Since 2014, Working Educators has published an annual summer reading list. This tradition continues, now focused on the most pressing challenge facing our profession: artificial intelligence in education.
Legacy Context
Our summer reading series began as recommendations for books on education justice and teacher activism. The format continues, with a new focus.
Essential Reading
"Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI"
by Ethan Mollick
Mollick, a Wharton professor, offers the most practical and even-handed guide to working alongside AI. Essential for understanding what AI can and can't do — and what that means for how we teach.
"Weapons of Math Destruction"
by Cathy O'Neil
Not specifically about education, but essential for understanding how algorithmic bias affects marginalized communities. Read this before trusting any AI detection tool.
"Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions"
by Mike Caulfield & Sam Wineburg
The definitive guide to lateral reading and media literacy. Essential for teaching students to navigate a world of AI-generated misinformation.
Deep Dives
"Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence"
by Kate Crawford
A critical examination of AI's environmental and social costs. Helps teachers understand the broader context of the technology they're being asked to use.
"Algorithms of Oppression"
by Safiya Umoja Noble
Essential reading on how algorithms perpetuate racism. Directly relevant to understanding bias in AI detection tools and their impact on students of color.
Shorter Reads
Not everyone has time for books. These articles and reports offer essential insights in less time:
- "GPT detectors are biased against non-native English writers" — The Stanford study that documented bias in detection tools. Essential data.
- UNESCO's "Guidance for generative AI in education and research" — The most comprehensive international framework for AI in education.
- Ethan Mollick's Substack "One Useful Thing" — Ongoing, practical updates on AI capabilities and implications.
- "The College Essay Is Dead" by Stephen Marche (The Atlantic) — The article that sparked mainstream conversation about AI and writing instruction.
For Book Clubs
Organizing a summer reading group? Here's our recommended discussion sequence:
- Week 1-2: "Co-Intelligence" — Establish baseline understanding of AI capabilities
- Week 3-4: "Weapons of Math Destruction" — Understand algorithmic bias
- Week 5-6: "Verified" — Discuss media literacy implications
- Week 7-8: Apply insights — Develop classroom strategies together
Suggest a Book
Reading something valuable that's not on this list? We update our recommendations based on teacher suggestions.
Submit a Recommendation