Top 5 Beach Reads for Teachers and TAs this Summer

It’s the middle of August, and the nation’s educators are sunning themselves on beaches near and far. 

These weeks of high summer before school begins once more are hugely important. There’s no such thing as an easy academic year, so you need time to relax and recuperate.

And what could be more restorative than lounging by the sea with a good book? Even better, if that easy read gives you some valuable takeaways for the next academic year!

If you’re in the market for a quality beach read this summer, try one of these five education-themed books. 

What makes a successful education system? Education policymakers have pored over this question for years now. But are they looking in the right places?

Former teacher Lucy Crehan opted to find this out for herself. She travelled to Finland, Canada, Japan, China and Singapore – the five countries often touted as models for the rest to follow. Spending three weeks in each, she immersed herself in their teaching cultures. This book is the product of extensive conversations with teachers and parents across the globe.

If you’re curious about what we can learn from other educational systems, this is well worth a read. 

This is one you may have heard of. Published in 2018, this global bestseller won a host of prestigious awards. Rest assured, it lives up to the hype.   

In this memoir, Westover tells of how she escaped her survivalist family in the mountains Idaho to take a History PhD at Cambridge University. It’s a story of the deep, life-changing value of education. You won’t be able to put it down. 

If you’ve ever sampled the UK’s most popular education podcast – Two Mr Ps in a Pod(Cast) – you’ll know just how funny these two brothers can be.

Now, they’re back with their second full-length book, and it’s a side-splitter. Packed full of classroom anecdotes, you’ll find a lot to recognise in their tales of school life. Be warned, this isn’t a book for those embarrassed to laugh in public! 

Neuroscience has much to teach educators about just how we learn. Unfortunately, much of it can seem impenetrable for anyone without a doctorate in the subject. That’s why Jon Tibke’s book is such a revelation.

Tibke takes us on a deep dive into an increasingly relevant and revelatory subject while sparing us the jargon. An essential read for any teacher or TA who has ever wondered why young minds absorb information the way they do. 

It would be a shame not to include any fiction in this list, so let’s reach for a classic. Written by Guyanese-British author E.R. Braithwaite in 1959, this autobiographical novel recounts his experiences teaching in an East End school in post-war London.

It’s an elegant overview of a thankfully very different period in British education, taking in social mobility, immigration, racism and some very committed pedagogy. It was even adapted for the big screen, with none other than Sidney Poitier playing the lead role.

We hope these recommendations will help you unwind throughout the rest of your holiday.

When you return to classrooms in September, Teaching Personnel will be here to provide you with work, training opportunities and professional guidance.