My favorite professional book is definitely Rafe Esquith's "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire!!" This book came at just the right time for me. I had been teaching in a very affluent school with students who were almost all advanced and were excited about learning. Then, with a district shuffling, I ended up in an inner city school with all minority, impoverished, low-ability level students whose behavior problems far overshadowed their need for instruction! I was completely at a loss and felt like a failure... until I read this book! What an amazing, amazing role model for teachers! If I can be 1/8th of the teacher to my students that Mr. Esquith is to his, I will have a successful year! I'm so happy to see that on your list and am thrilled for the person that will be able to read it for the first time!
As for me, I'd love to be entered in the drawing for Ralph Fletcher's "Boy Writers and Poetry Matters." Getting my boys to write (not to even think about enjoying it) is definitely something I still struggle with, so this would probably be a great book to add to my "must-reads" for 2011.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and inspiration, Angela! You truly are amazing! :)
My favorite professional book is definitely Rafe Esquith's "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire!!" This book came at just the right time for me. I had been teaching in a very affluent school with students who were almost all advanced and were excited about learning. Then, with a district shuffling, I ended up in an inner city school with all minority, impoverished, low-ability level students whose behavior problems far overshadowed their need for instruction! I was completely at a loss and felt like a failure... until I read this book! What an amazing, amazing role model for teachers! If I can be 1/8th of the teacher to my students that Mr. Esquith is to his, I will have a successful year! I'm so happy to see that on your list and am thrilled for the person that will be able to read it for the first time!
As for me, I'd love to be entered in the drawing for Ralph Fletcher's "Boy Writers and Poetry Matters." Getting my boys to write (not to even think about enjoying it) is definitely something I still struggle with, so this would probably be a great book to add to my "must-reads" for 2011.
Thanks for all of your thoughts and inspiration, Angela! You truly are amazing! :)
Happy Holidays,
Leah M.