42: Holiday Reading: 6 Books That Will Transform Your Classroom

Dec 10, 2019

Not every professional development book is made equal. A great book will focus on pedagogy first and provide you with actionable tips and valuable resources that guide you in making real changes in your classroom and curriculum. With that in mind, Kasey shares 6 books that will transform your classroom, as long as you take action on the advice.

In every book on this list, the main focus is on the four C’s and putting student learning first. The authors took the time to provide you with real advice and fantastic resources you can start using immediately. From time management to lesson ideas, to tech tools and how-tos, each of these books reveals a wealth of knowledge and ideas.

Listen in as Kasey shares snippets from EduProtocols and her favorite lesson from the book. If you’d like to learn more about Jon Corippo, check out episode 28 of Shake Up Learning to hear an in-depth discussion of the inspiration behind the creation of the book and how you can best utilize the lessons in your classroom.

Get organized and increase your productivity with Lisa Johnson’s Creatively Productive. This book is written not just with teachers in mind, but students as well. Building strong organizational habits early on is extremely important, and it’s one of the reasons this book is such a fantastic read.

You won’t want to miss the rest of Kasey’s top recommendations. What are you reading over the holidays? Did any of the books on this list make it onto your “to be read” list?

6 Books That Will Transform Your Classroom

In This Episode:

[00:29] - Welcome back, y’all!

[01:37] - Shout out to Ector County ISD and the Techy Tribe in Odessa, TX.

[02:54] - Kasey shares what makes a transformational education book. Hint: It's NOT about the technology! It's about the LEARNING!

The Eduprotocols Field Guide by Jon Corippo and Marlena Hebern

[04:04] - First up is Eduprotocols. Learn why this is one of the most practical books on the list.

"Eduprotocols are lesson shells into which you insert your curriculum to teach more effectively and deliver more engaging content."

You will find a focus on the 4 C's throughout this book.

Catch one of the authors, Jon Corippo, in episode 28 of The Shake Up Learning Show!

[06:41] - Listen to learn about one of Kasey's favorite protocols: the Iron Chef Protocol.

Eduprotocols is a fantastic guide that is full of customizable lesson plan templates that can be customized for any grade level, any subject area.

Get Free Lesson Plan Templates! Kasey references ideas from The EduProtocols Field Guide Book 1, and the newly released EduProtocols Field Guide Book 2.

Creatively Productive by Lisa Johnson

[08:07] - Lisa Johnson’s Creatively Productive helps provide actionable ideas on becoming more organized and more productive teachers and students.

Lisa is the author of the TechChef4U blog, where she shares tons of free tips and ideas. She also has an awesome Instagram presence where she is NoteChef4U.

Hear from Lisa on episode 32 of The Shake Up Learning Show, where she shared ideas from her book, her amazing Doc Locker of free resources, and her FREE Fake Instagram Template.

[12:03] - Hear Lisa’s tips on goal setting and planning from her chapter on Taming Time.

The Hyperdoc Handbook by Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis

[14:14] - Book number three is The Hyperdoc Handbook by Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, Sarah Landis.

Hyperdocs are so much more than just adding hyperlinks to a Google Doc or creating a digital worksheet!

[15:45] - What are Hyperdocs? Learn from the experts as Kasey reads an excerpt.

"Hyperdocs--transformative, interactive Google Docs that replace the standard worksheet method of delivering instruction. A Hyperdoc is the teaching pedagogy involved when making important decisions about what to teach and how to teach with technology to redefine the overall experience."

Visit Hyperdocs.co to access free resources and templates, and the Give One, Take One database.

[18:21] - You will want to check out chapter three, Build Your Own Hyperdoc.

Teachers sometimes get distracted by FREE lessons online that don't always align with your learning goals. (Check out the "on-air" coaching episode 10 with Carly Black where we address this very problem!)

Hyperdocs is grounded in sound pedagogy to help you design a meaningful learning experience for your students.

The Google Infused Classroom by Holly Clark and Tanya Avrith

[22:32] - If you have access to Google Tools, you must read The Google Infused Classroom.

This book is very unique! The paperback version offers two different ways to start. Starting from the front, you start with the pedagogy. Start from the back of the book to explore digital tools.

This book will help you better understand the Google ecosystem and other engaging, non-Google tools.

Holly and Tanya included a table of tools and how they can be used. Very handy for teachers to learn how to choose the best tool for the job.

[24:48] - Kasey reads an excerpt: The Ten Characteristics of Today’s Learners.

Be sure that you also check out Holly Clark's blog, The Infused Classroom, as well as her companion course, The Chromebook Infused Classroom.

Shift This by Joy Kirr

[26:40] - Why you need to read Shift This.

Joy shares so many ways to truly make significant SHIFTS in your classroom and giving grades more meaning.

[28:00] - Kasey shares a quote from the book that she used in Shake Up Learning, "If the work assigned is not something you'd let them redo in order to learn, it's time to assess the relevance of the work you are assigning."

This book will get you thinking about grades, the game of school, and doing what's best for kids.

[29:00] Kasey shares ideas from chapter 7 about the meaning of grades. It's not about a number. It's about the LEARNING!

Shake Up Learning by Kasey Bell

[30:14] - Last but not least, Shake Up Learning! Hear Kasey read an excerpt from Chapter 14.

Hear about how Kasey developed the Dynamic Learning Framework and defining the idea of Dynamic Learning.

The 4 C's are essential for creating Dynamic Learning experiences for students and are a foundation of Kasey's Dynamic Learning Model.

It's all about finding ways to support students and elevate their skills with technology while increasing learning!

Take a deep-dive into Dynamic Learning and meaningful technology integration in this 5-Part podcast series.

This book also has a companion website with FREE resources and online workshop!

The Shake Up Learning book was designed for meaningful book studies. Conduct your own group book study or join one of our book studies online. (Get the book study details here.)

Podcast Question of the Week

[34:38] - Kasey shares the podcast questions of the week:

What professional learning book will you be reading over the holidays?

Post your answer to your favorite social media platform using the hashtag #ShakeUpLearning, or share it in the Shake Up Learning Community on Facebook!

[35:32] - Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on iTunes. (Bonus points if you use the word “y’all” in your review!)