Photo by Simon Cocks
To go with my digital edition, here’s some summer reading recommendations of books you can actually touch!
No real theme to these, except that each one challenged my understanding of kids and made me rethink the way I approach learning.
Links go to Amazon, and any purchase you make there will help support Byrdseed!
Mindsets ###
I wrote a bit about Carol Dweck’s Mindsets in an earlier article. Her findings are pretty astounding: compliments, if worded poorly, can actually weaken students’ self-image. Mindsets will definitely get you thinking about how you praise students (and your own kids!).
The Philosophy of Childhood
Gareth Matthews’ The Philosophy of Childhood explores how young children eagerly explore big questions: thoughts about time, the origins of the universe, or what “thinking” really is. This book’s a great reminder of how children are naturally philosophical, and a challenge for teachers to unearth that potential rather than bury it. Plus, the anecdotes Matthews shares from his interviews with kids are simply delightful.
Gifted Grownups
Marylou Kelly Streznewski’s Gifted Grownups is the result of a 10 year study of 100 gifted adults. This group of grownups demonstrates that giftedness is not necessarily a path to happiness or success. We often hear that gifted kids “will be fine” and don’t need special programs, but Gifted Grownups shows the lifelong value of differentiating for our students and equipping them with confidence and self-understanding.