Summer PD Reading List

Despite what many people may believe, summer is a time when teachers continue working. It is during this season that we have the opportunity to reflect on our practice and our student performance as well as create lesson plans, help with summer school and reach out to former students to see how they are doing. I find it helpful to create a loosely put together list of the books I would like to read and set some larger goals for my practice, below you will find the list ;0

BOOKS with amazon links 

1. Fluent Forever by Gabriel Wyner

Book about language acquisition through a learner's perspective with a focus on using SRS or spaced repetition systems. Lots of resources to increase tech in class too. Amazon link

2. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter Brown 

Destroys myths about learning with research from cognitive psychology and suggests new means of creating understanding. Told through vignettes.  Amazon link

3. Real Talk for Real Teachers: Advice for Teachers from Rookies to Veterans: "No Retreat, No Surrender! by Rafe Esquith

This makes the list for the author, Rafe Esquith. My favorite teacher once told me the best book she ever read on teaching was his book Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire. It is supposed to address more of the practical issues of day to day teaching like how to teach when you can barely get out of bed because you lack motivation. Amazon link

4. How Teachers Can Turn Data into Action by Daniel R. Venables 

PLCs are required by our county and have been a recent and reoccurring item on our School Improvement Plan. This past school year, admin took steps to improve PLCs by asking the teachers to talk about and reflect on student data. It was somewhat successful but seemed to lack a long-term effect. I am hoping this book will not only inform me but that I can take the findings to admin.  Amazon link

As always, feel free to comment below about books and goals you are interested in for the summer. 

Fluent Forever Student 1st Impressions

I know a few people asked about how students would react to the book Fluent Forever so when one of my A+ students finished her county exam early, I handed her Fluent Forever to begin reading. Her 1st impressions of the book are below:

I've read up to page 26 so far and I think it's a really good book. I love how it explains the ways you should follow when learning a new language. It was interesting how the narrator told the readers his experience with learning new languages. I was impressed by his attempt of learning 4 languages: German, Italian, French, and Russian. It's amazing how he is interested by different kinds of languages from different countries and it influenced me to learn more languages. I knew how to speak 2 languages, such as Korean and English, and now I know how to speak, read, and write Spanish. This book influenced me to give me a determination to learn more new languages. Also, I love how it shows what kinds of books you should get if you want to learn languages and gives you tips on what you should not do. This book gave me a good impression and I would love to purchase this book and finish it during the summer.