Someone might say that reading about teaching is like dancing about painting. Indeed, teaching can be mastered only through practice, or, more precisely, a lot of practice. But what if you read a book that summarizes the experience of the most dedicated and inventive teachers in the world? What if this book is engaging and easy-to-read? What if this book is relevant and talks about the burning issues of today? Then, do not hesitate to cliff-dive into this book because it will save you from many mistakes that young teachers make. It will also provide you with a useful toolkit of methods and techniques that will help you make your teaching more effective. But above all, such a book will inspire you to start your own myth-busting quest, embark on your own educational treasure hunt, or join the construction of a school in the cloud.



1. Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education (2015) by Sir Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica
If there is one single educator in this world that everybody has heard of, it must be Sir Ken Robinson. His speech, “Do schools kill creativity” (2006), is the most popular TED-talk of all time. There are several good reasons for that. First of all, education is a topic that touches everyone. Secondly, Sir Ken Robinson has an incredible sense of humor. Finally, and most importantly, what he is saying can truly help reform contemporary education so that it could meet the requirements of the XXI century. But while the talk only outlines the path along which the change is going to come, the book offers research insights that can be applied in teaching on a daily basis. Robinson argues that the educational system developed to suit the needs of industrialization has now become outmoded and obsolete. In the author’s words, “It is often said that education and training are the keys to the future. They are, but a key can be turned in two directions. Turn it one way, and you lock resources away, even from those they belong to. Turn it the other way, and you release resources and give people back to themselves.” It is true. Children often lose their natural creativity and initiative when they start formal education. This book explores the ways in which educators can help them stay hungry for knowledge innovators and further develop their creative potential.



2. Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era (2016) by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith
Adam Braun, the founder of “Pencils of Promise,” has sent a very strong message about this book, saying, “If you read one book about education this decade, make it this one.” Indeed, this book is an absolute must-read for both aspiring teachers and experienced educators. You have to read it if you agree that the contemporary system of education is in urgent need of being re-imagined and re-vitalized so that it could better provide for the needs of young people growing up in the XXI century. In their book, Tony Wagner, a leading expert in the field of education, and entrepreneur Ted Dintersmith share success stories of students, teachers, parents, and businessmen. The authors make a case for a revolution in teaching that will bring into the spotlight wonder, creativity, initiative, and collaboration skills needed to thrive in the modern globalized world. This book does not only inspire teachers to be the change, but it also offers practical guidelines and transformational ideas supported by evidence and facts. Probably, having read this powerful manual you will have more questions than answers, but it means that the book has accomplished its mission because the education of tomorrow is based not on ready-made opinions and blind faith in somebody else’s authority, it is based on hunger for knowledge, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.



3. Mindset: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential (2017) by Carol Dweck
There is no chance you have not heard about the “growth mindset,” one of the most popular concepts in the modern field of psychology and personal development. But if you have not yet read the original book, it is high time you did it because today Dweck’s research is as relevant as ever. In this book, Stanford professor Carol Dweck develops the idea that intelligence is not a sculpture set in stone, rather it is flexible and can evolve over time. And while the traditional education system is centered around the stick-and-carrot approach, Dweck argues that there are other more effective and adequate ways to motivate learners. They are fostering the belief in the learner’s ability to improve and the power of the word “YET,” which can open up the door of opportunity. “Let’s not waste any more lives, because once we know that abilities are capable of such growth, it becomes a basic human right for children, all children, to live in places that create that growth, to live in places filled with ‘yet’,” says Dweck in her powerful TED-talk.

Do not hesitate to experience the transformative magic of “YET.” If you have difficulties with your assignments, do not give up, helpful services such as DoMyEssay.com can provide you with sample papers that will allow you to master academic writing at your own pace. Just know, you are not there yet, but you will succeed in the end.



4. The School in the Cloud: The Emerging Future of Learning (2019) by Sugata Mitra
Since 1999, when he conducted his legendary “Hole in the Wall” experiment, Sugata Mitra has been working on developing and popularizing the concept of self-organized learning environments (SOLE). Schools in the Cloud have appeared all over the world, demonstrating the effectiveness of Mitra’s approach. In this book, Mitra shares the newest research results, illuminating analysis of successful real-life examples, predictions concerning the future of education, and practical tips on building your own School in the Cloud. “Many a good book will encourage and guide; and some will recommend better ways of doing things. This book does all of that and more. It also questions popular convention and provokes you into a new way of thinking about learning,” wrote James Nottingham, a founder of “The Learning Challenge.” It is definitely a book not to be missed by young educators who do not possess a time-machine and intend to teach in the XXI century.



5. The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined (2012) by Salman Khan
“A free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere” is a motto of the Khan Academy, an extraordinary digital phenomenon that started as a private tutoring session in calculus and turned into a global educational platform with millions of students around the globe. In the world, turned upside down by the Coronavirus pandemic, the accessibility and flexibility of online education have proved to be of crucial importance. The strategies and tips that Khan is sharing with his readers can be applied in any classroom, be it a traditional face-to-face model or a virtual learning environment. Khan argues that technology can not only make the process of study more engaging and proactive, but it can also “make classrooms more human and teachers more important.”

We hope these powerful books will give you a huge dose of motivation and inspire you with optimism about the future of education. So, read away! After all, in the words of Steven Spielberg, “Only a generation of readers will spawn a generation of writers.”