25 Biographies Every Educator Should Read

by admin

September 26, 2011

It’s amazing what you can learn from the lives of fellow educators. One might assume that the experience of teaching is universal, and in some ways, that’s true, but each and every educator leaves their mark in a unique way that we can all learn from. Read these biographies and memoirs for an intimate look into the lives, experiences, and teaching styles of these iconic educators.

1. Maria Montessori: A Biography

   As the leader of the Montessori education system, Maria Montessori’s story is important for any teacher. Read this book to learn how Montessori brought about a classroom revolution. You’ll see her contributions to child development as well as controversies in her life and work.

2. Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewey

   You may know Melvil Dewey as the designer of the Dewey decimal system, but this book about his life reveals much more, including his involvement in causes such as the metric and spelling reform movements. Although Dewey made great contributions, he was also involved in racism, anti-Semitism, and other controversies that are interesting to read about along with his contributions to librarianship.

3. Up from Slavery

   Booker T. Washington is well known for making his mark on history, particularly through the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama, as he helped students help themselves in a new school for African Americans. Read this book to learn about Washington’s fascinating life and rise as a mulatto slave to the president of the Tuskegee Institute and influential political leader.

4. A Life in School: What the Teacher Learned

   In this book, Jane Thompkins looks back on her life in the classroom, and realizes that she has a lot to unlearn from her time spent there. Read along with Jane and discover what she now knows about throwing out classroom conventions in favor of really connecting with her students, and consider how you might use her knowledge in your own practice.

5. The Miracle Worker

   We all have a basic grasp of the story of Annie Sullivan, the teacher who helped Helen Keller break through her inability to communicate as a blind, deaf, and mute child. But this biographical play offers an in-depth look into the life and work of this amazing teacher, as she tutored Keller to success despite the Kellers’ resistance, using persistence and love in a way that is inspiring for all educators.

6. Geronimo’s Kids

   Teachers can learn so much from the children that they teach, and Robert S. Ove is no exception. As a missionary teacher at the Chiricahua Apache settlement in 1940s New Mexico, Ove was thrust into a culture that left a great impact on him as he observed firsthand how the Chiricahua adapted to white ways over time.

7. Teacher Man: A Memoir

   Frank McCourt is famous for Angela’s Ashes and ‘Tis, but his final memoir, Teacher Man, is just as important. This book takes a look at his 30-year career as a teacher in NYC public high schools and his unorthodox approaches in education. Read along and see how McCourt made suicide notes, likability, and even eating sandwiches off of the floor work for him as an educator.Continued