Summer reading recommendations for international teachers

As the school year winds down and summer break beckons, international teachers often find themselves with a precious opportunity to unwind, recharge, and delve into books that enrich their professional growth and personal enjoyment.

Whether you’re lounging on a tropical beach or exploring a new city, here are some curated summer reading recommendations tailored specifically for educators in the international arena.

Why summer reading matters for international teachers

Summer reading isn’t just about relaxation – it’s a strategic investment in professional development. For international educators, staying informed about global perspectives, educational trends, and innovative teaching methods is essential. Moreover, reading diverse literature can deepen cultural understanding and empathy, crucial for navigating international classrooms.

Top summer reads for international teachers

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond

Written in a teacher-friendly manner, this resource builds teacher capacity for addressing the needs of underserved students by presenting high-leverage instructional strategies that are informed by the latest findings in neuroscience and cognition, as well as culturally-responsive instruction.

Zaretta Hammond is a former classroom English teacher who has been doing instructional design, school coaching, and professional development around the issues of equity, literacy, and culturally responsive teaching for the past 18 years. She teaches as a lecturer at St. Mary’s College’s Kalmanovitz School of in Moraga, California.

The Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners by Homa Sabet Tavangar and Becky Mladic-Morales

This all-in-one resource from widely acclaimed authors provides hundreds of easy, stand-alone activities, resources, and projects to help busy educators:

• Seamlessly integrate global awareness themes into existing K-5 Common Core curriculum
• Recruit parent and community volunteers and organizations
• Use social media for student global collaboration projects
• Plan international events, after-school clubs, and cross-curricular activities

Plus, it includes a 12-month timeline, backmapping tips, 50+ ready-to-start projects, and online links.

Homa Sabet Tavangar is the author of Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World, lead author of The Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners, and contributor to Mastering Global Literacy, by Heidi Hayes-Jacobs. Homa spent 20 years working in global competitiveness, organisational, business and international development with hundreds of businesses, non-profits, and public organisations, before turning her attention to global education.

Becky Mladic-Morales is the founder of Kid World Citizen, offering parents and educators activities that help young minds go global. Her work has been featured on Scholastic, the U.S. Department of Education, NBC Latino, MSN, and PBS Kids among others. She is a teacher, teacher-trainer, speaker, and educational consultant. She has worked with different foreign exchange programs, including the setup of the International Club at her local elementary school.

Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

A gripping memoir that resonates with educators worldwide, illustrating the transformative power of education and resilience in overcoming adversity. Tara, born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, who after stepping into a classroom for the first time at 17, leaves her home and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University.

Tara Westover is an American historian and memoirist. Her first book, Educated, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and remained on the list, in hardcover, for more than two years. Westover holds a PhD in intellectual history from Trinity College, Cambridge, and in 2019 she was the Rosenthal Writer in Residence at Harvard University. In 2023, she was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives.

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and the author of The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better. A graduate of Harvard Business School and Yale College, he is a winner of the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards. He writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and other publications, and is the host of the podcast How To! with Charles Duhigg.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In her book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavour can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset–those who believe that abilities are fixed–are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset–those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading researchers in the fields of personality, social psychology, and developmental psychology. She is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and has won nine lifetime achievement awards for her research. She addressed the United Nations on the eve of their new global development plan and has advised governments on educational and economic policies.

How to make the most of your summer reading

Set clear goals: Define what you want to achieve through your summer reading. Is it to gain new teaching strategies, explore different cultural perspectives, or simply enjoy a good story?

Create a reading schedule: Allocate dedicated time each day or week for reading. This helps maintain momentum and ensures you finish your selected books by summer’s end.

Join a book club or discussion group: Engage with fellow educators or join online communities to discuss your readings. This can provide new insights and deepen your understanding of the material.

Reflect and apply: Take notes, jot down ideas, and reflect on how the concepts you’re reading about can be applied to your teaching practice. Experiment with new methods or approaches when you return to the classroom.

Summer reading is a valuable opportunity for international teachers to expand their knowledge, gain fresh perspectives, and rejuvenate their passion for education.

Whether you’re exploring educational theory, diving into cultural narratives, or refining your teaching strategies, the books on this list offer something enriching for every educator. Embrace this time to grow personally and professionally, and return to your classroom inspired and equipped for the new school year ahead.

Happy reading!