Professional+Reading+and+Development

====As I have previously stated, I am committed to upgrading my teaching skills, staying current in my field, and continuously learning and improving. The following books are resources that I find crucial, both as tools in the classroom and for my own professional development. ====

= = Dodge, J. (2005). //Differentiation in action //. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

This book focuses on meeting the challenge of diversifying lessons and projects whilst reaching all learners and adhering to instructional standards and curriculum outcomes. I regularly use this as a reference when creating diversified lesson plans and choice-board assignment and projects.

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006). //Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning communities at work //. Bloomington, IN: SolutionTree.

This book gives invaluable tips on how to be a successful member of a professional learning community. Various case studies are used to exemplify issues, opportunities and best practices. Having studied PLCs and observed their function during my internships, I support this model for building school capacity and hope to contribute to its development or establishment in the schools in which I will work in the future.

Hutchinson, N. L. (2010). Inclusion of exceptional learners in Canadian schools: A practical handbook for teachers (3rd ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Canada.



This concise handbook explains various exceptionalities and what they entail, and it gives practical suggestions for implementing inclusive education in the classroom. I find it a very useful tool when I am incorporating specific components into my lesson plans that are catered to students with exceptionalities.

Osler, A., & Starkey, H. (2010). Teachers and human rights education. Staffordshire, UK: Trentham Books Ltd.



This useful resource demonstrates the importance of human rights in teachers' roles in the classroom. Rather than attempting to evade conflict, human rights education draws on diverse opinions and viewpoints as a strength rather than a source of contention. As I completed my first degree in International Development Studies, the issue of human rights in the classroom is one that I am particularly engaged in.

Rutherford, P. (2009). //Why didn’t I learn this in college?: Teaching and learning in the 21st century // (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Just ASK Publications and Professional Development.

This resource gives guidelines for lesson and unit planning, tips and procedures for classroom organization and management, strategies for student engagement, and examples of research-based practices.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 36pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -36pt; vertical-align: auto;">Wormeli, R. (2006). //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Fair isn’t always equal: Assessing & grading in the differentiated classroom //. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 36pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -36pt; vertical-align: auto;">

<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: -36pt;">This book, by renowned teacher and speaker Rick Wormeli, takes differentiated instruction beyond lesson planning by providing examples and explaining grading practices for differentiated assessment.