Summary for Educators

“10 Books Every Teacher Should Read During Winter Break” By Ashlee, RatedEd
December 10, 2025

In “10 Books Every Teacher Should Read During Winter Break,” Ashlee curates a thoughtful and energizing reading list designed to help educators use winter break not just for rest, but for professional renewal. Recognizing that this brief pause in the academic calendar offers rare mental space, the article frames reading as an act of self-care and recommitment—an opportunity to reconnect with purpose, sharpen practice, and restore enthusiasm for teaching.

The list balances pedagogy, mindset, wellness, and equity, reflecting the complex demands educators face today. Several selections focus on instructional excellence and engagement. Dave Burgess’s Teach Like a PIRATE leads the list, emphasizing passion, creativity, and intentional lesson design. Rather than offering vague inspiration, Burgess provides concrete “hooks” and brainstorming tools that help teachers design learning experiences students are genuinely excited to attend. Similarly, Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion offers a highly structured, research-backed playbook of classroom techniques, appealing to educators who value clarity, precision, and high-leverage practices.

Another strong instructional thread centers on thinking and cognition. Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics is highlighted as transformative, particularly for math educators. Grounded in extensive research, Liljedahl challenges traditional classroom structures and offers practical strategies—such as random grouping and vertical whiteboards—that promote visible thinking and deeper student engagement. Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer extends this theme to literacy, demonstrating how choice, time, and trust can dramatically increase students’ reading volume and joy.

The article also emphasizes mindset and innovation. George Couros’s The Innovator’s Mindset reframes innovation as a way of thinking rather than a function of technology. Couros encourages educators and leaders to move beyond compliance-driven practices and cultivate environments that value risk-taking, creativity, and continuous learning. This message resonates with educators seeking to navigate change without losing their professional identity.

Equally important, the list acknowledges the emotional and human dimensions of teaching. Kids Deserve It! by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome offers a fast-paced, story-driven reminder of the moral core of education—building schools where students feel seen, valued, and inspired. Its companion in spirit, Teachers Deserve It by Adam Welcome and Rae Hughart, shifts the lens toward educator advocacy, urging teachers to reclaim voice, creativity, and professional respect while offering practical strategies for doing so.

Recognizing the toll teaching can take, Ashlee includes titles that address burnout, stress, and well-being. Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski stands out as a non-educational book with profound relevance. By explaining why stress persists even when tasks are completed, the book offers science-based strategies for completing the stress cycle—an essential insight for educators navigating chronic pressure.

The list also foregrounds equity, trauma, and culturally responsive practice. Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain bridges neuroscience and pedagogy, showing how cultural relevance directly impacts learning and cognition. Meanwhile, What Happened to You? by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey reframes behavior through a trauma-informed lens, encouraging educators to shift from judgment to understanding. This perspective can permanently change how teachers interpret student behavior.

Taken together, the ten books form a coherent professional library rather than a random collection. They invite educators to grow across multiple dimensions: instructional craft, cognitive science, equity, wellness, leadership, and purpose. Ashlee’s underlying message is clear: winter break reading is not about adding another task, but about investing in oneself as a professional and a human being.

For educators entering a new calendar year amid uncertainty and change, this list offers both grounding and inspiration. Whether teachers choose one book or several, the act of reading itself becomes a quiet but powerful declaration: growth is still possible, passion can be renewed, and teaching remains deeply meaningful work.

Original Article

10 Books Every Teacher Should Read During Winter Break” By Ashlee, RatedEd
December 10, 2025
Source: https://rateded.com/10-books-every-teacher-should-read-during-winte...

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com