The season for reading by the pool or the beach might be coming to a close, but it’s never too late to pick up a good book.
And some of the best books are those recommended by your peers.
Education Week asked subscribers to The Savvy Principal—a free weekly newsletter for school leaders—to share the books they were reading and enjoying this summer.
Here’s what they said:
The top read for principals focuses on smartphones
Several principals told us that they were reading The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.
Haidt, a social psychologist, explores the rising rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide among teenagers and draws connections to what he calls a “phone-based childhood.” Children’s reliance on cellphones and social media has led to sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, loneliness, social comparison, perfectionism, and more, he argues.
In The Anxious Generation, Haidt issues a call to action for parents and educators, as well as for tech companies and governments.
It’s no wonder principals have been captivated by the book. Cellphones have become a growing challenge for schools. Teachers report that they have become distractions to instruction and lead to harmful social-emotional effects.
At least 11 states have passed laws or enacted policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools or recommend that districts enact their own restrictions, according to an EdWeek analysis.
The other work-related books on principals’ lists
School leaders were also reading about other education-related issues.
One newsletter subscriber said they were reading Relentless: Changing Lives by Disrupting the Educational Norm by Hamish Brewer. Brewer calls himself the “tattooed skateboarding principal,” and his book details his own difficult upbringing—and how he now works to empower others.
Another recommendation: Responsive Coaching by Josh Goodrich. The book promises to share evidence-informed instructional coaching models that work for every teacher.
One school leader said they were reading Executive Functions for Every Classroom, Grades 3-12: Creating Safe and Predictable Learning Environments by Mitch Weathers. The book contains practical strategies and guidance to teach students executive function skills, like how to study or manage their time.
The books just for fun
Of course, some of the books principals said they were reading were just for fun—an opportunity to not think about work for a little bit. Here’s that list, a mix of fiction and nonfiction:
- The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
- All in the Name of Love by Shelagh Jackson
- This Night Belongs To You by Shelagh Jackson
- The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
- Maggie: Trapped in the School for the Feeble Minded by Lynn Phillips
Want more book recommendations? Here’s what teachers told Education Week they’re reading this summer:
Here are even more reading and listening recommendations for principals:
