Episode 40 reviews the book Happy Kids Don’t Punch You in the Face”... what a catchy title...talk about a hook that gets your attention! Ben Springer published this in 2018 (Corwin) and focuses on “positive psychology” and how the use of it can help students and teachers inside and outside of the classroom. A great book for all special education teachers and administrators. Those going into the field should also get a copy.

Hands down, this is my favorite education book of 2020. This book, written as a letter to his son, is as raw as it gets. Dr. Dallas Dance writes from the heart, sharing both positive and negative experiences about his career and life. The lessons learned combined with raw & meaningful advice is not oy essential to school leaders, but to all those ready for the next chapter in life.

This is, by far, one of my favorite books about educational administration. Why? Because the title speaks for itself! This book is LOADED with stories, tips, and how to live life in the big chair. Have a listen — and I’ll be you will be looking for the book afterwards.

Nothing beats a fun picture book with a great message... and this is the epitome of it. Offering scads of scenarios on a bright note while laying out a series of scenarios, this is a great coffee table book for aspiring and first year Superintendents.

2020 will go down as one of the most disappointing and challenging years in a generation. A huge loss in the education field was Sir Ken Robinson, one of the most brilliant minds in education. I review Ken’s book and all that it has to offer...and that’s a lot. Onward!

Professional Development (PD) has been loved or loathed since its’ inception in schools. If you’ve been on the loathing side of it, this book is for you. You can turn PD lemons into some great lemonade.

You’re thinking to yourself “who needs another planner?” If you’re an aspiring or current Superintendent— you’d be foolish to pass this book up. Penned by 7 Superintendents coming from 7 different walks of life, this is a treasure chest of checklists and insight.

The 7th edition of this book was published in 2017, and each edition gets better and better. This book covers the entire process of change ranging from diving deep to the problem to mistakes made during implementation. This is a book for those in leadership positions that are for “the long haul”, as change on this level does not happen overnight, within a month, or even a year. This is a book that leaves no stone unturned insofar as how to begin to wrapping things up.

School Board meetings can be very laid back all the way to Jerry Springer-like. This book is perfect for novice or aspiring Superintendents as well as novice or aspiring Board members. I’ve lived through the serene (one meeting was 17 minutes) and the insane (another went for 7 hours laced with yelling and politics for TV). This is a great reference to have for all scenarios.

In 2017, Mark Barnes amassed a collection of chapters of books from the Hack Learning series. He put the best of the best into one book, allowing readers to “try before you buy” for the full book. Great for novice teachers or those who want to try something new or switch things up a bit.