12 Great Books to Help Kids Learn Coding

April 30, 2017
A few days we shared with you this interesting resource featuring some of the best apps and tools to help kids learn everything about coding. Today, we are adding another important resource to our coding archive. This is a collection of some good books to introduce kids to coding and help them master the world of programming. Links to the books are under the visual. Enjoy

1- Help Your Kids with Computer Coding, by DK Publishing 
Help Your Kids with Computer Coding is a straightforward, visual guide to helping kids understand the basics of computer coding using Scratch and Python coding languages. Essential coding concepts like scripts, variables, and strings are explained using build-along projects and games.

2- Learn to Program with Scratch: A Visual Introduction to Programming with Games, Art, Science, and Math, by Majed Marji
In Learn to Program with Scratch, author Majed Marji uses Scratch to explain the concepts essential to solving real-world programming problems. The labeled, color-coded blocks plainly show each logical step in a given script, and with a single click, you can even test any part of your script to check your logic.

3- Python for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming, by Jason R. Briggs 
‘Python for Kids brings Python to life and brings you (and your parents) into the world of programming. The ever-patient Jason R. Briggs will guide you through the basics as you experiment with unique (and often hilarious) example programs that feature ravenous monsters, secret agents, thieving ravens, and more. New terms are defined; code is colored, dissected, and explained; and quirky, full-color illustrations keep things on the lighter side.’

4- How to Code in 10 Easy Lessons: Learn how to design and code your very own computer game (Super Skills), by Sean McManus
‘From writing simple coding instructions using Scratch software, to learning the coding skills to create your own computer game and even design your own website, this book leads the way. By breaking this daunting subject down into the 10 "super skills" needed, young readers can get familiar with computer coding and build on their skills as they progress through the book.’

5- Learn to Program with Minecraft: Transform Your World with the Power of Python, by Craig Richardson
‘Begin with some short, simple Python lessons and then use your new skills to modify Minecraft to produce instant and totally awesome results. Learn how to customize Minecraft to make mini-games, duplicate entire buildings, and turn boring blocks into gold.’

6- DK Workbooks: Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook, by Jon Woodcock (Author), Steve Setford (Author)
‘Perfect for children ages 6–9 who are new to coding, this highly visual workbook is a fun introduction to Scratch, a free computer coding programming language, that will take kids from playing games to creating them.’

7- The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book (Full Color): A Beginner's Guide to Building and Programming Robots, by Laurens Valk
‘LEGO MINDSTORMS has changed the way we think about robotics by making it possible for anyone to build real, working robots. The latest MINDSTORMS set, EV3, is more powerful than ever, and The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book is the complete, beginner-friendly guide you need to get started.’

8- Hopscotch Challenges: Learn to Code on an iPad, by Wesley Fryer
‘This is an eBook of challenges for students to complete using the free iPad app, Hopscotch. This eBook is an independent publication and is not an official curriculum resource of the Hopscotch development team’

9- 3D Game Programming for Kids: Create Interactive Worlds with JavaScript (Pragmatic Programmers), by Chris Strom
‘This book will teach you how to make your own online games with interactive examples. You'll learn programming using nothing more than a browser, and see cool, 3D results as you type. You'll learn real-world programming skills in a real programming language: JavaScript, the language of the web. You'll be amazed at what you can do as you build interactive worlds and fun games.’

10- Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding, by Linda Liukas
‘Meet Ruby―a small girl with a huge imagination, and the determination to solve any puzzle. As Ruby stomps around her world making new friends, including the Wise Snow Leopard, the Friendly Foxes, and the Messy Robots, kids will be introduced to the fundamentals of computational thinking, like how to break big problems into small ones, create step-by-step plans, look for patterns and think outside the box through storytelling.’

11- Programming: Computer Programming for Beginners - Learn the Basics of Java, SQL & C++, by Joseph Connor 
‘Programming: Computer Programming for Beginners Learn the Basics of Java, SQL & C++ is a book that will guide you on how to give specific instructions to your computer with the help of 3 basic programming languages.’

12- Super Scratch Programming Adventure! (Covers Version 2): Learn to Program by Making Cool Games, by The LEAD Project 
‘In Super Scratch Programming Adventure!, kids learn programming fundamentals as they make their very own playable video games. They'll create projects inspired by classic arcade games that can be programmed (and played!) in an afternoon. Patient, step-by-step explanations of the code and fun programming challenges will have kids creating their own games in no time.’

12 Wonderful Books for School Leaders

April 16, 2017
Successful school leaders are those who inspire, innovate, motivate, empower and  create engaging school culture conducive to meaningful learning. They are always forward thinking and embrace change. They take initiative, explore uncharted territories and think out of the rigidly structured managerial box. Successful school leaders are people with a special mindset, a growth mindset. They have a set of distinctive characteristics that set them apart from the crowd. In this carefully selected collection, we are sharing with you some of the best books on educational and school  leadership written by renowned leadership authors in education. You will get to discover qualities and practices that make a successful school leader and learn more about how to use these practices in the daily management of your school and ‘ during the stressful times that accompany major change initiatives’.

Links and books description are under the visual.  Here is a PDF copy of this visual.




1- The Principal: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact , by Michael Fullan
‘Principals are often called the second most crucial in-school influencers (after teachers) of student learning. But what should the principal do in order to maximize student achievement? One of the best-known leadership authors in education, Fullan explains why the answer lies neither in micro-managing instruction nor in autonomous entrepreneurialism. He shows systematically how the principal's role should change, demonstrating how it can be done in short order, at scale.’

2- The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity, by George Couros 
‘In THE INNOVATOR'S MINDSET, George Couros encourages teachers and administrators to empower their learners to wonder, to explore—and to become forward-thinking leaders.’

3- Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times 1st Edition, by Eric C. Sheninger
‘Digital leadership is a strategic mindset and set of behaviors that leverages resources to create a meaningful, transparent, and engaging school culture. It takes into account recent changes such as ubiquitous connectivity, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization to dramatically shift how schools have been run and structured for over a century.  Leading in education becomes exponentially powerful when using technology to your advantage.’

4- What Great Principals Do Differently: Eighteen Things That Matter Most, by Todd Whitaker
‘Inspire yourself and others with the second edition of this best-selling book. With heartfelt advice, practical wisdom, and examples from the field, Todd Whitaker explains the qualities and practices that distinguish great principals’

5 The Principal 50: Critical Leadership Questions for Inspiring Schoolwide Excellence, by Baruti K. Kafele
‘"Why do I lead?" With this deceptively simple question, best-selling author Baruti K. Kafele begins a powerful examination of what it takes to make a school community achieve the greatest success in the classroom and beyond.’

6- Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World, by Tony Wagner
‘Harvard education expert Tony Wagner explores what parents, teachers, and employers must do to develop the capacities of young people to become innovators.’

7- Lessons of Hope: How to Fix Our Schools, by Joel Klein
‘In this revealing and provocative memoir, the former chancellor of the New York City schools offers the behind-the-scenes story of the city’s dramatic campaign to improve public education and an inspiring blueprint for national reform.’

8- School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results, by Robert J. Marzano  (Author), Timothy Waters (Author), Brian A. McNulty (Author)
‘What does research tell us about the effects of school leadership on student achievement? What specific leadership practices make a real difference in school effectiveness? How should school leaders use these practices in their day-to-day management of schools and during the stressful times that accompany major change initiatives? Robert J. Marzano, Timothy Waters, and Brian A. McNulty provide answers to these and other questions in School Leadership That Works.’

9- Leverage Leadership: A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools, by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo  (Author), Doug Lemov (Foreword), Brett Peiser (Contributor)
‘Paul Bambrick-Santoyo (Managing Director of Uncommon Schools) shows leaders how they can raise their schools to greatness by following a core set of principles. These seven principles, or "levers," allow for consistent, transformational, and replicable growth.’

10- A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, by Daniel H. Pink
‘Drawing on research from around the world, Pink ( outlines the six fundamentally human abilities that are absolute essentials for professional success and personal fulfillment--and reveals how to master them. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that's already here.’

11- Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek
‘START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way -- and it's the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.’

12- The Servant Leader: How to Build a Creative Team, Develop Great Morale, and Improve Bottom-Line Performance, by James A. Autry 
‘Bestselling author and former Fortune 500 executive James A. Autry reveals the servant leader’s tools, a set of skills and ideals that will transform the way business is done. It helps leaders nurture the needs and goals of those who look to them for leadership.’

10 Great Books on Autism for Teachers and Parents

April  2, 2017
Here is a collection of some popular books on autism. Get to explore the autistic world from multiple perspectives and learn more about the inner emotional life of autistic individuals. Some of these books are first-hand stories and autobiographies of people dealing with autism and how they managed to positively shape their life and the life of those around them. (See links below).



1- Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s, by John Elder Robison 

‘Ever since he was young, John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits—an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, dismantle radios, and dig five-foot holes (and stick his younger brother, Augusten Burroughs, in them)—had earned him the label “social deviant.” It was not until he was forty that he was diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperger’s syndrome. That understanding transformed the way he saw himself—and the world. A born storyteller, Robison has written a moving, darkly funny memoir about a life that has taken him from developing exploding guitars for KISS to building a family of his own. It’s a strange, sly, indelible account—sometimes alien yet always deeply human.’

2- Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism,  by Jenny McCarthy

‘ Louder Than Words follows Jenny as she discovered an intense combination of behavioral therapy, diet, and supplements that became the key to saving Evan from autism. Her story sheds much-needed light on autism through her own heartbreak, struggle, and ultimately hopeful example of how a parent can shape a child's life and happiness.’

3- NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, by Steve Silberman (author),  Oliver Sacks (Foreword)

‘Going back to the earliest days of autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle, while mapping out a path for our society toward a more humane world in which people with learning differences and those who love them have access to the resources they need to live happier, healthier, more secure, and more meaningful lives.’

4- Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism , by Temple Grandin  (Author), Oliver Sacks (Foreword)

‘In this unprecedented book, Grandin delivers a report from the country of autism. Writing from the dual perspectives of a scientist and an autistic person, she tells us how that country is experienced by its inhabitants and how she managed to breach its boundaries to function in the outside world. What emerges in Thinking in Pictures is the document of an extraordinary human being, one who, in gracefully and lucidly bridging the gulf between her condition and our own, sheds light on the riddle of our common identity.’

5- The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum, by Temple Grandin  (Author), Richard Panek

‘Weaving her own experience with remarkable new discoveries, Grandin introduces the neuroimaging advances and genetic research that link brain science to behavior, even sharing her own brain scan to show us which anomalies might explain common symptoms. We meet the scientists and self-advocates who are exploring innovative theories of what causes autism and how we can diagnose and best treat it.’

6- Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism's Silent Prison , by Ido Kedar  (Author)

‘Ido in Autismland opens a window into non-verbal autism through dozens of short, autobiographical essays each offering new insights into autism symptoms, effective and ineffective treatments and the inner emotional life of a severely autistic boy. In his pithy essays, author Ido Kedar, a brilliant sixteen year old with autism, challenges what he believes are misconceptions in many theories that dominate autism treatment today while he simultaneously chronicles his personal growth in his struggles to overcome his limitations.’

7- Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism, by Barry M. Prizant 

‘Autism therapy typically focuses on ridding individuals of “autistic” symptoms such as difficulties interacting socially, problems in communicating, sensory challenges, and repetitive behavior patterns. Now Dr. Barry M. Prizant offers a new and compelling paradigm: the most successful approaches to autism don’t aim at fixing a person by eliminating symptoms, but rather seeking to understand the individual’s experience and what underlies the behavior.’

8- How Can I Talk If My Lips Don't Move?: Inside My Autistic Mind, by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay

‘An astounding new work by the author of The Mind Tree that offers a rare insight into the autistic mind and how it thinks, sees, and reacts to the world. When he was three years old, Tito was diagnosed as severely autistic, but his remarkable mother, Soma, determined that he would overcome the “problem” by teaching him to read and write. The result was that between the ages of eight and eleven he wrote stories and poems of exquisite beauty, which Dr. Oliver Sacks called “amazing and shocking.” Their eloquence gave lie to all our assumptions about autism.’

9- In a Different Key: The Story of Autism

‘Nearly seventy-five years ago, Donald Triplett of Forest, Mississippi, became the first child diagnosed with autism. Beginning with his family’s odyssey, In a Different Key tells the extraordinary story of this often misunderstood condition, and of the civil rights battles waged by the families of those who have it. Unfolding over decades, it is a beautifully rendered history of ordinary people determined to secure a place in the world for those with autism’

10- Life with an Autistic Son, by B's Dad

‘This book is for anyone starting out on a pathway with their child that they did not expect. It’s also for people who, like me, are a little further down that road but still learning, still asking questions and still getting it wrong sometimes. You are not alone.’