1. Creative Miracles: A Practitioner's Guide to Adaptive Music Instruction By Kelley Surrette
This book "provides and indepth look at the adaptive music classroom and offers pratical strategies and suggestions as to how music can be adapted to those with hearing loss and to those who have cognitive, intellectual, and other related disabilities."
I cannot wait to dive into this book. Just flipping through the pages I know I will get so much out of it. It just came out this past year and it is sure to be on music teacher shelves, all marked up, everywhere soon.
2. Teaching to Transgress - Education as the Practice of Freedom By bell hooks
"In Teaching to Transgress, bell hooks--writer, teacher, and insurgent black intellectual--writes about a new kind of education, education as the practice of freedom. Teaching students to "transgress" against racial, sexual, and class boundaries in order to achieve the gift of freedom is, for hooks, the teacher's most important goal.
bell hooks speaks to the heart of education today: how can we rethink teaching practices in the age of multiculturalism? What do we do about teachers who do not want to teach, and students who do not want to learn? How should we deal with racism and sexism in the classroom?
Full of passion and politics, Teaching to Transgress combines a practical knowledge of the classroom with a deeply felt connection to the world of emotions and feelings. This is the rare book about teachers and students that dares to raise questions about eros and rage, grief and reconciliation, and the future of teaching itself."
I am doing an online book discussion for this book with some music teachers on Insta and I am so excited. Being the only Elementary Music Teacher in my district, I love when I get the chance to do meaningful PD and read important books with other music teachers.
3. Responsive Classroom for Music, Art, PE and Other Special Areas By Responsive Classroom
I follow one of the contributors of this book, Michael Stensrud, on social media and have been to a few of his workshops and he is a MASTER at all things Responsive Classroom. I already use a few of his techniques in my class, such as non-verbal teaching, and am trying to incorprate the techniques and routines more each day.
Responsive Classroom practices have helped thousands of special area teachers for more than 30 years. Here you'll find practical suggestions, charts, planners, and examples from experienced special area teachers who use Responsive Classroom practices every day. You'll learn how to:
Open and close each period in calm, orderly ways
Set students up for success by modeling and practicing skills and routines
Use positive teacher language
Engage students more deeply
Refocus and recharge students with quick, fun, movement breaks
Respond to misbehavior to get students back to learning.
4. This Book Is Anti-Racist - By Tiffany Jewell and Illustrated by Aurelia Durand.
"Gain a deeper understanding of your anti-racist self as you progress through 20 chapters that spark introspection, reveal the origins of racism that we are still experiencing, and give you the courage and power to undo it. Each chapter builds on the previous one as you learn more about yourself and racial oppression. 20 activities get you thinking and help you grow with the knowledge. All you need is a pen and paper."
I Love that this book is not one you "just read" but rather there are activities every few pages to help you journal your way through the book and really connect to the words and lessons. I am trying to work through at least a lesson each day.
5. Creative Musiking: Practical, Real-Life Ideas to Get Your Learners Creating Their Own Music By Steve Giddings. I read/ proofed an earlier version of this book and can't wait to read the final result! There are SO MANY ideas for all levels of teaching music in this book "providing you with the tools you crave and the mindset you need to get your learners creating their own music, but also provides practical, real-life, and accessible tips, tricks, and paradigm shifts for getting you creating your own music too."
6. White Fragility: why it's so hard for white people to talk about race -By Robin DiAngelo
"In this “vital, necessary, and beautiful book” (Michael Eric Dyson), antiracist educator Robin DiAngelo deftly illuminates the phenomenon of white fragility and “allows us to understand racism as a practice not restricted to ‘bad people’ (Claudia Rankine). Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what we can do to engage more constructively."
This book is a great place to start for anyone who is beginning their journey to Anti-Racism. “White Fragility is a must-read for all educators because racism and racial disparities in access and opportunity continue to be an urgent issue in our schools. As educators, we need to summon up the courage and together act deliberately and honestly to develop the skills we need to engage in conversations about bias, race, and racism—especially our own.”
—Val Brown, professional development facilitator and founder of #ClearTheAir- If you don't follow Val Brown and #ClearTheAir on twitter- click on over right now :)
7. Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations About Race- By Beverly Daniel Tatum PhD
Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the dynamics of race in America.
8. Music Education and Social Emotional Learning- The Heart of Teaching Music By Scott N. Edgar
"Music educators are in a prime position to help students become socially and emotionally competent while at the same time develop excellent musicianship. For every child to be successful in the music classroom, teachers need to be aware of the whole student. How do music educators create success when students every day struggle with social awareness, bullying, communication, problem solving, and other challenges? This pioneering book by Scott Edgar addresses how music educators can utilize Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to maximize learning in the choral, instrumental, and general music classroom at all levels, and at the same time support a student's social and emotional growth. Foreword by Tim Lautzenheiser."
9. Hold Fast to Dreams - Writings inspired by Zoltan Kodaly by Denise Bacon
This one is ALWAYS on my list. I am always flipping through, reading parts again, etc. I got this from the Capital University Bookstore- but I had to call. I live in Columbus, so I was able to go pick it up, but I think you can have them ship (once they are open again). It goes for over $100 on Amazon- so call Cap first! (614) 236-6116
Remember: Buying a PD book is good, Reading a PD book is great, but don't forget to USE and ACT ON what you read. If a PD book doesn't challenge your thoughts, practices, or ideas how much are you really learning? Be Uncomfortable. Be the Change. Push Yourself and Others.
