Summer Refresh: Top Books & Podcasts For Teachers & Tutors

Posted by eden

A person is writing in a notebook at a table. There is a laptop, books, and colored pens on the table. The text "Summer Refresh: Top Books & Podcasts For Teachers & Tutors" is superimposed over the image.

Summer Refresh: Top Books & Podcasts For Tutors

Summer offers teachers a well-deserved break from the demands of the school year. This free time makes it a prime opportunity for teachers and tutors to delve into reading and listening to podcasts for both personal and professional development.  Below is a list of books and podcasts to help educators stay sharp and maintain expertise in their chosen field.  

Books

A blue line drawing of a person's head in profile, with a brain inside and a heart shape in the center of the brain.

Tutoring Matters: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about How to Tutor

By Jerome Rabow, Tiffani Chin, and Nima Fahimian.

This book looks at the relationship between the tutor and tutee, and considers social, cultural and economical dynamics as important matters to take into consideration when tutoring. 

Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning (2024)

By Ian J. Dunn.

This book explores the potential of artificial intelligence in education. This comprehensive guide offers practical suggestions for integrating AI effectively into teaching and learning environments. It also explores topics such as  academic integrity, cheating, and other emerging issues.

A lilac-colored circle with the letters "AI" in white in the center, surrounded by overlapping lilac-colored circles resembling an atom.
A pink line drawing of two hands cupping a heart with rays emanating from it.

A Pedagogy of Kindness (2024)

By Mary Catherine Bateson.

This book explores the importance of kindness in education and how it can create a more positive and productive learning environment.

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

By Jonathan Haidt. 

This book investigates how mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are becoming more common in contemporary society, especially in young people. 

A blue line drawing of a person sitting with their knees drawn up to their chest and arms wrapped around their legs, with a cloud above their head filled with lightning bolts.
A person with a circular head is reading a book with rounded corners. The image is outlined in a light green color.

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child

By Donalyn Miller 

This book is full of practical tips for creating a nurturing and engaging reading environment in your classroom.  This book works for elementary, intermediate, and secondary teachers and tutors.

Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Achieving Equity in the Classroom

By Rick Wormeli

This book is a great resource for teachers who want to learn how to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students. Wormeli provides a variety of strategies for tailoring your lessons to different learning styles and abilities.

Two hands with open palms facing each other, forming a cradle shape. Three people icons are positioned above the hands.
Three people icons, represented by simple line drawings, standing side by side. Each person is raising one arm to hold up one half of a larger puzzle piece, symbolizing collaboration and teamwork.

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

By Zaretta Hammond

This book explains the importance of culturally responsive teaching and provides practical strategies for creating a classroom that is inclusive of all students

Podcasts

The 10-Minute Teacher Show

Is a daily podcast with quick, actionable tips for teachers. Host Vicki Davis is a former teacher and school counselor, and she knows what teachers need to hear. Episodes are typically 10-15 minutes long, so they’re perfect for a quick listen.

A pink silhouette of a teacher standing in front of a blank whiteboard, pointing with a pointer stick, and facing three students represented by pink circles.
A blue silhouette of a person with arms outstretched, surrounded by icons of a globe, an open book, and a graduation cap, connected by dotted lines.

MindShift 

This podcast explores the latest research in teaching and learning, with a focus on how to improve educational outcomes for all students. While geared towards teachers, many of the insights and strategies can be beneficial for tutors as well.

Teaching Tomorrow

Is a show for educators who earnestly desire to become more awesome at what they do. Toronto middle school educator Celeste Kirsh speaks to experts about the future of teaching and learning so you can get practical ideas that you can literally use tomorrow in your classroom.

A green line drawing of three people collaborating on an idea. Two people are holding up a large board with a lightbulb drawn on it, while a third person is pointing at the board.

Of course there are many benefits of attending summer workshops for teachers, but reading and listening to podcasts can help you develop professionally as a teacher during summer break. Podcasts are both fun and also a great way to learn.   Reading books can be an excellent way to grow professionally if you don’t have time for a professional development workshop. 

Do you have a book or podcast suggestion to improve your teaching practice?  Please let us know in the comment section. Happy reading and happy listening!