BubbleUp Take5: Professional Growth through Summer Reading

We are so close to  summer, I can taste it...I can feel the sunshine...I can sense the adventure. I love this time of year for a chance to step back, spend more time with my own children, and slow down a bit. But, I also love what I do for a living and am grateful to have summer to be able to focus more on growing as a teacher and a librarian. I read a lot of middle grades and YA fiction for fun, but I like to consume professional development books when I have more breathing room (shocker: this librarian loves to read!). There are some phenomenal recent titles (and one less recent but still on my list) out there that I know will help me to be more creative and are certain to energize my practice as an educator.

1. Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student
by John Specer and A.J. Juliani, Dave Burgess Consulting, 2016
"Spencer and Juliani are simultaneously bold and practical. They challenge the status quo of traditional classroom thinking while also holding the reader's hand through the day-to-day educational application of design thinking techniques. If you're ready to tap into the inherent creativity of all children (and teachers) and apply new lenses to learning and teaching, you'll learn a lot from this book." --Scott McLeod, J.D., Ph.D., director of learning, teaching, and innovation, Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency 
John Spencer's web site | ​A.J. Juliani's web site | The Launch Cycle

2. Originals: How Nonconformists Move the World 
by Adam Grant, Viking, 2016
“Originals is a fascinating, eye-opening read that will help you not just recognize your own unique gifts, but find the strength to challenge conventional wisdom to bring them to life. Using surprising studies and riveting stories, Adam Grant brilliantly shows us how to champion new ideas, bust persistent myths that hold us back and change not only our lives, but our world.” —Arianna Huffington, cofounder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, and author of Thrive
From the Publisher | Adam Grant's web site | Adam Grant TED Talk

3. The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity 
​by George Couros, Dave Burgess Consulting, 2015
With numerous examples of practical strategies that school leaders can implement tomorrow, George has created a guide to help infuse innovative practices in schools and classrooms. - Patrick Larkin, Assistant Superintendent for Learning, Burlington Public Schools
​George Couros' web site | George Couros on Twitter | EdWeek interview

​4. UnCommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for Kids
​by Eric Shenninger, Corwin, 2015
"This is one of the very few, really good books about digital learning – not just because of its clear and informative examples and rich cache of tools, but because its experienced and multi-award winning author, Eric Sheninger, explains how to develop and implement digital learning, indeed all learning, in a balanced, sustainable and self-critical way." --Andy Hargreaves, Winner of Boston College Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award, 2015 Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College
Eric Sheninger's web site | Eric Sheninger on Twitter | Eric Sheninger TED Talk

5. ​Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World by Tony Wagner, Scribner, 2012
"In this fascinating book, Tony Wagner addresses one of our most urgent questions: How do we create the next generation of innovators? By telling the stories of young creators, and by taking us inside cutting-edge programs, Wagner shows that the answer isn't to double-down on outmoded, formulaic solutions--but to embrace the principles of play, passion, and purpose.Creating Innovators is important reading for anyone concerned about the future."--Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
​​Creating Innovators web site | In the New York Times

Summer Reading Bonus Round

If you are interested in participating in a summer reading professional development experience for librarians, join us for our #vaslchat summer PD on Twitter (organized by Virginia School Librarians, but please know that being a school librarian from Virginia is NOT a requirement for participation). Our summer reading titles are: 

• The Learning Commons: Seven Simple Steps to Transform Your Library by Pamela Colburn Harland
• Being Indispensable: A School Librarian's Guide for Becoming an Invaluable Leader by Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg

Have you read any of the books on my list? I would love to hear your thoughts! And please let me know what books you plan to dive into this summer!

​Gretchen

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You might also like:

• BubbleUp Take5: Books to Give this Season (December 13, 2016)
• BubbleUp Take5: Connecting with Other School Librarians (August 12, 2016)