Blogs All Learners Edge courses are written by the Curriculum and Instruction Team. We are former educators who believe inpersonal andprofessional development. Each team member enjoys creating content and writing. As you can imagine, our team members are also voraciousreaders which is good becauseone of the perks of our job is that we get toread A LOT! We all loveto learn and sometimes even read for FUN!
We thought it might be entertaining to share what we are readingor recently readboth professionally and personally to help you build your winter, spring and summer break reading lists! We even created a fun rating system.
0=Icky
1=Eh, Meh
2=So-So
3=Decent
4=Good to Great
5=Ah-mazing
Meet ME:I am the Director of Professional Development at Learners Edge. I lead the great team of content developersand absolutely love myjob. I enjoy reading for workand get wickedly excited if I find time to read for personal enjoyment. Take a peek at what I have read lately:
For enjoyment:The Storytellerby Jodi Picoult
Rating:5!!! This had anexcellent story line and was quite powerful as it included a survivor story from the Holocaust. It was truly a story within a story.
Professionally:Navigating the Core Curriculum: RTI Strategies to Support Every Learnerby TobyKarten
Rating:4. This is one of the first books I have read or reviewed on RTI that actually includes ideas and strategies that teachers can implement!
Meet Molly:Molly is a Curriculumand InstructionSpecialist and is a skilled content developer at Learners Edge. She is a former English teacher, so you can imagine her love for the written word. Check out Molly’s recent reads:
For enjoyment:Beyond Happy: Women, Work, and Well-beingby Beth Cabrera
Rating:3.5. Just like many of us, Molly isalways looking for ways to balance the work shedoes, both personally and professionally. Thereare lots of good reminders in this bookabout staying present and finding joy!
Professionally:The Power of the Adolescent Brainby Thomas Armstrong
Rating: 4.Molly isenjoying the opportunity to reflect onstudent engagementand learnabout the ways young people’s brains are still growing and changing during this exciting and critical time!
Meet Susie: Susie is a Lead Curriculumand StaffSpecialist at Learners Edge and has been at Learners Edge the longest of our team members. She loves reading and enjoys discussing what she has read as well. Take a look:
For enjoyment:Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
Rating: 4.If you haven’t see BreneBrown’s TED Talk on vulnerability, watch it. This book teaches us “we need to hold hands with strangers. We need reminders–collective joy and pain–reminders that we are inextricably connected to each other.” If you’re ready to learn about the imperativeness of connection, this is the book.
Professionally:Heart: Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader by TimothyKanold
Rating: 5.The author shares his own stories and provides wisdom surrounding the way to create *heartcentered classrooms. (*Like Brene Brown’s book, it’s all about connection!) We will be using this book for a new course coming this spring!
Meet Barb: Barb is a Curriculumand InstructionSpecialistat Learners Edge and a former 6thgrade teacher. Barb LOVES literacy!She recently read:
For enjoyment:New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver
Rating: 5.Mary Oliver writes poems aboutnature and animals and life! Barbreadsa few of her poems everymorning and her words inspire Barbto go out and notice the little things in each day.
Professionally:Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Ageby Sherry Turkle
Rating: 4. Another one we all might want to check out as we noticefewerand fewerpersonal connections with the advancement of technology.Barb loved that the authorpromotes the power of face-to-face dialogue.
Meet Dawn: Dawnis a Lead Curriculum Specialistand does most of our course revisions. She is a self-proclaimed recovering English teacher. She loves books and words! Take a look at what she has read:
For enjoyment:A Breath of Snow and Ashesby Diana Gabaldon which is Book 6 of the Outlander series
Rating: 4.5. Dawn says, “For the historical value and the characters for whom you cannot help but care.”
Professionally:Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
Rating: 4.5. “Great ideas and wonderfully relatable,” reviews Dawn. See, I told you she was good with words!
MeetMarcee:Marceeis our newest team member coming out of a thirdgrade classroom to lead our evaluation team. She recently read:
For enjoyment:Sarah’s Keyby Tatiana de Rosnay
Rating: 4.This one ishard to put down due to the intertwined stories ofSarah, a young girl torn away from her family during the Holocaust (1942), and Julia, an American journalist living in Paris (2002).
Professionally:A Good Time for the Truth: Race inMinnesotaedited by Sun Yung Shin
Rating: 5.Marceeloves the idea of bringing diverse voices to the forefront,and this book does just that.
Meet Jill:Jill is a Curriculum and Instruction Specialist at LE and a former special educator. She also enjoys a good book! Take a look!
For enjoyment:Present over Perfectby ShaunaNiequist
Rating: 5!As a working mom striving to be her best, both personally and professionally, Jill could relate to every word of this book!
Professionally:Talk to Me, Baby!by BettyBardige
Rating: 4.The author gives practical, fun ideas to incorporate into our daily lives to support andencourage language development for young children.
Whether you’re looking for a book to help you grow professionally or looking for a book to help you get away from it all, we hope youfind our reading list helpful.What is on your reading list for the upcoming Winter break? Please share with us below!
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