New Year, Teach Anew: 5 Books to Inspire Teachers in 2015

The start of the year is the perfect time for teachers to open a book, gain newfound direction and make a plan for developing their career. That's why we’ve compiled a list of entertaining, informative books with 5-star reviews from teachers and high rankings in the New York Time’s top 100 selling education books of 2014.

Here are 5 books we recommend teachers use to kickstart their professional development in 2015:

1. The Whole Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel

This book is an essential read for early childhood teachers. Although written as a parenting book, the psychological insights and neurological science discussed in the book can help teachers of students up to age 12. This book provides a deep understanding of how young children’s brains function and mature. Apply the strategies outlined in the book to the classroom and devise teaching strategies that transform students’ outbursts into opportunities for constructive learning, and behavioral growth. Helpful reviews— “ Instead of just saying HOW to interact with children, the authors show us WHY, which lends a much greater and more nuanced understanding to the how. This book provides a unique opportunity to read about everyday situations with children and relate them quickly and easily to a neurobiological level.”   “I have read many books in the care of children, having been a teacher since 2001…This book in particular helps with the 'behind-the-scenes' - the ideology one must have before interacting with children. I am so glad I read this and that I now have it in my repertoire. I will continue to use the insights from this book for years to come.”   

2. The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida

For special education teachers who work with autistic children, this thirteen-year-old boy’s memoir provides an inside look into what triggers the behaviors and decisions autistic children may make. Use insights from this book to devise creative strategies for better addressing the learning needs of your autistic students.   Helpful reviews— “This was bought as a gift for a Pre-School teacher teaching 3 to 5 year olds. Several students are challenged, 3 autistic and one with cerebral palsy. I read the reviews and thought it would give her a better insight to what she is having to dealing with. She is pleased with what she’s learned and is now promoting this book to other teachers.”   “This is a journal of questions and answers written by a child who is autistic and the answers that are given are so insightful. As an educator, this book helps us get into the minds of autistic children and allows us to gain a more complete understanding of a small part of that spectrum. It is a wonder and empowering read. Worth the price of admission into the minds of autistic children!”  

3. Naked Statistics by Charles Wheelan

There has not been a time in recent US history that statistics has been a popular, dare we say “sexy” topic of learning—until now. Statistics is becoming ever more important for corporations, especially technology driven businesses like Google, that young people clamor over. This book is a great read for math teachers hoping to get their students excited about applying statistics to the world around them.   Helpful reviews— “First let me say that I am not what you would call a math person, after all I was an English major and earned my Master's in Library Science. However, if the author was the one teaching my PhD stats class, I might have been tempted to pursue a quantitative study!”   “I love this book. It clearly explains statistics. I am a new teacher of AP Statistics and needed some simpler explanations of Statistics. I use it to better relate statistics ideas to my students.”   “I am a middle school math teacher who touches upon statistics. This is a fascinating book that breaks down complicated subjects, and interestingly. I understand statistics better because of the book and I can use parts of it with my students.”  

4. Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do (Issues of Our Time) by Claude Steele 

If only classrooms were disconnected from society, teachers would not have to worry about reinforcing positive or negative stereotypes placed on students. This book explores how social stereotypes threatens the academic performance and behavioral choices of children and adults on a larger scale. This book is a great choice for teachers who manage diverse student populations.   Helpful reviews— “Steele demonstrates convincingly that some of the standard advice that members of disadvantaged groups receive (often from parents), such as to just work harder, can actually be detrimental. He also shows that comparatively small changes in institutional settings, or in how tasks or challenging situations are presented, can largely or entirely eliminate the stereotype threat and its impact on performance. I found the book inspiring, and I know it will change the way that I present tasks and feedback to students and family members.”   “…it doesn't really matter what race you are, or what city you came from, there's a stereotype out there with your name on it. I suppose as a white person, I must confess, being stereotyped as bad at basketball (but great at Hockey?) is not the end of the world. Most white guys are resigned to the fact that they won't play in the NBA. But to be stereotyped as academically inferior (as many blacks in this world are) is another thing entirely.”   “Must read for k-20 teachers and admin! Expertly discusses stereotype threat and strategies to minimize it for the benefit of institutional change related to student performance.”   “I read this book as part of a class for teachers and I learned so much reading this book! Everyone in the class was impressed with the research behind it and the practical suggestions included.”

5. See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers by Roxanna Elden

Nothing makes us more proud than to witness teachers enlightening and uplifting one another. A veteran teacher who’s worked with students of various ages in all types of settings delivers practical strategies for holistically managing the frustrations and challenges that come with teaching. By sharing the stories of experienced teachers, she shows that no challenge is insurmountable with a bit of dedication. This book is filled with realistic suggestions for teachers managing classroom behavior, school bureaucracy and more.Helpful reviews— “I am a first year teacher, and the practical advise offered in "See Me After Class" was invaluable. I look forward to implementing many of the suggestions this new year.”   “Elden recognizes that we all have our bad days and gives advice about how to recover from them.”   “As a new Middle School teacher, I give this book 5 stars out of 5. I'm so thankful for it! It has various great tips and advice as well as checklists. It covers several important topics such as classroom management, organization, parent contact, dealing with coworkers and your principal and many others. One of my favorite parts of this book was the stories shared by other teachers.