Some People to Check Out/Follow:

Professional Bookshelf

So, which books inspire me as an educator? I have gathered a list of phenomenal resources that may ignite your creativity, philosophy, and passion in tremendous ways.

In the Spotlight:

Creating Classroom Magic by Shauna Pollock:

This innovative book by educator and author Shauna Pollock delves into Walt Disney's philosophy for innovation, collaboration, and creativity. Shauna as well as Dr. Howie DiBlasi and other passionate educators have encouraged the development of EPSOTs, also known as "Experimental Prototype Schools of Tomorrow". Shauna has written, "As you enter the Magic Kingdom, you're greeted with sights, smells, and sounds that set the mood," which she encourages teachers to do in their own classrooms as well. Shauna highly encourages the "crowdsourcing" of creative solutions, so you may want to follow her hashtag #classmagic as well.

Deepening Comprehension with Action Strategies by Dr. Jeffrey Wilhelm:

Around 2008 (I believe), I remember wanting to become a stronger educator when it came to ELA instruction. When I came across the first edition of this book, I was absolutely amazed because of the wondrous strategies the author, Dr. Jeffrey Wilhelm, suggested for deepening comprehension. He deepened my desire to connect Language Arts instruction to theatre and visual arts. To learn more about this book, a review from Middleweb.com delves into some specifics. Here is a study guide from Scholastic for the first edition of the book as well.

The Art of Tinkering, published by the Exploratorium:

This sensational book, compiled by authors Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich, does not need an explanation because of how incredibly awesome it is. If you have had the opportunity to visit The Tinkering Studio or The Exploratorium in San Francisco, California, you may have noticed how it is one of the grandest and most creative hubs of innovation! The projects from approximately 150 makers presented in this book are immensely unique and exciting to read about. To read more about the Tinkering Studio has to offer, visit their official website here.

Creative Writing in Science by Katie Coppens:

This book shares fifteen innovative ideas for implementing creative writing in science class, from writing a travel blog about the digestive system to devising a packet list for planetary travel. These activities encourage students to take their learning beyond a regular comprehension assignment and invites students to "stamp" their products with their unique flair.

Added in January 2019:

As a creative who loves delving into lessons that are "outside the box", this book is extremely inspiring. Besides that, it has an absolutely stellar rating on many sites!