BESTbooks
Okay, I know “professional development” sounds like something you’d find on your to-do list between “clean out the gutters” and “go to the DMV.” But PD doesn’t have to be painful! In fact, there are some genuinely great professional development books out there that can help you become a happier teacher and a less stressed human—imagine that!
Whether you’re trying to rediscover your love for teaching, survive the school year with your sanity intact, or just need some new inspo, I’ve rounded up 25 professional development books that are actually worth your time. Some will make you think, some will make you laugh, and at least one might make you cry (but like, in a cathartic way—not in like a “the copier jammed again” way).
Inspirational Books
Whether you need a reminder of why you even like teaching in the first place or just a little boost to make it through another parent-teacher conference season, these reads will lift you up and give you that sparkle of yours back.
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1. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything for Our Kids
By Kyle Schwartz
One day, Schwartz asked her students to fill in the following blank “I wish my teacher knew _____.” She was shocked by the responses she got and instantly learned so much about her students. I do this activity on the first day of school EVERY SINGLE YEAR, and it has changed how I build relationships with my students.
2. The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator’s Rules for Discovering the Succesful Student in Every Child
By Ron Clark
Clark breaks down what students need to know about life into 55 life lessons. He created these lessons after having a particularly challenging group of apathetic students. This is a great read for parents, too!
3. Keeping the Wonder: An Educator’s Guide to Magical Engaging, and Joyful Learning
By Jenna Cooper and Ashley Bible
The authors of this book share practical strategies to use in the K-12 classroom to spark engagement in the classroom. They show how surprise, curiosity, freedom, and inspiration are the pillars of creating engaging lessons.
4. The Happy Teacher Life: 11 Habits of the Happiest, Most Effective Teachers on Earth
By Michael Linsin
Feeling like you are in a Debbie Downer mood alllll the time at work/ school? Linsin will give you some easy tools to snap out of your funk and be a happy teacher.
5. Happy Teachers Change the World: A Guide for Cultivating Mindfulness in Education
By Thich Nhat Hanh
If you need more of a self-help meets yoga class kinda book, then this one is for you! Instead of screaming at your class because nobody is listening, take a note from this book and BREATHE.
Classroom Management
Managing a classroom can feel a lot like herding caffeinated squirrels with strong opinions. These professional development books are packed with strategies to help you create a calm, structured learning environment (or at least one where you’re not losing your voice by third period).
6. Teach like a Champion 3.0: 63 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College
By Doug Lemov
Alright, this one gives a “did you build a relationship” vibe, but in book form (and not in an annoying and condescending way!). Lemov gives you practical ways to cultivate a positive classroom environment using the latest scientific evidence and culturally responsive teaching techniques.
7. Take Control of the Noisy Class: Chaos to Calm in 15 Seconds
By Rob Plevin
This is a straightforward guide that will break down how to manage a rowdy class in 6 steps. Have the class from h-e- double hockey sticks this year? This book will help you get them calm and back to Earth.
8. Motivating Students Who Don’t Care: Proven Strategies to Engage All Students
By Allen Mendler
Mendler will show you how to integrate social-emotional learning into your curriculum, so you can engage even the most distant of students.
9. Better than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management
By Dominique Smith
Okay, we alllll can’t stand the whole “send ‘em back to class with a snack” movement, but I swear this book is NOT that. Yes, it goes over PBIS tools and restorative practices, but Smith fixates on how to build a strong classroom culture BEFORE escalated behaviors happen.
10. The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher
By Harry & Rosemary Wong
This is the OG of teacher handbooks! If you didn’t read this in your teacher prep schooling, then you should now. This will show you how to set the tone for the school year! A perfect summer read!
Diversity
These professional development books dive into how we can create inclusive classrooms where all students feel valued, respected, and represented. They’ll challenge you in the best way, offer practical steps, and remind you that being a culturally responsive teacher isn’t a one-time checklist—it’s an ongoing, heart-driven journey.
11. For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…and The Rest of Y‘all, Too
By Christopher Edmin
Another classic! This was one of the very first teacher books I ever read, and it is such an important read. Edmin will give you practical tips on how to bring out the creativity and best in your students. I’ve seen Edmin do a keynote twice, and I’m telling you, he is AMAZING!
12. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
By Beverly Tatum
Conversations about race are and should be prevalent in today’s educational world. Tatum will help you navigate these conversations and how to contribute to them. She is known as an authority on the psychology of racism.
13. Literacy is Liberation: Working toward Justice through Culturally Relevant Teaching
By Kimberly Parker
Parker applauds teachers who use diverse texts in the literacy classroom, but she shows teachers how to go beyond that by using culturally relevant pedagogy.
14. These Kids are Out of Control: Why We Must Reimagine Classroom Management for Equity
By H. Richard Milner
This book isn’t about HOW to control students but how to create a safe and equitable classroom that is student-centered. Classrooms where students feel seen and heard will naturally be a room that feels controlled and chaos-free.
15. How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms
By Carol Ann Tomlinson
Another oldie, but goodie. If you need the basics on how to differentiate your unit plans for your diverse learners, then this one is for you! This book helped me make differentiation a standard while lesson planning for my kiddos.
ESL Students (English Learners)
My school has a large ELL population, so this section is near and dear to my heart! The books in this section offer practical strategies, cultural insights, and plenty of inspiration to help you build a classroom where language learners feel seen, supported, and set up for success.
16. The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox: Hundreds of Practical Ideas to Support Your Students
By Larry Ferlazzo
This is a practical guide that gives you loooads of strategies to use with your ELL students. The activities are broken up into two sections: speaking/ listening and reading/writing. A lot of these strategies can help all students! Ferlazzo has other professional development books on this topic.
17. Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction
By Elsa Cardenas-Hagan
If you need the basics on teaching the foundations of literacy and biliteracy, this one is for you!
18. Co-teaching for English Learners: A Guide to Collaborative Planning, Assessment, and Reflection
By Maria Dove and Andrea Honigsfeld
Throughout my career, I have seen just a few pairs of co-teachers who truly work together and benefit their students. This book will help you build a strong relationship with your co-teacher and how to effectively work together.
19. Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America
By Margarita Longoria
This is a YA anthology of essays, poems, and short stories that will help teachers better understand their students who are split between two cultures. This book wasn’t written for teachers, but I appreciated this read as a teacher who has about 30% of ELL students in my classroom.
20. Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
By Zaretta Hammond
This book will be your guide to building a culturally responsive classroom. Yes, the trigger word “rigor” is in the title, but this is a helpful text that will help you create engaging unit plans!
Humor
Let’s be real—sometimes the best kind of PD is the kind that makes you laugh so hard you forget you still have 57 ungraded essays. These aren’t professional development books, so they won’t necessarily teach you classroom management strategies (well… maybe accidentally), but they will remind you that you’re not alone in the beautiful chaos of teaching.
21. Tales from the Teacher’s Lounge: What I Learned in School the Second Time Around
By Robert Wilder
Wilder shares his hilarious encounters as a teacher in this set of essays. This one will make you feel so much less alone.
22. Put a Wet Paper Towel On It: The Weird and Wonderful World of Primary Schools
By Lee and Adam Parkison
If this title doesn’t make you laugh…this one is for my elementary school teachers!
23. Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches
By Gerry Brooks
Who doesn’t love the hilarious Gerry Brooks?! Plus he lives in the same state as me – good ol’ Kentucky! I love hearing from a principal who GETS IT!
24. Teachers, The Struggle is Real: There is No Such Thing as Hot Coffee & Other Teacher Truths
By Bored Teachers
Read Bored Teacher’s very own book to give you some chuckles throughout the school year!
25. Things My Students Say: A Teacher’s Journal of Memorable Sayings from Students
I feel like sooo many teachers say, “I wish I wrote down everything my students have said/ done, so I can write a book about it.” If you’ve said that before, this journal is for you! Collect all your crazy stories in this journal!
