EdWeek's Back-to-School Reading List
50+ Must Reads to Help You Start the 2025-26 Year Right
Update date: July 25, 2025
As the much-deserved summer break comes to a close, it’s a great time to start thinking about the best ways to prepare for a successful and low-stress school year.
As always, EdWeek is here to help you stay inspired with an annual back-to-school reading list filled with everything from what teachers can quit doing this year to how to use student curiosity to deepen learning to how to vet AI tools for the classroom, and so much more.
Please let us know what else would help you be successful this year in your classroom. We want to hear from you!
Enjoy, and get empowered throughout the school year with a subscription to Education Week.
Browse by topic:
Teaching Profession
Opinion
My Career Began on a Zoom Screen 5 Years Ago. I Still Fell in Love With Teaching
Public education has become front-page news for all the wrong reasons. That’s not the whole story.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
I Don't Have to Love My Students to Be a Good Teacher
Treat teachers like the professionals we are rather than expecting endless and selfless sacrifice, writes one educator.
Teaching Profession
Video
What Educators Have to Say About the Teachers Who Inspired Them
From kindergarten class to high school chemistry, these educators share stories about the teachers who inspired them.
School & District Management
Opinion
Watch: Two Generations of Educators Reflect on Their Careers
This principal followed his father into education. Together, they reflect on the job.
Teaching Profession
This Teacher Is in Her 64th Year in the Classroom. She Has No Plans to Quit
Martha Strever has, in some cases, taught three generations of students from the same family.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
What Makes an Inspiring and Passionate Teacher?
How one teacher inspired a young student to see himself as a reader, a learner, and a future educator.
Teaching Profession
Teaching Is Hard. Why Teachers Love It Anyway
Teachers share their favorite parts of the job.
Teaching
Video
Flexible Seating Without the Chaos. This Teacher Has Figured It Out
This 4th grade class utilizes 11 different types of flexible seating to keep them moving throughout the day.
Teaching
Opinion
Looking for Ways to Organize Your Classroom? Try Out These Tips
Be sure to set up your classroom so that it helps students learn and you save time.
Teaching
Older Students Deserve Colorful Classrooms, Too
Three teachers share how they set up their classrooms to welcome, soothe, and engage their older students.
Student Well-Being & Movement
From Our Research Center
Many Classrooms Lack Natural Light. Teachers Say That’s a Problem
Natural light is vital to the mental and physical health of students and teachers.
Teaching
Opinion
Try These Teacher-Endorsed Strategies for Social-Emotional Learning
Social-emotional learning is the heart and soul of teaching and learning and of how we develop as humans.
Teaching
How to Give Students More Agency in Class Without Losing Control
Six takeaways for teachers who want to give students more control over their learning without inviting disaster.
Teaching
Video
Teachers, Try This: Use a 'Classroom Economy' to Teach Financial Literacy
Rent, inflation, and savings are all elements of this 3rd grade teacher’s plan to expand her students’ financial literacy.
Teaching
Teaching Tips for Reaching Introverts and Extroverts
Teachers can look to technology for help in reaching big talkers and their quieter peers.
Teaching
What the Research Says
Here's How to Give Feedback That Students Will Actually Use
New research offers clues for teachers on crafting effective feedback.
Science
From Our Research Center
Want to Motivate Students in STEM? The Way You Explain Things Matters
How teachers explain tricky math and science concepts can affect students' motivation in their STEM classes.
Curriculum
Outdoor Learning: The Ultimate Student Engagement Hack?
Outdoor learning offers a host of evidence-based benefits for students. One Virginia school serves as an example how.
Teaching
Video
Make Learning ‘Binge-Worthy’: Immersive Adventures in the Classroom
This district leader explains how teachers can increase student engagement by incorporating immersive adventures into their lessons.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Download
Activate the Classroom: Tips for Incorporating Movement (DOWNLOADABLE)
Integrating movement into the classroom boosts learning, focus, and well being. Thry these strategies to get students active and engaged.
Teaching
Opinion
Want to Up Your Teaching Game? Listen to These Students
Students explain what makes them feel connected to their teachers and learning.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Calming Those Back-to-School Jitters
The first day of school can be scary. Nancy Barile shares five ways teachers can help alleviate their new students’ fears.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Download
The Power of Student-Teacher Relationships: A Downloadable Guide
Understanding student cues and responding appropriately can help teachers manage difficult student behavior.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Dear White Teachers: You Can't Love Your Black Students If You Don't Know Them
It isn't enough to "love all students," writes the University of Georgia's Bettina L. Love.
Teaching
A Teacher Asked and Students Answered: What Motivates You to Learn?
Motivation is a key part of learning. But what sparks students’ motivation can be elusive.
Teaching
Opinion
Better Classroom Management Can't Wait. How to Make Changes Now
The three “truths” about managing student behavior that every teacher should unlearn today.
Teaching
This Teaching Routine Takes Just 5 Minutes. Its Impact Lasts Much Longer
It's no gimmick. Greeting students individually at the classroom door has been linked to benefits for both teachers and students.
Teaching
Download
Teachers, Here's How to Build Stronger Relationships With Boys (Downloadable)
Boys are relational learners, experts say. Here are eight key strategies for how to reach them.
School Climate & Safety
Video
VIDEO: How Schools Can Harness the Power of Relationships
A look at the benefits of building strong student relationships, and some ways to create those bonds.
School & District Management
Opinion
Kindergartners Are Struggling With Self-Regulation. How Principals Can Respond
This school leader recommends three actionable steps.
Teaching Profession
Q&A
Planning for a Great Year? The Nation's Top Teacher Has You Covered
Little ways administrators can support teachers can make a big difference, says the 2025 Teacher of the Year.
School & District Management
Principals: Try These 3 Things to Boost Teachers' Morale This Year
Anticipate when burnout is likely and act to keep it in check, a veteran principal advises.
School & District Management
Opinion
How Principals Can Start School With a Smile
Here are five ways to stay positive and focus on morale this year.
School & District Management
Opinion
Principals, Here Are 4 Simple Tips to Communicate Better
To create a positive learning environment, school leaders must master various communication strategies.
School Climate & Safety
Small Ways Leaders Can Build Schools Where Everyone Feels Like They Belong
Principals can take small steps to ensure students and staff feel like they belong.
School & District Management
Opinion
How to Let Your Values Guide You as a School Leader
Has your “why” become fuzzy? Here are four steps to keep principals motivated and moving forward.
School & District Management
Opinion
4 Things School Leaders Should Do Before Setting Priorities
Sweeping language doesn't offer a road map for the school community. Here's why.
School & District Management
When Principals Listen to Students, Schools Can Change
Three school leaders weigh in on different ways they've channeled student voices help reimagine schools.
School & District Management
Sometimes Principals Need to Make Big Changes. Here’s How to Get Them to Stick
School leaders need their community to take a leap of faith with them. But how do they build trust and conviction?
Student Well-Being & Movement
What Principals Can Do to Make Sure Students Feel Welcome at School
Student anxiety and absenteeism are top of mind for principals as schools reopen.
Professional Development
Opinion
5 Ways to Make Your Faculty Meetings More Valuable Than an Email
As a principal, I've tried to improve the faculty meetings I once dreaded as a teacher.
