In late 2008 I posted The Best Education-Related Books Visitors To This Blog Read In 2008.
I’d like to do it again this year.
Feel free to leave your recommendations in the comment section of this blog and I’ll hold them in moderation until I print the whole list.
The books could have been published earlier. The only requirement is that you’ve read them sometime this year. They might not be obviously connected to education — just briefly explain how it is connected in your mind.
Please leave the title of the book; author’s name; why you like the book (or books) so much — please keep the explanation to no more than two or three sentences; and how you’d like me to describe you.
Deadline — December 30th.
Disrupting Class : How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns by Clayton M. Christensen, Curtis W. Johnson, Michael B. Horn.
This book provides great insight into what the future of education might look like.
I really enjoyed The Kids From Nowhere: the Story Behind the Arctic Educational Miracle by George Guthridge. It’s interesting, inspirational, and fun. Here’s a link to the site: http://www.thekidsfromnowhere.com/
Hope and Despair in the American City: Why There Are No Bad Schools in Raleigh by Gerald Grant
I read this for an electronic book group discussion of educators from around the country. I was not prepared to learn so much American History from my “school years” especially of the 60’s and 70″s.
I have recommended it to all my friends.
Looking forward to your list, Larry. Earlier this year I started a shared google spreadsheet and asked teachers, through twitter, to share their recommendations for a ‘book every educator should read’. You may be interested in the results: http://bit.ly/71yIAM
Grown Up Digital-
It has sat on my bookshelf for months and finally found the time to pick it up and read it.
The Way Schools Work – A Sociological Analysis of Education by deMarrais and LeCompte. I have always been interested in the sociology and economics of “the hidden side” of things (to quote from Freakonomics). The 3rd party observations of our education system are especially interesting.
Grown Up Digital by Don Tapscott
Nurtureshock by Po Bronson
It questions many traditional parenting practices and provides us with some actual strategies. What is great for parents is usually great for teachers in managing some of the basic principles of encouraging ethical behavior.