Primary Teacher Reads

I'll be honest, before I became involved with Twitter, I rarely if ever, read 'Teacher' books. However, in the last two years, I have come across and read some excellent books. I thought it might be useful to share some of them as these are books that have had an definite impact on my practice. They are in no particular order.

1. The Secret of Literacy by David Didau - This book is a very engaging read offering lots of sensible advice about the teaching of literacy. It was through this book that I first came across the concept of Slow Writing which I have used in the classroom many times since with great results.

2. Oops by Hywel Roberts - This is a funny, practical book full of ideas about how to engage children in the curriculum using drama techniques and looking at things a little differently. Having met Hywel a few times, this book is a perfect embodiment of his personality. A wonderful book written by a wonderful bloke!

3. Teach Like A Champion 2.0 - This is written by Doug Lemov and is a collection of techniques that Doug observed the best teachers using. The best thing about this book is the way it provides ideas that you could use in the classroom the next day. There are also links to examples of resources and videos of teachers demonstrating the techniques. Although aimed at the American secondary audience, many of the techniques could be used in the primary classroom.

4. A Beginner's Guide To Mantle of The Expert - this is written by the wonderful Tim Taylor. It describes a concept first designed by Dorothy Heathcote in the 1970s. It is a brilliant book, explaining the theory and application of the technique along with resources to help you implement it in the classroom.

5. Making Every Lesson Count - By Andy Tharby and Shaun Allison. This is the best teacher book I have every read. It offers a wealth of sensible advice and practical strategies. It should be recommended reading for all teachers. The book identifies six key principles for effective teaching and learning and provides advice and ideas for delivering each.

If you start with these five, you can't go far wrong.

As well as these five, there are numerous teaching resource books I would recommend. For example, anything written by Mat Sullivan or Alan Peat will be extremely useful when preparing lessons.