Sue Cowley: Top Ten Essential Teachers' Literature

Sue Cowley is one of the country’s most popular educational authors and a nationally renowned INSET trainer. Her bestselling book Getting the Buggers to Behave is a practical, realistic and honest guide to behaviour management. Her latest book, Teaching Skills for Dummies, is published next March.

See a list of Sue Cowley’s books.

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A dark, complex, thrilling book about human nature. I love teaching this book, and my students love reading it. Happily, though, as a teacher I don’t subscribe to quite such a negative view of what children are really like.

Tony Buzan’s books taught me that you can use simple approaches to help you learn more effectively. I’ve passed on many of his ideas to my students, particularly his memory techniques and his use of mind maps.

An honest account of what it’s like to teach in an inner city school. Paul Blum gives some great advice about how to survive and succeed in the most challenging situations.

I was taught this poet by two of my most inspirational teachers. Reading his poetry helped me learn that language can ‘dance’ - it can be about movement, rhythm, images, emotion, as well as about meaning.

Although it’s now more than thirty years since this book was first published, it remains a classic. It contains lots of thoughtful and valuable advice on managing your classroom, which still applies today.

A hugely emotional, gut wrenching, roller coaster ride. I based my dissertation around this book; writing about it gave me the first clue that I might be able to become a ‘proper’ writer as well.

The Australian behaviour management guru dispenses useful advice on managing behaviour. I’d love to see him in action, I’ve heard he draws some magic cartoons!

I’ve had some of my very best times in the classroom when I’ve been teaching this book. A classic story of bittersweet love, and the dangers of prejudice, which still rings true today.

A dark and frightening play, which parallels the hysteria of the Salem witch trials with the paranoia of the McCarthy witch hunts. Being able to direct my students in this play was one of my proudest achievements as a drama teacher.

In complete contrast to The Crucible, this musical is a perennial and joyful favourite. It made a big impact on me as a child - I wanted to be Jodie Foster! And I’ve loved helping to stage and choreograph this show as a teacher.

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