Table of Contents
Teaching is my passion. And passion is my craft.
As we are all human beings, and to err is human, we tend to get to a point in our life where our passion for teaching seems to dim and we start to struggle in fulfilling our found purpose in life.
One way to feed the soul and mind is by reading some of the best books about teachers that will surely fire up inspiration and ignite your hunger for knowledge and teaching. Being a teacher means being selfless, even when you’re only making little money from it but you still choose to give to the greater good for humanity.
Out of all the professions in the world, I have no doubt that teaching is one of the noblest professions that anyone decides to pursue. Teachers contribute in many ways that are not commonly known to people.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
I have seen teachers going above and beyond just to help students not only in curricular activities, as well as personal issues they go through. I believe inside the classroom teachers develop an interpersonal relationship with their students that paves a positive way on how an individual make their decisions for their future in life.
and with that in mind, I’ve gathered 11 books about teachers that today’s educators should definitely check out in the year 2022 to reignite inspiration and courage to face another year amid all the trials and tribulations the year 2021 has brought us. So if you’re ready, let’s get this started!
“There is no recipe to be a great teacher, That’s what is unique about them. “
-Robert Sternberg
History On How Teaching Became A Profession
When I took the chance and decided to be an educator, my parents already started to dispute it. They would always try to change my mind and ask for me to take a different direction. It was a harrowing moment in my life where I had no support from people whom I was expecting the most support.
But triumphantly, I was able to achieve my goal to be an educator and have the honor to pass on knowledge to our youth.
Teaching seems to be an easy profession from someone else’s point of view, but it is a very challenging role to fulfill. Aside from distributing knowledge, you have to have a technique so that your students will be able to absorb all the learnings as much as possible by heart.
Choosing to teach means having the opportunity to make a positive change in the lives of those we interact with on a daily basis. We are influencers that have the potential ability to contribute greatness for the future days to come.
With your chosen line of profession, do you ever wonder as to how teaching became a profession? Well, it all started from being a simple educational purpose to today’s rather complex profession. Being able to know the roots will help you appreciate your job more.
The scholar men from ancient times became the first of teachers by default. This can all be dated back to Confucious (561 B.C.), who was the first widely known private teacher.
Confucious being one of the most learned men in the early ages, became the first private teacher recorded in history. He was born out of a high noble family but with time not being kind they eventually found themselves struggling to live by.
He was a man hungry for knowledge and had a thirst for education. But in his time, only the royal and noble were allowed to receive such education.
As all teachers were government officials, it was like finding a way through an eye of a needle for him to be able to get a grasp of education.
He brilliantly solved it by offering his service to a nobleman, whom he could accompany and at the same time have the opportunity to learn on the side.
Being known for his reputation, people started to seek and hire him as a private teacher for their child. Confucius has been praised well by word of mouth and received a teacher’s appreciation more than any other.
He took in students that he saw were keen to learn, and with the subjects he imposed regularly, Confucius granted his students personal wisdom for establishing responsibility and moral character by discipline, which is something he is still known for today.
______________________________
Are you in a hurry to find these books? Take a peek at the top 3 editor’s choice.
**Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links below, meaning that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Product | Image | Reasons to read it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Because of Mr. Terupt | |
|
Check Price ---> |
| A Letter to My Teacher | |
|
Check Price ---> |
| The Lives of Children: The Story of the First Street School | |
|
Check Price ---> |
__________
Ancient Greece has been known as the long-standing expert in philosophy and wisdom, has early on recognized and sorted the value of gaining an education that led them to start hiring private teachers to educate their children. Any self-respected Greek obliged on Teacher Appreciation.
Wise and well-educated men pursued to bestow wisdom on into the first years of Christianity, and this includes the scribes in the Bible, these were also men who have taught and created education for the law.
Proceeding through the first centuries A.D. Roman families commonly had educated slaves for the purpose of teaching their children, most were foreigners who were enslaved coming from other countries.
It was not until the Middle Ages that education seemed to be a trial and error proposition in the modern world, this was when the Roman Catholic Church has been mainly charged with teaching the sons of the nobility.
Monasteries and specially designated learning centers were assigned for the realization of this movement. One of those learning centers that developed and still stands to this day is Cambridge University, whose first school was St. Peter’s, established in 1284.
In the 1800s highly noticeable changes appeared for the teaching profession. Towns with more than 50 families or 2000 citizens were required by law to hire a teacher mainly for the purpose of teaching for high school students. It all started in Boston, where the high school was originally called as “terminal school” which formally existed in 1821, instructing boys 12 years old and above.
During the 1840s, Horace Mann and Henry Barnard made educational systems in Massachusetts and Connecticut that further expanded teacher preparation and training, including the teacher’s salary. In many states, teachers were being required to step through an examination to be certified and have the license to teach.
With the law having an unending conflict with education, towns with more than 500 families were directed to impose a secondary school with an endorsed educational plan. Towns with more than 4,000 occupants were required to instill Latin and Greek subjects, along with additional subjects.
Fast forward to the 1900s, conditions, and benefits for the teaching profession improved. This resulted in the surge of men wanting to be teachers by profession. It showed a significant increase of better teaching methods that will be able to flourish the ever-changing educational needs of our evolving society.
Towards the start of the 20th century, parents and the local community initiated a request and demanded curriculums that are more practical and useful based on societal norms, and with this act, it has gained more respect in teaching as a profession.
Now with today’s teaching, modern technological advancement plays an important and huge role. Books are being replaced by digital means that have given and opened endless possibilities as to where education can take another step forward.
Teaching is a naturally fast-paced profession, especially in modernized cities. It is still expected to revolutionize and evolve in the coming years. Yet, with all things being considered, there are still some issues arising that hinders development in the said profession. Compensations are higher, however, schools are stuffed and financing is constrained and held back.
_________________________________________
11 Best Books About Teachers To Rekindle Your Passion for Teaching
**Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links below, meaning that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1) The Lives of Children, by George Dennison
Click image for details
Reading this book made me want to become a teacher. It entails a real-life setting from the experience of the author himself, George Dennison. The text of this book revealed what it is like to help the children that no one even bothered to think of.
John Holt reviewed the book for The New York Reviews of Books and iconically wrote. “If anyone felt he had time to read only one book on education, The Lives of Children should be the one.”
It tells the story of the first-ever street school that was established by George Dennison on the Lower East Side of New York. The school had no formal administrators and only four teachers.
The street school is instilled with the purest, libertarian sense, incorporated with the forward-thinking philosophies of AS Neill, John Dewey, and Leo Tolstoy.
It showed how George Dennison and his colleagues successfully helped the children no one was able to assist and support. All the children enrolled in the school come from low-income families, and adding to it are the kids having behavioral issues making it a bit more challenging.
As stated in the book, George Dennison and teachers affiliated with the free school, taught 23 kids that are of diverse racial backgrounds. Some were Puerto Rican, some were white, and some were black. It highlights the significance of freedom in relation to the growth of children by mind and body.
Reading this book helped me learn and understand more about how I can approach and engage my students from a teacher’s perspective. It is also a thought-provoking book that will surely question your purpose in life.
I also liked how the author goes back and forth for some of his explanations behind the idea of the work, as well as the day-to-day detailed events of a normal school day in the first street school. For me, the book gave out the essential truths in education and is the best interpretation of why education works and the reasons it does not.
This is a great book to give you a more in-depth understanding of how the relationship of the students with their teacher, or rather the relationship between children and adults is the sole core of education, which I also think is the core of life itself.
It also shows the importance of educators being a part of the huge influence children encounter as they go through life. It emphasizes the need for educators to be loving, understanding, patient, and to be a positive influence in the life of their students.
This book is very easy to read, and will surely give you a new perspective in your ways of teaching, as well as your ways in life. It can give you a guideline regardless of the type of school you teach in. Even if it was written in 1969, the book will give you more relevant wisdom than ever for teaching nowadays.
_______________
2) What Teachers Make, by Taylor Mali
Click image for details
Taylor Mali wrote this book in praise of the world’s greatest job. Teaching. This book has been loved by all teachers in America and has been truly treasured and shared.
Mali has been inside the classroom for about nine years teaching anything under the sun from English classes, Math classes, even SAT preparations. He was once a teacher that turned into a Teacher’s Advocate that has inspired millions with his original piece of the poem “What teachers make”.
It entailed a response to a rich man who was an arrogant young lawyer and was a dinner guest at a party Mali attended, his question resulted in Mali impressively writing a poem detailing what teachers make and how teachers change and mold the life of a child.
It sparked a work that has been shared teacher to teacher and even people who did not teach by profession. The message was so viral and heartfelt that it has also been watched on YouTube gaining millions of views.
This has led Mali to be dubbed as the “Poet with a plan to improve the world, one teacher at a time”.
This book also shows the funny, sharp, and perceptive look of Mali’s life inside the classroom on a normal day, which really paid tribute to the bliss in teaching. At the same time, also explains why teaching is a vital role in society.
This book is perfect for any teachers needing some encouragement or positive reinforcement as this book shows how teachers make a difference on a daily basis inside and outside the classroom.
This book showed an insight into Mali’s life that seemed to be written straight from the heart from a teacher’s perspective. This book made me laugh and cry equally and seeing how very inspiring it is, I actually listed down some people that I wanted to give this book to! That’s how inspiring I thought the book was.
I thought this book was really an eye-opening medium with the wonders a teacher’s job brings to society. This book promotes encouragement and gives a fresh perspective on the most influential profession in the world which I believe is teaching.
This book helped me remember the so-called “light-bulb moments” that made teaching worthwhile. Being able to pave the way to a brighter future for my students really made every struggle, every challenge, and every obstacle worth it.
It also graciously painted the rewards and challenges a teacher faces in today’s society. If you are seeing yourself tired from the daily struggles a teacher faces, I highly recommend this book to help fire up your passion and spirit in teaching.
_______________
3) Today I Made a Difference: A Collection of Inspirational Stories from America’s Top Educators by Joseph W. Underwood
Click image for details
Once in our life, surely there is one teacher who made a difference and imprinted something that will last forever in our hearts and mind. I myself cannot forget my high school English teacher who always supported me and believed in my potential to be someone great someday.
Published on April 18, 2009, by Adam Media, this book depicts a collection of stories from Top Educators all around America. This book carries their stories of hope, optimism, and their fight for a better education that does not end within the walls of classrooms but goes beyond that.
This book is pure motivation for teachers needing a boost of morale and for them to continue their purpose. The author selectively collected stories from each of the twenty-eight Disney Teachers of the year awardees. Every story entailed how each of them overcame obstacles to providing education to their students and even going the extra mile
The stories will give you an insight into what teachers go through just to deliver and educate their students even without expecting something in return. This can be a perfect gift to someone you know that is aspiring to pursue this profession.
It truly celebrates the dedication of teachers, how they inspire others, and how to motivate people that give their utmost effort just to shed some light on those in the dark.
This book will also give you a picture of why people choose this profession. Explaining why people working in this profession wholeheartedly give their best just to see their students thrive inside the classroom. And also why teachers, even with the little pay they get from this kind of profession turn their cheek on the other side and focus on their goal to instill the great cause they envision into each mind they influence inside the class.
Teachers do it to make a positive impact on the lives of their students. Teachers do it even when there are times when there is little to no appreciation being given to them. Teachers do it because they know that they are the only ones who can do it when nobody else cares.
This book really helped me when I was having a hard time, it showed me that having the opportunity to pass down knowledge to the future generation is the noblest thing someone can do. I felt like I was able to be in the shoes of each teacher sharing their stories in this book, and every story was really relatable.
This book also made me remember the reason why I wanted to be a teacher, why I wanted to contribute to a positive change in our society. I admit I am still working on that, and a reading book like this keep the fire going and helps me see and focus on my goal.
You will also realize something if you read this book, if it’s your calling to teach, even with all the hardships and trials you go through, the spark of hope will never go away and your motivation to carry on and teach might be fading sometimes but it will ignite and spark like fireworks that will surely awe anyone who will see it.
_______________
4) The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark
Click image for details
This book is included in the four-part novel by Muriel Spark which is her masterpiece illustrating her improvement for over 40 years, now can you imagine that.
Starting off with her first and celebrated novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie tackles the story of an admirable teacher’s life-changing impact on her students. This book portrays a teacher’s commitment to education and how powerful a teacher’s impact affects each and every life of the students they encounter.
It tells a story of a bright-hearted teacher whose mission is to encourage her students to follow their hearts, beauty, and love rather than just education. This book gives details on how Miss Jean Brodie, a teacher extraordinaire, was in her prime.
Her methods were unusual and unorthodox but in a good way that it brings out the best of each student she handled. Miss Jean Brodie was determined to enlighten her students with passion, ambition, and independence. But in every good book, there’s a plot twist, I’ll leave that to you if you ever decide to read the book.
This is actually just a short novel that can be read in one day, but its length does not lessen its impact on readers. I believe this book represents the different types of characters teachers come across inside the classroom. Having a mixture of characters inside the class can be quite a challenge for teachers, especially for students who carry problems from environments outside the class.
This book also shows how teachers have the power to hold young minds and influence them through positive reinforcement of value, integrity, and solidarity. Teachers are the largest influencers in society, they have more impact than what people may think.
Many great and iconic individuals share that their former teachers helped shape them into being who they are right now. And that’s one of the many things teachers contribute to the world.
A friend of the author was undoubtedly sure that Spark wrote the character based on their former teacher Miss Christina Kay. Spark’s friend showed how their former teacher and the main character in the book were so much alike in terms of their strong and firm views on education, and what education’s purpose was.
This only shows how teachers can have that lasting and formative impact on a student like how Miss Kay had on the author Muriel Spark. Leaving that kind of positive influence on students greatly shapes how our future holds.
It is a teacher’s choice if they want to be remembered as a great teacher, the worst teacher, or a memorable one. The main character in this book also quoted some of the mantras I go through when teaching. One of them is “To me, education is leading out of what is already there in the pupil’s soul.” This made me realize that teachers only need to shape their students at their best based on each student’s potential.
You don’t really need a uniform outcome from your students. Some may excel in math, some in science. Teachers just have to be the guide and mentor to instill a positive character in someone that can make a difference in the world someday.
_______________
5) Thank you, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco
Click image for details
This book is a classic that is also based on a real story about a dyslexic girl and her teacher that went far beyond just to help and make sure she does not fail. This is also a good read for students of all ages as it reinforces teacher appreciation at its best.
Patricia Polacco is one of America’s well-known and award-winning children’s book creators. She charmingly told a story about a girl named Trisha that just started school. She was a very talented girl when it comes to painting, drawing, and other activities. But when it comes to reading words on paper, it was just mayhem.
Trisha was excited and couldn’t wait to learn how to read. But when the time came for her to read from a book, it was all a big jumble of letters to her. One dedicated teacher named Mr. Falker recognized Trisha’s dyslexia.
With his determination and persistence to help Trisha overcome her reading disability, he marked Patricia Pollacco’s life and changed it forever. And this book can be clearly seen as a tribute to a teacher that made a difference.
Mr. Falker represents teachers who whole-heartedly give the effort to teach and mold the minds of each student so that they can overcome whatever obstacle they are currently facing. He even went out of his way to make sure that his students were confident with their learning as this can make a huge difference with how students absorb new learnings.
The illustrations in the book also deserve recognition. Each illustration looks realistic and really portrays the emotion the author wanted to convey. This added to the emotions of every word the book contains.
This book shines and glistens with inspiration for both teachers and students. It gives hope to everyone needing a ray of sunshine to brighten their gloomy days. Every time I read the book, I always find myself crying tears from the affirmation that everything we sacrifice and do is worthwhile.
This is also one of the books I always read to my girls when tucking them to bed. I want them to grow up appreciating the efforts of others especially to people giving their whole life in line to help others.
As a teacher reading, this book is particularly uplifting and admirable. This book will surely give you a glimpse of how tireless teachers teach for the sake of their students. Even teachers go through personal issues but they set it aside in order to educate students and shape them to be the best they can be.
Overall, this book by Patricia Polacco is one of the books I believe is best written and can really give you a fresh perspective both from the students’ and teachers’ point of view. This book has also been known as Patricia Polacco’s tribute to his Grandfather that encouraged her to think like a bee and chase knowledge and wisdom through pages of books.
It is truly a heart-tugging story that will keep you in touch with your emotions and will make you grateful for having the opportunity to teach and touch the lives of your students.
_______________
6) Because of Mr. Terupt, by Rob Buyea
Click image for details
Mr. Terupt is to face seven students with varied personalities that seemed troublesome to the energetic teacher. But Mr. Terupt knew well how to specifically deal with each one of them. He knew how he would transform the school into something fun and would surely pique his student’s interests.
And speaking of piqued interest, this book also caught my attention that eventually led me to challenge myself on being a better educator. This book made me realize things that I haven’t given enough time to ponder about. And hitting the home run, this book made me love my students more than I thought I could.
You will surely fall in love with each and every character written in this book. The characters showed that differences can be put aside in order to achieve a goal as a team.
Each chapter is told by the pupils of Mr. Terupt from a 5th-grade class setting and the whole book revolves around them. From the seven characters, there is Jessica, the new girl who was clever and sharp, and as we all know being the new kid in school can be hard, you really don’t know how to fit in.
Then you have Alexia, who shows off herself as a friend but then ends up stabbing you in the back. Well, that’s not really pleasant. And then you have a troublemaker and the ultimate prankster named Peter. Next on the list is Luke, the intellectual one.
And then Danielle, the wallflower who seems to be quiet all the time and never stands up for herself. Then you will also meet Ana, the shy girl who’s having problems at home making her an outcast. Last but not least is Jeffrey, who is not really a big fan of school.
So as you can see, these are the mixed variations of students that teachers also face in real life. And the list goes on. This book will surely make you feel you’re riding a rollercoaster of emotions. The author seemed to have filled the book with humor, suspense, and a whole load of emotions. And that really is what teachers go through on a daily basis.
Especially for the sad parts, I will not go into the details so you have to find out about it yourself. I don’t want to be called a spoiler! Reading this book will make you realize that there are consequences to actions made by ourselves, it comes in a full circle. This book has also touched on a lot of topics that students are exposed to outside of school.
Regardless of age and educational level, you will surely enjoy and beg for more each time you will turn the page. The book gives the readers time to engage and provokes them to think. I hope to see a movie adaptation of this book soon!
_______________
7) Matilda, by Roald Dahl
Click image for details
Have you ever watched the movie, Matilda? I bet we all have. But reading the book itself will give you a far better experience to be in tune with the characters and reading it will also allow you to experience the story at your own pace.
Matilda is a sweet and extraordinary young girl who is one of a kind. At a young age, she was able to venture into learnings that are very advanced for her and her peers. She has been able to effortlessly answer equations none of her peers would be able to.
Even though she was brainy and a nerd, all of her classmates still loved her for her quirky and fun personality. She was indeed a very lovely girl. But beyond the walls of the classroom, Matilda was not very lucky with her parents, they were selfish and did not truly care for her.
Aside from that, she also had an arch enemy who seemed to always have an eye for Matilda. But fortunately for her, she had Miss Honey who was always at her side and gave her the love and support her parents failed to give her.
Even with all the challenges, Matilda has confronted Miss Honey made her feel that she was not alone. She was the perfect teacher anyone could think of as she seemed to have the power to make the children adore her, therefore, making them eager and keen to learn.
Miss Honey was a perfect teacher in the sense of her desire and determination to help not only some of her students but the whole class. She tries her best to help everybody in the class, not only the smart ones. She even helped the slow ones who were having a hard time in class.
On the first day she taught, only some of the students were able to spell the word “cat” but by the end of the week, one student was obviously a little slower than the others and was able to spell the word “difficulty” as easy as pie.
Now imagine the difference a great and humble teacher can make, a little really goes a long way. I think of teaching somewhat like planting a seed, you’ll never know how big your good intentions will grow someday. And when that time comes, seeing your perseverance and dedication blossom into something fruitful, you will surely realize all the hard work, all the stress, and all the pressure was worth it.
_______________
8) A letter to my teacher, by Deborah Hopkinson
Click image for details
As a teacher, nothing is more rewarding than receiving a teacher’s appreciation letter from your students. Deborah Hopkinson’s picture book, A letter to my teachers puts the effort of teachers perspectively where it’s meant to be by appreciating the teachers that have touched and changed our lives for the better.
I believe the teacher painted in the book is known by everyone, she’s the teacher you see in school every day tirelessly inspiring the people around them, from parents, neighbors, and especially the students. She is patient, caring, and always thinks of her student’s sake first before anything.
He is the funny teacher with a class everyone’s excited to attend. He is also the teacher you can see taking an extra step just so that everyone in the class can cope up with the lessons. He is the teacher everyone is grateful for.
The book tells a story about a little girl writing a letter to her teacher. The little girl was more interested in running and jumping than sitting quietly while learning and listening. From being such a troublemaker in field trips and pretending to be choking when asked to read aloud, this little girl can really bear resemblance to a challenge any teacher faces.
But as all teachers are mostly patient as a saint, this teacher is not backing down to get through her student. By listening carefully, and choosing the right words to say the teacher then finally learns why the child is acting that way. And this is due to her struggles with learning to read.
And guess what? The little girl chose the path to also be a teacher herself. If you can’t call that something inspirational, well I don’t know what inspiration is. Small acts of kindness and understanding can really make a big impression on a child.
This book was superbly illustrated and every little detail is on point. I admit as a teacher, this book is really close to my heart. I was even crying towards the end of the book as I could not contain the tears and emotion bottling up. It was very touching and sweet that it enlightened me with the rewards for all the things I do.
Overall, this book for me emphasized and shed light on the difference teachers really make. Teachers do things that are beyond teaching that can really change the life of a person. This book is a lovely tribute to all hardworking teachers anywhere in the world.
_______________
9) Teach like your hair’s on fire, by Rafe Esquith
Click image for details
This book was written by the award-winning teacher Rafe Esquith. This book is an inspiring guide on how a teacher can use different techniques to shape a child’s education. The story is set by Esquith in a Los Angeles neighborhood where guns, gangs, and drugs are a norm in the environment children grew up in.
But there was this unusual and extraordinary classroom known as room 56, inside are 5th graders who are first-generation immigrants who knew poverty all too well, and were not native to speaking the English language.
This class in room 56 has astonishing achievements; having played Vivaldi, has performed Shakespeare, and impressively scored in the top 1 percent of standardized tests, and has even attended Ivy League universities. And the man solely responsible for all these amazing achievements is none other than Rafe Esquith.
In his book, he discloses the techniques he used that have resulted in him being one of the most renowned educators of all time. In his classroom there are two main mottos that should be observed by all his pupils; 1.) Be nice, and work hard 2.) There are no shortcuts.
The students enjoyed many types of activities while being under their teacher Rafe Esquith. They even traveled the country to be able to learn history in a more realistic and vivid way.
They were also able to learn how to properly account and hold money, as well as tackling algebra. They even voluntarily went to school 30 minutes early before their class time and stayed in school a few hours to have extra time for learning.
Rafe Esquith made these children excited to learn and has paved the way to be a very effective teacher. This book was a combination of a how-to guide inside the classroom as well as an inspirational means for teachers and non-teachers to read.
This book will definitely bring you back to basics on how to teach, which is something we lose touch with sometimes. Having read this book will give you a refreshing outlook and a more positive take on things!
_______________
10) Unshakable: 20 ways to enjoy teaching every day…No matter what, by Angela Watson
Click image for details
I was immediately hooked to read this book just by the title. I mean who wouldn’t want to enjoy every second, every minute, and every hour of teaching on a daily basis? Well, I sure do, and that made me get a copy of this one for myself.
This book will definitely help you make teaching something you look forward to doing every day, it will give you a fun and fresh point of view and will surely change your ways of teaching inside the class.
This book is a collection of ideas that are inspiring and will surely help you get more satisfaction with what you are already doing. It’s an excellent handy guide to help you be in touch with your inner force to be an influencer and the deep-set motivation you know you have in you that will surely fire up your passion for teaching.
This book will help you incorporate beauty and love into your life of teaching inside the classroom. You will surely know what to tweak and how to change things up so that you will ultimately learn and love how to make your work more rewarding.
With this book, you’ll learn to create bright and exciting lessons that you can’t wait to teach in class. And instead of letting your students drain your energy, why not gain from them? You will also learn how to uncover and truly learn the meaning behind each lesson. As well as infusing a play learning environment that will make your bond with the students stronger.
This book will also help you realize that test scores and evaluations are not indicators of you being a great teacher. You will also be able to construct a self-running classroom, that will free you from teaching. Talk about auto-pilot?
You will also learn how to establish a healthy work-home balance through reading, which is something really insightful for teachers having struggles with bringing home undone work. You will also be able to determine and weigh things that matter most and you’ll learn to let go of things that don’t.
And last but not least this book will help you keep in mind that teaching is an adventure where you need to learn how to adapt and innovate things that are already around you.
Teaching for me is a give and take process, teachers also learn a lot of things from their students, and this I think is also a part of the rewarding moments teachers gain from what they do.
Most of the advice Angela Watson gave inside this book was very invigorating and can really lighten up the workload teachers have. As passion cannot be faked, you just really have to help yourself find the brighter side of things to help you be the teacher you want to be.
_______________
11) The Teacher’s Guide To Self-Care by Sarah Forst
Click image for details
As the pandemic caused by the Covid-19 quickly rolled in, the world went on a full lockdown. Airlines, restaurants, businesses, and of course, schools were caught off guard and were forced to shut down. and it has taken a toll on all of us—physically, mentally, and emotionally. And there’s no denying that the situation is still here to stay for an unprecedented period of time, but what matters most is that we have hope.
Teachers have gone through a lot especially when it was decided that schools are to continue online, and the virtual platform was unfamiliar territory that teachers took the courage to face just to continue playing the most important role in the education of the future generation that is to come.
And of course, the stress is going to be inevitable, but we should not let that be the case because even in the most challenging times, we can find the right balance to still take care of ourselves and stay grounded even through all the stress and hardships we go through. This is why the last book on our list is a must for teachers to read.
Surely everyone feels exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed out most of the time—but we have the control and the upper hand to change the scenario to make things go our way. Before you start taking care of others, it’s important for you to take care of yourself first. Practicing self-care is essential for teachers to initiate for them to develop a sustainable career as a teacher.
and this book is the perfect guide to help you know how to do just that. It will tell you why self-care is so important as it will help you manage your life even while juggling multiple responsibilities as we know that teachers wear many hats.
Sarah Forst, the author, wrote this book guide to help you assess your current self-care status, to teach you how to create a self-care plan, how to set boundaries with work and personal life, learn powerful and amazing affirmations (a personal favorite of mine), reflect and set realistically attainable self-care goals, teach you strategies for physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, vocational, and environmental self-care.
This book truly is a must-read for teachers during the pandemic, you won’t realize that you need this book until you start reading it. Even though current circumstances are pushing us to our breaking point, not all hope is lost as this book will help you balance yourself again and face another day prepared and confident.
_______________
8 Habits Every Teacher Should Practice
Catch everything about a highly motivated teacher
1) Bring in something you enjoy in class
Try to incorporate activities that you enjoy doing in your own time, whether it may be showing your class a movie you like and having them create a movie analysis assignment on it. You will surely love to check what your students think of the movie you showed them.
Or it can be in a form of artwork or a type of worksheet, that can be extracted from a favorite book or video. Nonetheless, if it’s something you like, you will surely be motivated to look into it.
2) Try to also learn from your students
Becoming a teacher does not mean your learning stops there, life itself is a continuous learning process. With every student coming in and out of your classroom you surely will be surprised by the new information you are about to receive, even if I learn something new every day from my students.
I try to keep my classroom an open environment where students can also share their experiences or train of thoughts which I believe leads to a healthy learning atmosphere.
3) Go out of your comfort zone
Try something new, try something you hate, you’ll be surprised to see that it’s something that can help and give you a different look at things. If you hate a certain type of teaching approach, try to give it a go.
And if it turns out something that you seem to have like, you have yourself a new territory to learn and explore. Keep moving forward even if it is something you’re not looking forward to. It might be something worth the effort.
4. Create and Decorate your own life map
A life map can help you appreciate yourself and see all the accomplishments you have gained through the years of teaching. Assuming that you have already been teaching for quite some time now, seeing for yourself as to how far you’ve gone is a highly rewarding experience you can give to yourself.
Looking back to the past can make you remember your humble beginnings and will surely remind you why you are where you are right now.
5) Give yourself a break
It’s not unfamiliar for some teachers to burn out during a very stressful week or period. Giving time to yourself to unwind and just catch up on some self-improvement activities will surely help you in the long run.
Even teachers deserve to pamper themselves and have a vacation for some time away from all the paperwork and school activities that just straight up drains your energy. You need to recharge so that you’ll be able to happily enter the warzone, just kidding!
6) Go to workshops
I go to Improv, and that has really helped build my character as a teacher. Improv helps me get creative in class and helps shift my mindset into a positive one. Being in a spontaneous environment helps me create new ideas for teaching that my students seemed to love and enjoy. And that’s simply my goal, for them to interactively participate in class as this helps them absorb lessons in a fun and educational way.
Workshops can help you be with people that are having the same challenges as you, hearing some insights from other people can really help a lot when facing some dilemmas of your own.
7) Face your problems head-on
One mistake a teacher can make is to avoid and pretend that the problems in class are not there. Some think that they always have the next year for a “do-over” and will just have a restart button on things right away. But that will not fix things, and will only lead to procrastination which is not really a factor for productiveness.
Your motivation will fade away if you have lingering unsolved issues inside your class. Try to come up with things to revamp the room, if something does not work go to plan B. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Life inside the classroom is a trial and error process, even teachers still learn.
8) Read and Write
Aligned with my purpose of writing this article, this is an easy and sure-fire way to rekindle your passion for teaching. Going back to your roots and humble beginnings can pump up your energy inside the classroom. Thank God for the invention of books!
Writing down on a diary is also a great practice so you can have a healthy outlet for all the emotions and thoughts running on your mind. Most of the Teaching Books are memoirs or somewhat like a diary that the authors used to share their experiences and tips that became really useful to all teachers around the world.
Keep calm and teach on!
_______________
<<Are you a newbie in the teaching profession? We checked out the best books for new teachers that will certainly inspire you more!
_______________
Conclusion
When I was making this list of books about teachers inspiring people around them, I had the time for a long-due reflection of where I am right now in my career. Remembering the books that guided me through this profession really had me thinking about the future and my impact on the people I am with all the time.
I certainly loved the new ideas these books gave me as well as the lessons that I will keep in mind to be the teacher I am expected to be. It can be tiring sometimes but seeing the sense of what I am doing through the faces of the people I am helping, especially my students, keeps me going on with this fight.
I quite enjoyed writing this article, I felt like I was giving a spotlight to the profession which I think is underrated by some. But then again, it all boils down to what you were able to contribute to the world and not with what other people think.
Some of these books were life-changing, and for that, I will not be choosing a top pick book as I think each of them has its own way to get to your heart.
Kindly share which one piqued your interest, or if you have already read any of the books listed here! It would be lovely to hear from you!
Have you also read any book that moved you and made you rethink some things in your life? Please take your time and share down below. I’ll surely add them to my must-read list. Thanks!
