Please check out this informative article, “101 Books Every Teacher Should Read” by clicking here.

Some of best references I have used as a beginning educator, stayed next to my bed all throughout my first year of teaching. As a new teacher, you will need to raise your confidence and seek the help of experts who can help you be the teacher you want to be.

Positive Discipline - A Teacher’s A-Z Guide.
By Jane Nelsen, Roslyn Duffy, Linda Escobar, Kate Ortolano, and Debbie Owen-Sohocki

As a supplementary book, you can find every type of classroom management situations structured in alphabetical order. Each chapter provides a discussion session, suggestions, planning ahead tips, class meeting solutions. The focus is on using positive discipline as a motivator and as a reward to nurturing good working relationships in the classroom. This is an excellent book for new teachers concerned about classroom management and discipline.
(five stars)

Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soup
Edited by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

When the challenges seem insurmountable, read the stories of why teachers still continued to teach despite low pay, standardized testing, school violence, large class sizes. All teachers need to know that they can make a difference in students. The editors write: “These stories will show that you have the power to help your students believe in themselves and give them a glimpse of what they might become.”
I think that pretty much sums it up.
(five stars)

An Educator’s Guide to Differentiated Instruction
By Carol Ann Tomlinson

Let’s face it: teaching (large!) mixed ability classes is a fact for every new teacher starting out and teachers are expected to provide graded material that allows for learner independence and choice. This thin booklet of only 35 pages provides the new teacher with all the basics for implementing the principles of differentiated instruction. There are tons of ideas and examples from pre-assessment to closing the gaps of struggling readers. There is also an extensive reference section complete with online resources.
(five stars)

Teacher talk: What were some of the best books that helped you as a new teacher? What other references for the new teacher might be a good fit?

Don’t forget this month’s Teacher Giveaway! The end of the month is quickly approaching, and this month’s theme is Back to School.