Personal Development
5 Books Every Teacher
Should Read
By Aisha Shakti Hakim
M
any teachers are avid
readers. When we have time,
we love to immerse ourselves
in colorful fiction, thoughtprovoking nonfiction, entertaining
pop
culture
based
magazines,
progressive pedagogical curriculum,
and everything in between. With that
in mind, here are my suggestions for
the 5 books you or the teacher in your
life may enjoy!
1. Teaching Outside the Box: How
to Grab Your Students By Their
Brains by LouAnne Johnson. This
book is for both new teachers and
vets and is an incredibly effective
toolkit of strategies, checklists,
handouts, and no nonsense advice
to help you create a positive
classroom environment that inspires
both student and teacher. You will
not be disappointed.
2. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood
Up for Education and Was Shot by
the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai.
Who hasn’t heard the shocking story
of Malala, the fifteen-year-old girl
who was shot in the head at point
blank range by the Taliban in her
native Pakistan, for daring to go to
school? This story is told in her own
words and shares her journey from
survivor to global spokesperson for
the right of girls to be educated.
It’s a powerful testament to the
importance of education and using
your voice to advocate for what’s
right.
3. Chicken Soup for the Teachers
Soul: Stories to Open the
Hearts and Rekindle the Spirit
of Educators by Jack Canfield.
This book is part of the “Chicken
Soup for the Soul” series. In this
version teachers, administrators,
counselors, educational consultants
and former students share stories,
reflections, and observations that
demonstrate the powerful impact
of teachers on the lives of everyone
they touch. If you’ve ever read any
of the other “Chicken Soup for
the Soul” books, you’ll definitely
appreciate this version for teachers.
4. Pedagogy of the Oppressed by
Paulo Freire. This classic, details
the importance of delivering a
critical pedagogy that informs,
engages, questions and challenges
the way students are seen, teaching
is delivered and teachers teach. It
explains the importance of teaching
in a way that considers societal
issues and social change.
5. Lies My Teacher Told Me:
Everything Your American History
Textbook Got Wrong by James W.
Loewen. This self-explanatory, eye
opener aims to correct the many
inaccuracies taught as facts within
the classroom. Those inaccuracies
aren’t the fault of teachers but
rather can be traced to textbook
publishers who intentionally or
unintentionally produce materials
that gloss over, ignore or outright
revise unpleasant aspects of
American history. Rather than paint
an ugly picture of that history, this
book provides clear insight into the
facts tha