This is part two of a recommended reading list that helped inspire and supplement the ideas in my book Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word. These are, in my opinion, your must-reads for surviving and thriving in education.
Blogs
Seth Godin - Godin is a marketing and entrepreneurship guru whose ideas translate easily to what teachers need for the classroom. Read Seth Godin Ideas Every Educator Should Read and 5 More Seth Godin Ideas Every Educator Should Read for examples.
Lifehacker - As I wrote last year: "Lifehacker has consistently been one of the most useful websites for me in and out of the classroom since I first started reading it. It's a blog focused on productivity and efficiency--two keys for a long, successful career in education." Read some examples in Five New Resources for Teachers from Lifehacker and find more in most weeks of Five for Friday.
Eduwonk - The best place to keep up with what's going on in education news, research and reform across the country, written by Andrew Rotherham (who is a co-founder of Bellwether Education Partners and writes the "School of Thought" column for TIME). I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Rotherham a couple of months ago and his passion for quality research and writing about education is inspiring. His colleague Sara Mead writes a thoughtful, well written education policy blog for EdWeek that's also worth your time.
Other Websites
Twitter - Even though most of my experience with the social media juggernaut began after my book was published, the power of Twitter to help you learn and grow is unmatched. It's the most fully realized version of the personal learning network idea suggested throughout the book.
Facebook - If you haven't opened yourself to the possibilities of Facebook as a classroom resource, check out pages I used in my Algebra 1 and MMA classes this year. That experiment is a realization of my dream to integrate social media into the classroom, and while it did not work out as I would have liked, it's a huge step in the right direction. The most popular website in the world is also a great way to network with other teachers.
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I tried to focus on the resources I used before (and since) I published the book, so of course there are many other resources I've learned about since then that are just as indispensible. That, however, is a subject for another time. Check out yesterday's post for more!