How To Start a Professional Development Book Club

As professional educators, we all know what it’s like to juggle the many responsibilities of teaching. We are accountable for providing effective instruction, intervention, and enrichment for all learners in a safe and inspiring environment. Don’t forget there are committee meetings, parent/teacher conferences, and multiple other teacher-related tasks to be finished. The question becomes: When do we find the time and opportunity to develop ourselves professionally? One of the most efficient ways to accomplish this goal is through book studies. Today, there are a variety of ways to complete a book study, not to mention a plethora of titles from which to choose. This doesn't have to be a painstaking process that requires hours upon hours of additional time. Below, you will find a list of books that teachers have been reading, and a few ways to jump-start a book study that is sure to provide professional enrichment, as well as spark some interesting conversation.

Books People Are Buzzing About

Need some help getting inspired by a great read? Here are some titles bound to grab the attention of any book-study group:

• Boys and Girls Learn Differently by Michael Gurian
• The Classroom Teacher’s Technology Survival Guide by Doug Johnson
• The Autism Checklist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers by Paula Kluth, Ph.D.
• Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, an Independence for All Learners by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison
• Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead But Don’t Leave by Barnett Berry, Ann Byrd, and Alan Wieder
• Teaching on the Frontier: Facilitating Online and Blended Learning in Your Classroom by Kristin Kipp

Finding the Right Book

Choosing the right book is key to getting people to participate in your study group. Questions to consider may include:

• Who will be participating in the book study?
• What are participants’ area(s) of interest, or what is a defined issue that they would like to study?
• Do participants prefer traditional written copies or eBooks?

Taking the time to answer these questions can save a lot of time and energy once the book study begins. Giving latitude for personal preferences can help make the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved. Start by taking the time to peruse publishers’ websites and catalogs to create a book list. Your compiled list can be discussed by potential participants in order to choose a book everyone is interested in reading.

Book Study Formats

Once the book has been chosen, deciding on how to read the book and conduct the study is the next hurdle. Coincidentally, this is also the hurdle that can keep colleagues from participating in professional book studies. Lack of time is generally the biggest deterrent, not lack of interest. Set the timeline and the format of how participants will share what they have learned. Each group will have a format that works best for them. Since time is so precious for teachers, I have offered a few ideas below as to how to structure a book study to make it manageable for all participants:

• Share the Reading: A lot like a jigsaw, this is a great way for everyone to take part in reading, especially during the hectic times of the school year. In this format, teams are formed and assigned a portion of the book. Each person reads their selection and reports back to the rest of the group what was read. The group can meet weekly to learn about the different sections of the book. They can also create a discussion guide to help participants keep track of everyone's thoughts and ideas.

• Online Discussions: For many of us, it’s not the reading that is the issue; it’s finding time to have discussions. An alternative to the traditional reading group is an online discussion. This can be managed through a social media account, a staff discussion board, or even by e-mail. This way, participants can share their thoughts when it works best in their schedules. Group members need not sync schedules. 

• Vary Group Meeting Attendance: Maybe the best way for everyone to read, learn, and share, might be a little different for each participant. A group can take advantage of both face-to-face meetings as well as online discussion. Allowing group members to submit responses before a meeting can help those with other obligations to still share their thoughts. Selecting someone to be a recorder to record the meeting discussion can also allow those not physically present the opportunity to hear/read what happened during the meeting.

• Video Chat: We’ve almost all been a part of an online meeting. If physically meeting is too challenging, setting an online meeting time may be the answer.

I'm sure there are many other ways to get teachers reading and discussing professional development books. Hopefully, this article got you thinking outside the box. Do you have other ideas? Post a comment and share it with the Lesson Planet community. 

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