It’s time for another Self-Care Saturday! And since it’s Mother’s Day weekend, I vote we have Self-Care Sunday too.

Some favorite self-care activities I will be doing this weekend:
*playing board games with my family
*taking a long walk on the beach
*enjoying a Mother’s Day brunch, cooked up by my husband who is a wannabe chef
*spending time with my adult children (who are some of my best friends in the world)
*reading (always a top choice)
*making more things-to-do lists using cute journals and Flair pens
*opening my Tate & Zoey gift box! (more on that later)

This post is going to focus on some of my favorite go-to books about teaching.

But first — here are some cute things I found this week.

*These tank tops from Target are awesome. I love the longer length and how you can wear them out or tucked in.

*Here is a slim fit version of the same tank top.

*This dressier blouse option from Amazon is really cute. It comes in a great choice of colors and sleeve lengths.

*These joggers from Target are my new work pants.

*I also like these joggers from Amazon that have just a bit of spandex. And pockets are essential!

*If you’re looking for a comfortable dress for your work-from-home uniform, this loose t-shirt dress is really cute.

*I love the stripe and the color of this linen top. It also comes in a yellow stripe and a black stripe.

*Board games we have been loving lately:
Ticket to Ride – our latest obsession!
Quizniac
Sorry!
Yahtzee
Whodunit
Clue

*I love this gingham face mask! If I’m going to wear one, it needs to be cute.

*I love using cute journals like this one and writing with Flair pens to make lists. When I need to use legal pads, I love THESE because the color makes me happy.

*I use my Phone Soap every single day. Sometimes more than once a day since I am on a cleaning frenzy.

Now for some favorite books about teaching. I’m still decluttering, but these are some books I will keep since I use them over and over. Keep in mind: I have been teaching for 29 years, so I have been collecting books for a long time! I have used Amazon gift cards to buy books, I often buy used books, and a few books were gifts. Plus, I never buy any book about teaching that has not been highly recommended to me by others. But even then, pick and choose what may work for your particular situation.

Books about general classroom environment:
~Teaching Children to Care: Management in the Responsive Classroom by Ruth Sidney Charney
I reread this book every single year in August. It gets me in the right mindset for going back to school.

~Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom by Kristin Souer
I am still learning about the effects of trauma on children (and adults). This book is a quick read with easily actionable strategies to implement right away.

~Closing the Attitude Gap: How to Fire Up Your Students to Strive for Success by Baruti Kafele
ANY book by Baruti Kafele is my go-to for my equity learning.

~Motivating Black Males to Succeed in School and in Life by Baruti Kafele

~Through Ebony Eyes: What Teachers Need to Know But are Afraid to Ask About African American Students by Gail L. Thompson
This is another book that I have referenced again and again.

~How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
This is a great book for teachers and parents.

~The Curious Classroom: 10 Strategies for Teaching with Student-Directed Inquiry by Harvey Daniels
Love this book! There are so many tips and strategies in this book that make such a positive difference in student engagement.

~Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning by Mike Schmoker
This is another short book with strategies that are easy to implement right away. He breaks down the essentials of effective instruction in a simple format.

~Teach Like a Champion 2.0: 62 Techniques That Put Students on the Path to College by Doug Lemov
The Uncommon Schools Network is a highly successful network of charter schools in the northeastern United States. These strategies are highly effective and easy to implement.

~Teaching with the Brain in Mind by Eric Jensen
Brain research in an easy to understand format

~Kagan Cooperative Learning by Dr. Spencer Kagan
This is THE book for effective strategies to get all students engaged, talking, and interacting with content.

~Being the Change: Lessons & Strategies to Teach Social Comprehension by Sara K. Ahmed
This book is a newer favorite of mine, with a focus on teaching social justice.

~The Essential 55 by Ron Clark
Ron Clark is an amazing educator and the founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. This book and the next were some of his earliest books explaining his story and his methods. They are both fun reads with effective tips.

~The End of Molasses Classes by Ron Clark

Books about literacy instruction:

~Literacy Essentials: Engagement, Excellence & Equity for All Learners by Regie Routman
Regie Routman has been a literacy leader for over 40 years. I have read every single one of her books, and this is one of her latest. This book includes all of her tried and true strategies over many years of teaching and leading professional development for teachers. Her focus on equity for all learners is such a necessary focus for every single teacher.

~The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller
I love this book. It’s another one that I read in August to remind me of the importance of independent reading and effective ways to get kids excited about books.

~Igniting a Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers by Steven Layne
I read this one along with The Book Whisperer.

~Who’s Doing the Work?: How to Say Less So Readers Can Do More by Jan Burkins & Kim Yaris
This book is great for pushing students to build literacy independence.

The following books are also about literacy instruction and their titles explain the book better than I could!

~The Fluent Reader by Timothy Rasinski

~The Reading Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers by Jennifer Serravallo

~The Writing Strategies book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Writers by Jennifer Serravallo

~I Read it, But I Don’t Get It: Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers by Cris Tovani

~Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12 by Cris Tovani

~When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12 by Kylene Beers

~Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters by Kylene Beers & Robert Probst

This next set of books are my latest favorites because they discuss the importance of early literacy instruction and of building background knowledge in our students from day one. They also give you specific instructional strategies and resources.

~Know Better, Do Better by Meredith & David Liben

~Great Habits, Great Readers: A Practical Guide for K-4 Reading by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo

~The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of American’s Broken Education System – And How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler

~The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects & Grades by Judith C. Hochman

You need this book. That is all.
~How to Handle Difficult Parents: Proven Solutions for Teachers by Suzanne Capek Tingley

Last reminders:
~The FASTer Way to Fat Loss round for teachers only (at $50 off!) begins this week! If you’re interested, check it out HERE.

~Jordan Page’s Productivity Boot Camp is FREE to sign up through the month of May! You can read more about it HERE.

~I am super excited to join Tate & Zoey as a brand affiliate. Have you heard of Tate & Zoey? It is a new online gift boutique with super cute and super affordable gift selections. We just launched this past week! HERE is a link to the website. If you are interested in learning more about making some extra cash as a brand affiliate, watch THIS helpful webinar to see if it’s right for you!

Have a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day celebration!

The post Self-Care Saturday & Some Favorite Teacher Resource Books! appeared first on Still Teaching, Still Learning.