My 2016 Summer Reading List

There are many thinks to look forward to as summer approaches. As an educator, I appreciate the calm I feel when school is out. You know that tense feeling thinking about what tomorrow’s class will be like. There is nothing like the first Sunday night when you realize you don’t have to be a teacher in the morning!!!!

I also look forward to a slower pace of life where I can stop adding items to my TO-DO LIST and finally start checking a few off. One of those things for me is my summer reading list.

Over the course of the last year, I have been booking marking recommended reads from conferences I attended,  collecting post-its that contain those on-the-fly, must-read books. It’s a long list but you have to start somewhere.  I have some travel opportunities happening in July, so there’s no better time than now to create the list. So here goes:

First up: Creative Schools, by Sir Ken Robinson

Last year I read The Element by Ken Robinson and really enjoyed it so this summer I have decided to read another book by him called Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution that’s Transforming Education. Sir Ken Robinson argues that schools are good at killing creativity and still have an industrial drive. Here’s his 2006 Ted Talk.

How about starting on some Jack Reacher?

My wife has been deep into the Jack Reacher series so I am intrigued to start the series by Lee Child. My first pick naturally is the first book in the series Killing Floor. Jack Reacher is a retired Army police officer that continually finds himself in unique situation that need solving.

Jim Gaffigan wants the world to know “Dad is Fat”

Just for a good laugh I pick up Jim Gaffigan’s, famous foe the Hot Pockets line,  Dad is Fat.  A parent of 5 children has to have some good material. He is also coming to our area so it makes sense. He has authored several books which have been gut wrenchingly funny.

Back to the serious stuff: Steven Constantino’s Engage Every Family

As we have all been thinking about how to effectively and authentically engage families Steven Constantino’s Engage Every Family: Five Simple Principles  came highly recommended. I hope to be able to find different strategies that work for both parties.

And of course: The Innovator’s Mindset, by George Couros

The last book on my list is The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity. This one came from a good search and I was hooked when I read “Kids walk into schools full of wonder and questions. How you, as an educator, respond to students’ natural curiosity can help further their own exploration and shape the way they learn today and in the future.”

I didn’t need to read any further. The books made the list.

What does your summer reading list look like?

I hope summer brings excitement for some choice reading. I would also be curious to hear what other folks are going to read. Please feel free to share. After these 5 books, we will see what books filter to the top. I will be sure to share.

Happy reading.  

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