Educational Booklist

If you saw this post, then you know that I'm really really excited about what's to come in the next year. Though I read a lot of textbooks about education and spend a lot of time in discussions with my classmates and professors, I still always feel like I have so much more to learn (which reminds me of this talk that I also love). I've been collecting a number of books lately that have to do with education, and I've added a few to the stack that I've read before but want to re-read. These books cover a number of topics within education: the controversy of standardized testing, the reform movement, the argument behind proponents of grit as a success factor, the achievement gap, etc. These are all big-ticket issues within my field, and I feel like the more I read, the better prepared I'll be to address them. Of course, each author lends his or her own bias to the arguments, so while I'm approaching each book with caution, I'm looking forward to seeing new perspectives on these issues. I thought I would share my booklist here for those who are also interested in reading about education!

The Power of Their Ideas: Lessons from a Small School in Harlem by Deborah Meier // Deborah Meier has an incredible history as an educator. She is the founder of several small schools in Harlem, which became some of the most successful schools in an area that was ridden with low graduation rates and disengagement. In this, Meier writes honestly about the challenges in creating a successful school, and lays out her strategies for others to consider and follow. I've read snippets of this book since I bought it late last year, but I'm looking forward to reading it cover-to-cover soon.

How Children Succeed: Grit Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough // I read this book last summer and it made it onto my top ten list. You can read more of my thoughts about it there; I found it to be extremely thought-provoking but didn't always agree with Tough's assumptions. I do think that I'm better able to speak about educational issues since reading it, and I certainly appreciate how much I learned from it.

The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch // I was introduced to this book in a class about schools and society in my sophomore year of college. Essentially, it was the book that introduced me to some of the major controversies in education. Diane Ravitch was one of the major players in supporting No Child Left Behind when it was first implemented, and in this she admits that she was greatly mistaken and details why our schools are failing our students and what should be done to help slow and repair the damage. When I read this I didn't have a whole lot of background knowledge so I took Ravitch at her word on a lot of issues. Now that I'm more knowledgeable I'm looking forward to revisiting it with a more critical eye to see if my opinion of it has changed.

The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner // This is one that I haven't read yet, but we've had a lot of discussions about the national achievement gap in my classes this semester and I'm looking forward to expanding my scope to learning about the achievement gap on a global level. 

A Mind at a Time by Mel Levine // This is one that I found in my mother's collection of books on children and parenting. Mel Levine is widely respected for his perspectives on learning, and since my background is in psychology I am looking forward to exploring this classic.

Radical by Michelle Rhee // Michelle Rhee is another big player on the educational scene. It's the same type of story: here's what's wrong with our system, here's how we can improve it, here are the overarching social problems that are playing a role in preventing these changes. I'm interested to see Rhee's personal perspective on it all.

The Unschooled Mind by Howard Gardner // Gardner is behind the theory of multiple intelligences, which is one of the most important theories that we use in approaching the idea that each learner is unique. Information is best processed and demonstrated in different ways by different students, and I like Gardner's idea that we should mold our teaching around the way that students learn.

In Schools We Trust by Deborah Meier // Another one by Deborah Meier, and one of my newest acquisitions. We've been having a lot of discussions in my classes that center on the idea of school culture and community. Curating an unconditional learning community in which everyone feels they can learn is one of the biggest challenges and most important goals of schools. The atmosphere of standardized testing often strains that community feeling, so I'm looking forward to seeing what Meier has to say about how we can combat that strain.

It's unrealistic to think that I'll get through all of these in the near future, as I usually look to reading as a way to relax during busy semesters and tend to save these types of books for long breaks when I'm craving stimulation. I don't have any long breaks coming up anytime soon, but I'm hoping to at least revisit Ravitch's book, read In Schools We Trust, and dive into Rhee's sometime this summer.

Inspired: Christopher Emdin {TED Talk}

Education is arguably the number one thing on my mind these days. Do you ever look back on a decision and just feel so incredibly glad that you made it? That's how I feel about my decision to pursue education as a career. When it comes to applying for graduate school and approaching the end of your undergrad experience, a lot of thoughts pop into your head. Did I choose the right field? Am I going to be happy doing this for the foreseeable future? Will I make a difference in my career? Will this choice allow me to have x, y, z (a comfortable life, funds for traveling, fulfillment -- insert wish/hope/dream here)? I go back and forth between feeling like I'll never be ready to be an adult and wanting desperately to be independent. This kind of  big life change is exhilarating and terrifying, and it's happening really, really soon.

I'm just as anxious as the next graduate, but I'm also so incredibly excited to devote next year to learning more about being a teacher and to finally have regular hours spent in a classroom. I walk away from my education classes each day with the conviction that I am going into the right field, that I am pursuing the job that I was meant to have all along-- despite my foray into three other majors throughout college. Watching TED talks like the one I've posted here only get me more fired up about education and the big dreams I have for contributing something meaningful to the field. 

Confession: I actually listen to TED talks every time I do my laundry. I plug in my headphones, lug my giant laundry bag down to the washroom, and take that time to think about big issues while I sort my clothes into different loads. Usually, I get through about 2-3 talks with each laundry day, but sometimes I end up just listening to one of my favorites again. Today I listened to this one -- Christopher Emdin's ideas about teacher education and a new equation for intelligence. I make a lot of connections between this talk and the talk by Mac Barnett, because they're all about the ability to engage children in a way that's not happening in classrooms today. I am particularly passionate about reading (if you couldn't already tell...) and these two talks really tie together the need for teachers, parents, and communities to show young readers just how exciting reading can be -- and then to help perpetuate that enthusiasm in older grades, when our students are the least engaged in their studies.

For teachers (and aspiring teachers) this talk presents a great opportunity for us to dig deep about the kind of engagement that we want to have in our classrooms, and the ways in which we can bring that level of energy each day to create the best learning environment for our students.

Enjoy, and happy weekend!

Currently Coveting {November}

November is my favorite month of the year, hands down. Not only is it my birthday today (yay!), but in two weeks I'll be home stuffing my face enjoying a Thanksgiving feast, and I can finally see the light at the end of the hardest-semester-ever-tunnel. For this month's currently coveting, I picked only two books that have been on my mind for the past week straight. I tend to stick to a very predictable model of personal style, decor, etc. but my reading selection is never predictable and my bookshelf is the most varied collection of things that I own, as evidenced by the two picks below. Now I'm off to indulge in birthday treats and maybe sing a certain relevant Taylor Swift song...enjoy!

Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf // This book looks so fascinating, though it's definitely not for everyone. As a psychology major, I love learning about the ways in which the mind works. People are often surprised that a large part of my psychology education has been dedicated to learning about the technical aspects behind cognition, and that there is a heavy emphasis in my university's psychology program on neuroscience. In fact, following a neuroscience track into graduate school was one path that I seriously considered this past year. The brain is fascinating- we know barely anything about it- and I would love to be part of that movement to really dissect the workings of the body's most important organ. One of the biggest pushes in the neuroscience community right now is for neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, cognitive psychologists, and educators to work together in researching how development of the brain affects learning at an early age. In working to become an educator, an integral part of my professional knowledge (in my opinion) has to do with the workings of the brain. This book brings together two things that fascinate me: neuroscience and reading. It explores the neural processes behind reading, examines the history of the human ability to read, and pays special attention to the subject of dyslexia. I'll be adding this to my growing stack of reads for professional purposes, but from a personal perspective this looks like the perfect storm of my interests and I can't wait to get my hands on it. 

Yes Please by Amy Poehler // On the opposite end of the reading spectrum is this. As soon as I saw the announcement for this book, I knew I had to have it. Not only is Amy Poehler a force to be reckoned with in the pool of role model-worthy women, she's also beyond hilarious. Tina Fey, her real-life BFF, wrote my favorite memoir to date (I've listened to the audiobook three times and own both a hardcover and paperback copy), and I'm expecting this one to be just as good. Perfect for holiday gifts to your girlfriends and a sure way to make people judge you when you belly laugh while reading it in public. 

What are you looking forward to reading this month?