Here's to Fall... and Professional Growth

[KristinL]

Back in April, I wrote Practice Makes Improvement, a blog post about reflective practices. In one of the comments, Laura Gibbs asked if I could create a list of books that I have read as part of my own professional growth.

Sorry for the delay, but, YES. Of course!!

Now that it is officially autumn, school is underway. The stress of the new school year has subsided, even if it’s only a bit! Additionally, days have gotten shorter, the weather has become chillier, and coffee shops have provided the blessing of pumpkin-spiced lattes. It seems like we have a perfect opportunity to slow down and to reflect again...whether that’s at a coffeehouse, carving time out of your schedule at work, or in the comfort of your own home.

I know, I know. I may be asking a lot here. Teachers are super busy the way it is, and here I am asking for you to squeeze one more task in between teaching responsibilities and your home life. Professional growth and reflection is good for you!

Like I have written before, be intentional and start small. Whether you choose a book from my list or you find your own, select a topic that can get you excited about your classroom. Then, even if you spend 15 minutes a day on three different days in a week reading, eventually it’ll become part of your routine. Another wonderful thing about reading is that this is your schedule. Nobody is requiring you to read a specific amount by a certain day. Set your own goals.

If you need someone to hold you accountable, maybe find another Canvas Community member or a colleague who will read along with you. Set page goals and then send quick notes or tweets to each other. No matter what, make reading enjoyable. Diving into a book with someone will make you more likely to follow through; think of this like having a workout buddy!

Here’s my list of books! I’ve done my best to link to the publisher’s site. (Note: this is a personal list; I was not contacted or paid to read or promote/share any of these...) While I have read most of these, the rest are on my immediate “to read” list. I’ll continue to add to my spreadsheet as I read more.

After you order your first choice or stop by your library, there’s only one thing left to do.

*Grab a cup of coffee/tea/cocoa, and raise it high.*

Here’s to fall!  ...and professional growth.

May your never-ending journey as an educator be filled with collaboration, opportunity, and discoveries.

Cheers!