Attracting Birds and Wildlife / School Grounds

Books suitable for use to help encourage wildlife in the school grounds

RSPB Gardening for Wildlife: A Complete Guide to Nature-friendly Gardening by Adrian Thomas

RSPB Birdfeeder Guide by Robert Burton and Peter Holden

Outdoor Classrooms – a handbook for school gardens by Carolyn Nutall and Janet Millington


Web 2.0 in schools

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms by W H Richardson

Wikis for School Leaders: Using Technology to Improve Communication and Collaboration by Stephanie Sandifer


Learning Platforms in Schools

Using Moodle by Jason Cole and Helen Foster

Moodle Administration by Alex Buchner

Moodle 1.9 for Teaching 7-14 Year Olds by M Cooch


Sustainability and the Environment

The Sustainability Mirage by John Foster

Soil and Soul by Alastair McIntosh
Rarely have I picked up and read a book that has spoken to me so powerfully. I have wanted a book like this for many years – it brings together economics, ecology, history, politics, poetry, art, mythology and theology in a most refreshing way. Alastair weaves together strands of story and thought to produce a wonderfully embroidered picture of how life could be.

Sustainable Education: Re-visioning Learning and Change by Stephen Sterling
A Schumacher briefing document which discusses how we need to reorient and transform education as a whole instead of bolting on new topics. A challenging book.


Open Space Technology

For further information about OST go to Wikipedia, Open Space World or contact me.

Open Space Technology by Harrison Owen

The World Cafe by Juanita Brown, et al


Education

Out of Our Minds by Ken Robinson

Changing Teaching and Learning in the Primary School by Rosemary Webb

Reflective Practice to Improve Schools: An Action Guide for Educators

Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today by Richard Gerver

Richard Gerver was formerly the Headteacher of Grange Primary School in Long Eaton, Notts. He is now an international speaker and adviser working mostly in defining school change for the 21st century. A former National Teaching Award winner, Richard has been described as one of the most innovative and inspirational school leaders of our time. The first half of the book paints a picture of the current state of education and the challenge we face, the second half shows “the way it could be” with examples from Grange Primary School. This book is both inspiring, challenging and educational!

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
In this book Richard Louve coined the phrase “Nature Deficit Disorder” which he uses to describe the alleged trend that children are spending less time outdoors and are losing touch with nature and the seasons. There are many reasons suggested for this occurence and Louv says that this has profound implications for the health of future generations and the health of the planet. Attention disorders, depression and obesity all get a mention. There is an increasingly large movement of people who take this work seriously and are working to get children outside and actively learning.

The If Machine: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom by Peter Worley
Peter Worley is the CEO of the “Philosophy Shop“, an innovative, dynamic and unique educational charity whose aim is to bring philosophy to schools and the wider community. The If Machine is a rich resource of guided philosophy sessions containing many stories, both original and classic, aimed at developing higher order thinking through the activity of philosophy.


Inspiration

Books that I have found inspiring, some are directly connected to education, some more loosely!

The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander

The Element by Ken Robinson

Out of Our Minds by Ken Robinson

You are therefore I am by Satish Kumar
In this book Satish Kumar traces his journey as a child monk, a peace pilgrim, ecological activist and as an educator. I found him inspiring – his understanding of the world, his wisdom and compassion offer us a way forward in a world of confusion, greed and violence.


Flipping the Classroom

Flipping Your Classroom by Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams