Professional Books Worth Studying
At ERG we believe it is important to be a lifelong learner. One way to continue to develop yourself professionally when you have limited time and resources is to do a book study or just read a professional text on your own. Depending on what your area of interest and expertise is, there are many educational texts that are worth taking the time to read.
One of our favorite texts at ERG is The Growth Mindset, by Carol Dweck.
This text is non-content specific and actually reaches well beyond the classroom. Dweck’s research on the Fixed Mindset v. the Growth Mindset can easily be included in any classroom as a way to approach learning. In fact, teaching students about the ideas in this book is well worth your time.
The basic premise of Dweck’s research is that intelligence can be developed. By focusing on improvement (growth) instead of worrying about how smart (fixed) students are, we are able to help students work hard to learn more and get smarter. Based on research Dweck and her colleagues have done at Stanford University, students who exhibit a growth mindset show greater motivation in school, earn higher grades and achieve more on standardized tests. Who wouldn’t want that for their students?!? There are many articles and resources related to this book, but we highly recommend you keep a copy of the original in your collection.
Another book that lends itself to a range of educational contexts is Drive, by Daniel Pink.
Daniel Pink digs into the idea of motivation in this book and points out that what motivates humans is the same at work, school and at play. Pink points out that human beings are naturally driven to be autonomous, self-determined and connected to one another. When that need is met, people are able to achieve more and live a more satisfying life. The common goals of mastery, autonomy, and purpose are discussed at length in his book as avenues to tap into this natural motivation we all possess.
In Drive, Pink writes, “Living a satisfying life requires more than simply meeting the demands of those in control. Yet in our offices and our classrooms we have way too much compliance and way too little engagement. The former might get you through the day, but the latter will get you through the night.”
Not surprisingly, Pink references Dweck’s work because the concepts are connected. He reminds us, “People can have two different mindsets, she says. Those with a ‘fixed mindset’ believe that their talents and abilities are carved in stone. Those with a ‘growth mindset’ believe that their talents and abilities can be developed. Fixed mindsets see every encounter as a test of their worthiness. Growth mindsets see the same encounters as opportunities to improve.”
If you are short on time and opportunities to seek professional development outside the school, we highly recommend investing your time and energy in these texts. Regardless of your grade level, content area or role in education, these books have the ability to transform your approach to teaching and learning.
Happy reading!!