Book Snap #2 Why did you choose this book?

I chose this book because I've heard from my coworkers it's a must read.  I've seen a huge disconnect with young children and it really bothers me.  My own child is extremely anxious and has dealt with some mental health issues.  I hope to gain valuable knowledge so I can help the youth that is suffering do to too much technology at such a young age. 

The 11 habits to focus on are:
1. Narrow- Focus on the 20% that makes the biggest difference in your happiness and teaching success.
2. Decline - Say no to anything that pulls you away or distracts you from the 20 percent that really matters.
3. Tidy - Remove all clutter from your classroom.  Organize and tidy until it reflects your expectations of excellence.
4. Inspire - Rid your classroom of external rewards.  Instead, created an environment that encourages intrinsic motivation
5. Improvise - Be an expert in your content area and lean on your natural ability to improvise.
6. Bridge - Use the three-step planning process to bridge the gap between your curriculum and the hearts and minds of your students. 
7. Envision - Visualize your lessons, your responses to misbehavior, and the sequence of each day.
8. Shift - Teach great lessons and then shift responsibility in total to your students.
9. Sway - Build trust and influence by being consistently pleasant and relying on your classroom management plan.
10. Listen - Be a better, stronger leader and colleague by talking less and listening more.
11. Seize - True happiness in teaching isn't going to fall into your lap.  You must take it for yourself.

I chose this book because I care deeply about teaching, and I have noticed the burnout happening way too often with me lately. I want to be a happy teacher again, and this book was recommended to me as it has strategies to get back to why I really went into teaching. The burnout frustration is real, and I spend ALL of my school days in depression and anxiety, counting the minutes until the day is done or the weekend or next vacation will be here. I need to reset. I need to remember the why. And I need to be a happy teacher again. Not just one who fakes it. 

I ordered this book to read during my maternity leave, but that didn't happen! It seems the whole world is talking about the book, so I knew I wanted to read it. I hope that reading it can help me as a parent and a teacher. 

I chose this book because I often face the challenge of working with students who seem uninterested or disengaged in the classroom.  It can be frustrating and discouraging when students don’t respond to lessons, no matter how much effort I put into planning them.  I wanted a resource that could help me better understand why some students appear not to care and, more importantly, what I can do to reach them.

What drew me to this book is its practical focus. It doesn’t just talk about why motivation matters, it gives specific strategies that teachers can actually use.  Things like emphasizing effort, building trust, and giving students a voice are all things I’ve tried in different ways, but this book helped me think about them more intentionally.  It’s not about fixing students it’s about changing how we connect with them and support them.

I also appreciated that the book highlights the importance of relationships and emotional support. I’ve learned that students are more likely to try when they feel respected and understood.  This book reinforced that idea and gave me new ways to act on it. I  picked this book because it feels grounded in real classroom experiences, and it gave me tools I could start using right away.

I chose this book because SEL in elementary school has been a focus of my learning and training this school year. I am looking for teacher-friendly resources that give specific activities we can incorporate into our daily routines to help develop students social-emotional skills.

Vocabulary is one of the language strands of The Reading Rope.  I co-taught a vocabulary workshop last summer.  Teachers were eager to use what they learned, and I wanted to help them learn even more.  I was introduced to this author's website by The Reading League, and then I heard about her book when I listened to the author interviewed on a science of reading podcast.

This book was recommended by Kate Sfeir. I have several students who have severely decreased vocabulary skills. I met with Kate to request lists of grade-level Tier 2-3 vocabulary.  I wanted to get a list of words that would give us the biggest bang for our buck in a short 30-minute session. A lot of good information came from our discussions, one being this book.

I chose this book because, as speech pathologists, we do not have a specific vocabulary curriculum.  Many of the students I see for services have vocabulary deficits.  Vocabulary can be such an abstract concept, and knowing where to start and what words to focus on can seem daunting.  After meeting with district administrators regarding the lack of a specific vocabulary curriculum, this book was recommended to me.  I want to make sure that I am providing students with effective vocabulary instruction that will have a direct and beneficial impact on them in the classroom.  

I chose this book because a colleague recommended it. I'm hoping that it will help me learn some strategies to help my students manage their stress in a healthy way.

I chose this book because Hal Elrod's S.A.V.E.R.S method was recommended to me to get in the right frame of mind each day. After reading the reviews, I realized there were so many little habits that I could help my own kids and my students instill in their day that would help as well.