​Professional Book Recommendations

Visible Learning for Literacy, Grades K-12
By Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey and John Hattie
This is my current read and I highly recommend it. Fisher and Frye use Hattie's incredible meta-analysis on what instructional approaches have the greatest impact on student learning.  From there they explore the most appropriate TIME to use the approach, whether it is in the surface learning stage, the deep learning stage or when learning to transfer.  Practical and hard to ignore.


Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage and Style into Writer’s Workshop
By Jeff Anderson
This is a great book that gives very specific examples of using mentor text and books students have read to pull the grammar and usage models kids need to see how and why things work in writing. Anderson’s style of charting examples and pulling the students into the process make so much sense.  Great read.

Write Beside Them: Risk, Voice and Clarity in the High School Classroom
By Penny Kittle
Love her writing style and most importantly, her notion that you must write to be a teacher of writing.  She, too, looks at specific genre instruction and share a lot of how mentor texts fit into her high school classroom. The best book I know of for secondary teachers who want to know more about Writing Workshop.

Less is More: Teaching Literature with Short Text Grades 6-12
By Kimberly Hill Campbell
The author is so obviously a teacher – her style of writing is very easy to read and her lists of resources invaluable.  The book is set up so you could explore only one genre if you wanted and then decide to go back for more.





​Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom


By Katie Muhtaris and Kristin Ziemke


In my opinion, the two most knowledgeable and practical classroom teachers and writers on the subject of digital learning are Muhtaris and Ziemke.  I have heard them present and have read both of their books. You won't find better.  This is a quick, down to earth read that is completely worth your time.  You will be inspired to try things with the youngest learners and you will find success.Type your paragraph here.