The world is full of fantastic inspiration for the teacher who is looking. Blogs, podcasts & Youtube means that teachers have access to the best professional development at the tip of your fingers. But in the end, nothing beats a good book (I don’t care if it is hardcopy or on your Kindle, it is still a book).
I always have a stack of books next to my desk, just waiting for a moment to read them. Today I am sharing what is on my MUST READ list for 2019.
**Disclaimer: I receive no commission from this post, these suggestions come from my own personal reading list.

204 pages
Exclusive books: R287
***Disclaimer: If the excessive use of swear words is going to offend you, please don’t buy this book. But if you manage to read over it, it is worth it.
The Subtle art of not giving a F@$k by Mark Manson
As you can gather from the title, this is not your run of the mill self-help book. When my previous principal recommended that we all read The Subtle Art, I was very sceptical, but this easy to read book gives you a different perspective on everything in your life that is sucking the life out of you. We can only care about a limited amount of things, so we should make sure not to care about the wrong things.
The Truth about Teaching by Greg Ashman
Prospective teachers learn a lot of things at university, but for some strange reason, that very seldom include how to be a teacher. So while I can no longer claim to be a new teacher, when I came across this book claiming to be “an evidence-informed guide for new teachers” I was intrigued.
What impressed me most at first glance is the impressive reading list at the end of each chapter. Skim-reading through it, it seems to include a number of very practical points, but whether it lives up to its name I will only be able to tell you when I have finished it.
181 pages
Kindle price: $22.29
451 pages
Take-a-lot price: R399
How I wish I’d taught Maths by Craig Barton
I am only half-way through this book, and it has already had a significant effect on how I teach. This book looks at how we teach maths and compare it to what the researchers say. While a lot of the information in this book confirmed things I already knew and did, it also challenged me on a number of topics. If you only ever read one book about teaching maths, then it should be this book.
Mathematics Mindsets by Jo Boaler
Growth-mindset is very much THE buzzword in education over the last couple of years. In this book, Jo Boaler expands on the idea of growth-mindset and how it influences maths classes. I have a lot of respect for the Jo has done in the area, but I will be the first to admit that even though this is the most expensive educational book on my to-read list, I am struggling to get through it.
277 pages
Take-a-lot price: R475
What are you reading this year? Add it in the comments below, so that we can inspire each other.
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