Yes, that’s right, I am reading education books even outside those assigned. I’m so studious. Heh.

Inside Mrs. B.’s Classroom, by Leslie Baldacci
How good (or not) teachers are = so only a TINY PART of the problem.

Death at an Early Age, by Jonathan Kozol
So extremely horrifying and sad. I cried through some of it and had to only skim some parts.

Letters to a Young Teacher, by Jonathan Kozol
Good and not quite as terrifying as, say, Death at an Early Age. Lots of great advice.

I Won’t Learn from You, by Herbert Kohl
Not as traumatic to read as the Kozol. Some pretty interesting stuff goes on. We* are so determined to keep racism alive in this country, that is a HUGE PART of what’s holding us back, particularly in education.

White Teacher, by Vivian Gussin Paley
She’s not as strong a writer as the others, but I can certainly foresee coming across similar problems in my future classroom and her advice about not pretending to be colorblind but rather to celebrate those differences is right on the money.

*That “We” most definitely does not include my personal actions but sadly as a citizen in a Democratic country, anything our government does is something we all do.