rofessional Development Books Worth Reading {Crash Course - The Life Lessons My Students Taught Me}

I have heard so many teachers talking about the book Crash Course: The Life Lessons My Students Taught Me by Kim Bearden, that I knew I wanted to find time to read it this Summer. Kim Bearden is a teacher and the co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta. 

In this book she shares her classroom experiences, good and bad, that have helped her become the teacher she is today. As a teacher, I connected with this book in so many ways and can envision some of my own students in her stories. You'll laugh and cry throughout the book, but come away with a renewed energy to get back in the classroom and make it your best year ever. It's a great reminder for why we went into education in the first place. Kim encourages you to find ways to connect with your students on a personal level, believe in yourself and your students, and make learning fun! 

This book is a very fast read because it's broken into many small chapters. I like how at the end of the chapter, there is a "notes" section to review important concepts and a "homework" section to have you reflect and connect it to your own life. 

She describes some of the learning environment and atmosphere at the Ron Clark Academy which is unlike any other school I've ever heard of. Many bloggers have shared their experiences of visiting RCA and I think it would be an amazing experience to go! 

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:"Positive and Negative thinking are both contagious.  Be careful what you spread.""The chemistry I create with my students is the primary element that affects my ability to guide them, mold them, and help them find success."
"When we set high expectations for others, we show that we believe in them."