Summer reading

Recommendations from BCTF provincial specialist associations

Anti-Oppression Educators’ Collective

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong

It is important for educators to explore the realm of disability justice to understand how we all produce and perpetuate ableism in our classrooms and communities. In this anthology, Alice Wong invites us to learn from disabled artists and activists so we can manifest love and justice in all spaces, because inclusion is solidarity. 

BC Business Education Association

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This book offers a compelling perspective on alternative economic systems, using lessons from nature and Indigenous knowledge to help educators explore ideas of reciprocity, sustainability, and community within discussions about the economy and beyond. 

BC Dance Educators’ Association

Brain-Compatible Dance Education by Anne Green Gilbert

This book is in three parts: Part 1 covers the brain science research that informs the theory of the 10 brain compatible dance principles. Part 2 describes lesson structure for dance that follows brain-compatible principles. Part 3 gives holistic lesson plans for ages 0 through 4, 5 through 8, 9 through 18, and adults. A great resource for any educator no matter the level of dance experience. 

BC Early Career Teachers’ Association

The Book of Boundaries: Set the Limits that Will Set You Free by Melissa Urban

Urban’s book gives a green/yellow/red traffic light analogy with tangible examples of what boundary-setting with a warm, brief, and firm tone can sound like in different contexts. Urban’s framework for boundary-setting language helps you stay calm and consistent even when you feel intimidated. This book gives example scripts that are short, neutral, and repeatable. Ultimately, the book’s “traffic light” framework is built to equip new teachers with clear, respectful communication that protects personal time, energy, and professional identity without damaging relationships or compromising self-esteem. 

Kids These Days: A Game Plan for (Re)Connecting with Those We Teach, Lead, and Love by Dr. Jody Carrington

Dr. Jody is an Alberta psychologist who reminds us that kids—at their core—need to feel seen, encouraged, and supported. If the kids are looking forward to seeing you as their teacher, and they’re learning with you, you are enough. This book helps us laugh, take deep breaths, and reassure ourselves that we are fulfilling our students’ core needs. Dr. Jody also reminds us, with wit and genuine insight, that the kids can only be okay if we ourselves are okay. This book gives us permission to engage in the necessary work of self-care and to create joy so we can fully show up for students day-to-day. If you have a kid, work with a kid, or love a kid, you will find something inspiring here.

BC Montessori Teachers Provincial Specialist Association

The Deep Well of Time: The Transformative Power of Storytelling in the Classroom by Michael Dorer

Storytelling is an important aspect of education that helps engage learners in making deeper connections to all aspects of the curriculum. The Deep Well of Time is a reminder of how to bring captivating storytelling into any classroom. Dorer utilizes stories to answer critical questions about who we are, why we are here, and our origins in a scientific manner. It is a must-read for educators who are interested in becoming better storytellers and incorporating this concept into daily practice. 

BC School Counsellors’ Association

School Counselling in Canada: A Comprehensive Guide

by Kristina Berynets, Lisa Porter, Deanna C. C. Peluso, and Maria Stella

A resource for new school counsellors, with contributions from one of our own PSA executive members, Dr. Shirley Giroux.

This Too Shall Pass: Stories of Change, Crisis and Hopeful Beginnings by Julia Samuel

Powerful, unforgettable, and deeply intimate stories about everyday people help us connect to our own unique responses to change and the way we approach challenges wherever we are in life. 

A Boxful of Poetry: Three Contemporary Anthologies with Four Illustrated Poem Cards; How to Love the World, The Path to Kindness, and The Wonder of Small Things 

by James Crews

Whether you are super into poetry or not, this anthology offers you the opportunity to take a moment to reflect, and to connect to gratefulness, kindness, and awe. A reminder that life is good, and “brutiful.” 

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

by Jonathan Haidt

A thought-provoking read about the contributions of tech and phones to deteriorating the mental health of Gen Z.

Educational Assessment, Support, and Intervention Association

Next STEPS in Literacy Instruction: Connecting Assessments to Effective Interventions

by Susan Smartt and Deborah Glaser

A practical guide to informing instruction that is cumulative, explicit, and systematic. Information is broken down into the five areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

The Writing Revolution 2.0: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades by Judith C. Hochman, Natalie Wexler, and Kathleen Maloney

A good look at systematic instruction in writing.

Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan

One of the more comprehensive examinations of what vocabulary is, why is it important, and what evidence-based principles we can employ to teach it in the most effective way. 

Environmental Educators’ Provincial Specialist Association

Embracing Risky Play at School: Getting Kids Outdoors to Explore, Learn, and Grow by Megan Zeni (EEPSA member) and Mariana Brussoni

For any Kindergarten–Grade 8 teachers wanting to learn how to support their students with risky play in outdoor learning, the authors, who are experts in the field, provide rationale, research, and resources to effectively implement risky play in beneficial ways for students.

Learning with the Land: A Nature Playbook by Lauren MacLean (EEPSA member) and April Pikkarainen

Recently released, this book has practical resources and learning stories for teachers of all grade levels who want to embrace land-based learning with their students.

The Everyday School Garden: A Simple Guide to Help You Start Your Teaching Journey in the Garden by Marie-Pascale Brown and Karine Céré (EEPSA members)

This is the go-to resource for Kindergarten–Grade 6 teachers creating school gardens. There are 26 cross-curricular lessons that help plant the seeds of outdoor learning. Also available en français: Jardiner À L’École

Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association BC

Reading Assessment Done Right: Tools and Techniques for Data-Driven Instruction by Stephanie Stollar and Kate Winn

This handbook on reading screening is easy to read and understand. It demystifies the assessment measures that help teachers improve reading outcomes for all students.

Beneath the Surface of Words: What English Spelling Reveals and Why it Matters by Sue Scibetta Hegland

An excellent book for building educator knowledge and understanding of how English spelling works. The logical patterns behind morphology, etymology, and word structure are revealed. This knowledge empowers educators to teach spelling and vocabulary more confidently and accurately, giving their students important skills and strategies to make sense of words.

Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom (Grades 3–5) by Katie Egan Cunningham, Jan Burkins, and Kari Yates

What does structured literacy look like after Grade 2? This book offers practical, easy-to-implement routines that help teachers bridge the gap between reading science and everyday instruction while keeping students at the centre. It provides clear, research-aligned guidance for improving reading instruction specifically in upper elementary classrooms.

Join a PSA!

The professional development opportunities provided by BCTF provincial specialist associations (PSAs) go far beyond book recommendations. Visit bctf.ca to find out about all 32 PSAs and consider joining one to start next school year with renewed excitement.