Recent Books I've Read and Recommend
Being in between positions, I am finding more time to read books and write about them. I usually post my ratings and reviews on Goodreads. This social media tool provides an HTML code of your post to publish on your blog. So...here you go! Look for more reviews over the summer. If you have titles you have read recently and would recommend, please post in the comments.
The Action Research Guidebook: A Four-Stage Process for Educators and School Teams by Richard D. Sagor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A comprehensive guide for educators to conduct action research in schools. The author provides lots of templates as well as examples from both the teacher and principal perspective. I used this text to conduct my own action research. The four stage process was explained well. It might be too much information for educators just getting familiar with the action research process.
Beastly Bones by William Ritter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An entertaining follow up to the first Jackaby book. The author provides enough red herrings to keep you guessing about the perpetrator and its origins. A nice blend of mystery, paranormal, and humor.
Solving 25 Problems in Unit Design: how do I refine my units to enhance student learning? by Jay McTighe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A nice companion to the other UbD resources by the authors. I could see teams of teachers using it when doing a curriculum audit.
Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are few books I elect to own in multiple formats. Better is one of them. I listened to it as an audiobook, and plan to purchase a physical copy soon. There are so many ideas in Better that I want to come back to: Innovation, systems thinking, improving performance, and doing the right thing that any person can relate to. It's a book about medicine, yes, but so much more.
Digital Reading: What's Essential in Grades 3-8 by William L. Bass II, Franki Sibberson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the rare #edtech books that prioritizes pedagogy over technology. The authors take a deep dive into the benefits and costs of reading on a screen. I especially enjoyed the chapters on connectedness and home-school communication.
Mistakes Were Made by Stephan Pastis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A nice departure from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Timmy may be the worst detective in history, mostly because he doesn't listen to others or make basic observations. His ignorance leads him into a lot of trouble that is more funny than serious. The author keeps things grounded when he touches on Timmy's home life, a realistic portrait of a single parent situation (minus the polar bear).
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A brief text filled with many ideas for sharing your work and process with others. Felt it was too short. The author could have expanded on some of the topics a bit more. Still, well worth my time reading it.