’t work, that’s okay! There are so many others that can be
used to help students be successful and I enjoyed that the book not only gives examples of
strategies going well, but also those that don’t always go to plan and may need practice in
delivery or tweaked. The DVD was probably my favorite part, as it made my reading visible and
demonstrated the practical usage of the strategies.
Scarpaci, R. T. (2006). A case study approach to classroom management. New York City, NY:
Pearson Publishing. DOI: www.pearson.com
This book was much different than the others. I did not really look forward to the reading
assignments in this book but I probably learned the most from it. Having taught abroad and now
teaching in my own classroom, I feel like I am a very capable teacher. The thing is I’m so
insecure about pedagogies, methods, and educational jargon that I often find myself quiet and
contemplative during classes, instead of voicing my opinion and possible ignorance. I have the
experience but not the true education and this book really helped me to feel more confident about
the vocabulary associated with classroom management and discipline. Specifically, the
breakdown by the author of a particular model’s strengths and weaknesses made it easier to
relate to an actual classroom setting and helped me to identify times it may be an effective
practice in my classroom and others when it would not. The mini case studies at the end of each
chapter were thought provoking and led to some interesting conversations with my host teacher
about strategies that may help resolve classroom issues. This is another book that I know I will
continue to consult in the future.
Silver, H. F., Thomas Dewing, R., & Perini, M. J. (2012). The Core Six: Essential Strategies for
Achieving Excellence with the Common Core. Alexandria: ASCD. DOI: www.ascd.org
This book does not discuss the pros or cons of the Common Core Standards, nor does it
specifically tell you how to teach to them. Instead it provides six strategies across all grades and
content areas that can be applied to your current curriculum and help enhance instruction and
student learning. The Core Six are Reading for Meaning, Compare & Contrast, Inductive
Learning, Circle of Knowledge, Write to Learn, and Vocabulary’s CODE. This brief book is
packed full of examples of implementing these strategies into a variety of classrooms and
subjects that are genuinely applicable to teachers. A teacher’s ability to expand on the examples
and be creative in implementation is also encouraged by the authors.
I really enjoyed this book from a professional development course I took, because it
didn’t involve discussion on the Common Core Standards, but instead required me to look at my
districts expectations and learning goals and how the Core Six might prove useful to me and my
teaching. I believe that helping our students develop critical thinking skills is a far more worthy
goal than testing well and this book offers so many strategies that will help kids find a deeper
understanding from texts. It definitely provided me with more tools for improving my teaching.

Spradlin, L. K. (2012). Diversity matters: understanding diversity in schools. (2nd ed.). Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth. DOI: www.cengage.com
This book provided a lot of insight for me on how minority students and their families
view their schools. I especially learned a lot from the chapter on School Climate and the
absolute need for students to feel not only welcomed, but respected. There is so much valuable
information provided in this book and I enjoyed the many perspectives it shared.
Strickland, D. S., Ganske, K., & Monroe, J. K. (2002). Supporting struggling readers and
writers, strategies for classroom intervention, 3-6. (1st ed., p. 43). Portland: Stenhouse Pub.
DOI: www.stenhouse.com
The authors’ understanding and sincere concern for students who struggle with reading
and writing is apparent in every sentence they write in this book. From the very beginning I felt
like these women only had a child’s well-being and success at heart. I could easily quote the
entire book and explain sentence by sentence why it made me reflect on the kind of teacher I
hope to be. I really learned a lot from the sections devoted to book-rich classrooms and
opportunities for choice. The Resources and Strategy Bank sections included at the end of the
text are remarkable resources for teachers and ones I plan to refer to often.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2004). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. (2nd ed.).
Alexandria, VA: Assn for Supervision & Curric Development. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/
What a powerful book. It was an easy and quick read that was full of so much insight
and classroom friendly strategies. While the teaching “how-to’s” were extremely helpful, the
most important part of this book for me was the beginning pages. Her descriptions of what
differentiation is and what it is not, were simply the greatest learning experience for me this
semester. Teaching in a multi-grade classroom they had absolute application in my lesson
planning and how I approached meeting the needs of all of my students. The idea of “meeting a
child where they are” resonates so strongly with me and the kind of teacher I want to be. I wish I
had read this book prior to some of our email discussions as I feel it would have helped to ease
the minds of some of my fellow students when it comes to the topic of differentiation. I will be a
more effective teacher because I have read this book.

Weaver, C. (2009). Reading process. (3rd ed., p. 121). Portsmouth: Heinemann. DOI:
www.heinemann.com
When we were first assigned reading in Weaver’s book, Julia described it as dense
reading, and she could not have been more right. However, this book is so incredibly
informative and thorough it is no wonder it is so popular. Her detailed explanations of the
miscue analysis are user friendly, and the examples provided are many and effective. I
appreciated her view on analysis as not finding a child’s errors, but making inferences about their
reading process and creating the best instruction for them as possible. I think she states it best,
“Miscue analysis is the product of a caring and informed teacher who tries hard to understand the
reading of the students in his or her charge.” Powerful.