Summer Reading List

Here is my summer reading list.  I never get through what I bring home, so I kept it short this year.

From top to bottom -  

Reclaiming the Classroom: Teacher Research As An Agency For Change.  I've wanted to get through this for some time now.  While writing my thesis I went through of purchasing binge of research texts and this got lost among them, but I saw it while cleaning out my classroom and grabbed it for summer.  A look at the contents reveals it's a "who's who" of comp theory - James Britton, Nancie Atwell, Ann E. Berthoff,  Janet Emig, Mina Shaughnesy, and Ken Macrorie.  So far I'm just on the first essay, "Addressing the Problem of Elsewhereness: A Case for Action Research in Schools" by Garth Boomer.  So far it's great.  In fact, it's going to be the topic of a blog post soon.

The College Writer.  I'm the first to admit that I'm terrible when it comes to using textbooks in my classes.  Every year I have the best of intentions to stick to the textbook, but then I start supplementing one story or assignment and before I know it, the semester is over and we've only read about a fourth of the textbook.  So I brought our College Comp II text home hoping to delve into it more thoroughly to see what I can use more effectively in my class.

Dimensions of Learning: Teacher's Manual.  This comes highly recommended from a colleague.  It's full of resources to make me a better teacher.  I hope to get new assignments to develop better discussions and thinking in my classes.

Western Civilization.  My old text from NCTC.  Western Civ was one of my all time favorite classes.  It'll be fun to go back and see what I've forgotten.

The End of Education by Neil Postman.  This is going to be the third time I've read it, but every time is worth it.  I've blogged about this book several times.  Though it's 16 years old, it is more relevant to day than ever.

Finally, Simon Schama's The Power of Art.  I loved his video series and bought the accompanying book.  So far I've just read the chapter on Mark Rothko.  Schama's prose is dense and polished.  It's like every sentence took an hour to craft.  Excellent stuff.

I also have John Merrow's The Influence of Teachers and Guy Kawasaki's Enchantment on my school iPad.

Now, if I can just get that all read.  My best reading time (and blogging time) comes in about 30 minutes spurts while Cash is napping.  Good thing he naps several times a day.