How to Keep a Professional Reading List During Teacher Education

Oct 21

Every education course adds books and articles to the pile, and by the time you interview, most of them have blurred together. This chapter, for teacher candidates at any stage of their program, shows how to keep a simple reading list with a few lines on each piece, so you can name the research that shaped you when a hiring committee or an edTPA commentary asks for it.

This is Chapter 3 of 51 from Road to Teaching (2025 edition). Read the whole book free, in order, at Read the Book.

By Dr. Eric Hougan

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.”Jim Rohn

Educators are expected to stay abreast of current research and doing so means that you will be reading books and scholarly papers on a regular basis. As a teacher candidate, it is wise to organize your reading as you go along by writing a list of all the relevant books and articles you have read on education. The list of reading should include:

Title of the book/paper
Author(s) name
Subject matter
Application to teaching (e.g. methodology, classroom management, etc.)

Under each entry, write a short synopsis of the work (your big takeaways) and how it might apply to your teaching. Again, consider saving your reading list electronically, preferably using one of the cloud-based note-taking apps such as Evernote, Google Keep, or OneNote. You may also want to add your reading list to online book review sites like Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/). Be sure to use a public profile setting so that anyone searching for you on the Internet, such as a school recruiter, may view your reading list, thereby signaling to them your interest and motivation for professional excellence.

Digital reading tools have transformed how we can organize and access our professional literature. E-readers and tablet applications now allow you to highlight passages, add notes, and export your annotations directly to your digital notes. Many apps will even categorize your highlights by topic, making it easier to find relevant information when you need it. Consider exploring reference management software like Zotero or Mendeley, which are specifically designed for organizing academic materials and creating bibliographies.

Maintaining a professional reading list has several advantages. For instance, you may be asked in an interview to discuss some education-related literature you have recently read. This interview question is especially common for reading-intensive teaching positions, such as Language Arts. Before your interview, you can refresh your memory by briefly reviewing your reading list and noting some of the books and articles that have made the biggest impact on you or your pedagogy. Furthermore, being able to cite current research in your edTPA™ commentaries will strengthen your analysis and demonstrate your commitment to evidence-based practice. Having your reading well-organized allows you to quickly locate specific studies or theories that support your instructional decisions.

Finally, this comprehensive reading list will also serve as your professional reference library. Suppose that after three years of teaching you have to teach a class that includes a student with autism. You recall reading a book that might shed a great deal of insight on teaching students with special needs, especially regarding the intricacies of educating children who are on the autism spectrum. By simply referring to your reading list, you will quickly discover the author and title of the book thus giving you the ability to efficiently access the information needed.

Remember that organizing your reading isn’t just about creating a list—it’s about creating a system that helps you internalize and apply what you’re learning to become a more effective educator. The time you invest in organizing your professional reading now will pay dividends throughout your teaching career.

Key Takeaway

Document every educational book and article you read with brief summaries and applications, creating a searchable professional library that will serve you in interviews, lesson planning, and ongoing growth. This organized approach to professional reading demonstrates your commitment to evidence-based practice and lifelong learning.