Books

I am constantly seeking information, practical advice, inspiration, and support for English teachers. If you are like me, you might consider checking out these titles:

Young Adult Literature: Exploration, Evaluation, and Appreciation by Katherine T. Bucher and M. Lee Manning.

This is a much needed guide to the rapidly expanding world of YA-Lit. The book gives an extensive discussion of many sub-genres of YAL, including historical fiction, contemporary realism, speculative fiction, graphic novels, non-fiction, and more. The book also goes beyond discussion to application–there are suggested teaching approaches, pairings of YA books with canonized classics or films, bibliographies, and troubleshooting segments. Hand down, this is an amazing resource for teachers in all fields who are considering using young adult literature in their classrooms.

Gender in Urban Education: Strategies for Student Achievement by Alice E. Ginsberg, et. al.

Finally–a book that addresses the gender concerns that our generation loves to pretend don’t exist. This text is helpful because of its thorough discussion of several distinct gender issues, as well as its incorporation of actual gender equity strategies that can be put to use in the classroom. Through subtle signals that one sends to his or her class, a teacher can address the power structures and societal expectations that are tied to gender. This book helps us examine those signals in our classroom. Also, the strategies in this book are tailored to urban classrooms; however, they are
needed in ALL classrooms.

Walking on Water: Reading, Writing, and Revolution by Derrick Jensen

Now here is a book on education that is worth reading! The praise on the back cover, which claims that all teacher preparation courses should throw out their texts and replace them with this book, seems extreme… until you read the book. Inspiring, genuine, thrilling, revolutionary, and simply fantastic, this book reminds me why I want to teach. It is important, and very highly recommended.

Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice to Teachers from Middle Schoolers by Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers

Before beginning my middle school student teaching placement, I wanted to read something that would get me back in touch with how middle schoolers view the world. This was the perfect book to read. It is told predominantly in the voices of middle school students from urban schools on topics that vary from what kind of structure they expect in the classroom to how their social world affects them to whether or not it should be allowed to eat in class. The student anecdotes are joined with author commentary about what these quotations tell about adolescent development and how to apply the knowledge that they provide through effective teaching. This is a great book–funny, honest, and applicable.

The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America by Jonathan Kozol

This fantastic book approaches a prevalent issue in education that is rarely mentioned yet completely obvious: the segregation of American schools. While Jim Crow laws have gone, segregation through policy and socioeconomic factors in actually increasing. While we have white kids in white schools, black kids in black schools, and Latino kids in Latino schools, education will be separate but clearly unequal. Kozol dissects this topic through a powerful  blend of personal anecdotes, meticulously researched data, and all-out passion. A must-read for those concerned about the “big picture” in education, and for those fighting for an excellent education for all children.

Letters to a Young Teacher by Jonathan Kozol

Written as a series of letters to a first year teacher, this book has been an inspiration to me and countless others. While it does focus on elementary education (the letters are addressed to the teacher of a first grade classroom), there are many universal topics discussed here. This book is the voice of seasoned wisdom that many young teachers long to hear, yet it is untainted by lethargy or jadedness. Kozol tires of the social problems reflected in the education system, but his zest for life and for inspiring students bounces fresh off the page. This title is a rare treasure that simultaneously celebrates the joys of teaching and calls educators to action against the injustices suffered in many urban schools.