Superintendents often say they can’t do it alone. Along with help from their cabinet, other administrators, teachers and support staff, there are always lots of education books (and their authors) to provide additional guidance.
To save you time on the whole “what book should I read next?” part of the equation, District Administration will regularly scour the latest releases to bring you our most well-informed recommendations. And we guarantee it’s a real person doing the scouring, not an algorithm-fueled AI.
But this week’s titles do cover artificial intelligence—along with coaching and the humanity of teaching. Take a look at our selections (the descriptions come from the publishers):
1. The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging. AI is being increasingly seen as a way for teachers to save time, particularly on lesson planning and creation. But, of course, they must know how to use the technology first. This playbook’s authors aim to empower teachers to use AI to its full potential with, among other tools, a step-by-step guide for composing writing prompts that engage students and avoiding plagiarism. Ultimately, the authors consider AI a way to solidify teacher-student relationships that can only be created by humans.
2. Humans Who Teach: A Guide for Centering Love, Justice, and Liberation in Schools. Speaking of humans, Shamari Reid—a former teacher and an assistant professor of justice and belonging in education at New York University—wants to help administrators help everyone find joy in their schools. “Humans Who Teach invites readers to explore the complicated humanity of those who teach, with a focus on how we have been socialized to accept the status quo, our very real fears in disrupting the status quo, and how we can rely on our human capacity to love to engage in teaching for social justice even in the presence of fear.”
Listen to the ‘Talking out of School’ podcast: How to address a complexity of student needs
3. Leading with Heart and Soul: 30 Inspiring Lessons of Faith, Learning, and Leadership for Educators. Leaders should not fear letting spiritual principles guide them as they support teachers, students and other community stakeholders, says author Irvin L. Scott, a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a former teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and chief academic officer. This book speaks to servant-hearted leaders working to engage entire communities in supporting equitable student learning.
4. Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success. Gretchen Bridgers, blogger and host of the Empowering Educators podcast, offers insights on coaching teachers to master classroom management, lesson design and student engagement, among other key elements of thriving classrooms. Bridgers covers how teachers can manage the “moving pieces” of K12 education, such as individual students’ needs, curriculum changes and the latest research on best practices.
