Book Clubs for Professional Development

Many of you undoubtedly already belong to a book club with friends or neighbors. Why
notconsider one with your colleagues? Using book clubs as part of professional development
allowsteachers to interact with one another, to hear different perspectives, and to become a
communityof learners.Those who have started professional, teacher-oriented book clubs have
reported that the book club:

brought about personal, curricular, and even organizational change

established better working relationships among colleagues, including mentorshiprelationships

between experienced and novice teachers

created a forum for exploring new teaching ideas or addressing perceived (or unperceived)
problems and concerns

helped teachers make a connection between theory and practice through the sharing of real
world classroom experiences inspired by the reading

gave a voice to people in the department who otherwise felt they didn't have a voice
Helpful Tips for Your Book Club

How many members?

8 to 16 members are best: enough for a discussion if several areabsent, but not too many to make
discussions unwieldy. Larger groups (such as an entireschools faculty) can work if divided into
smaller groups.

How often should we meet?

Many teacher book clubs read one book per term/semester,either meeting once to discuss the
whole book or meeting several times throughout thesemester to discuss the book section-bysection. Others are able to read several books ayear and meet more frequently for discussions.
Pick a schedule thats right for your members and try to stick with it.

When should we meet?

Lunchtime during school hours works well, as does setting asidetime during scheduled
professional development days. Its usually difficult to get teachersto commit to meetings outside
of normal work hours.

Where should we meet?

Faculty lounge or empty classrooms work well.

Establish a format.
Find what works for everyone and stick with it. Some ideas:

Some clubs have one member who enjoys leading all discussions, while others prefer to rotate so
everyone gets an opportunity to lead.

Take turns going around the room, allowing each member to talk about his or her experience
reading the book.

Ask everyone to come to the meeting with a discussion question or observation.

Assign different sections or chapters of book to small groups to read and presentto the larger
group.
ful Tips for Your Book Club

How many members?

8 to 16 members are best: enough for a discussion if several areabsent, but not too many to make
discussions unwieldy. Larger groups (such as an entireschools faculty) can work if divided into
smaller groups.

How often should we meet?

Many teacher book clubs read one book per term/semester,either meeting once to discuss the
whole book or meeting several times throughout thesemester to discuss the book section-bysection. Others are able to read several books ayear and meet more frequently for discussions.
Pick a schedule thats right for your members and try to stick with it.

When should we meet?

Lunchtime during school hours works well, as does setting asidetime during scheduled
professional development days. Its usually difficult to get teachersto commit to meetings outside
of normal work hours.

Where should we meet?

Faculty lounge or empty classrooms work well.

Establish a format.
Find what works for everyone and stick with it. Some ideas:

Some clubs have one member who enjoys leading all discussions, while others prefer to rotate so
everyone gets an opportunity to lead.

Take turns going around the room, allowing each member to talk about his or her experience
reading the book.

Ask everyone to come to the meeting with a discussion question or observation.

Assign different sections or chapters of book to small groups to read and presentto the larger
group.

How to select books:

If your group has a single designated leader, he or she may choose the books.

All members make suggestions, followed by an open discussion and vote.

Members take turns choosing.

If you're taking part in a book discussion:

Avoid "like" or dislike.

Those terms aren't very helpful for moving discussionsforward, and they can make others feel
defensive. Instead, talk about how you feltas you read the book and how it relates to your own
experiences in the classroom.

Support your views.

Use specific passages from the book as evidence for your ideas.

Take notes as you read.

Jot down particularly interesting passages: somethingthat strikes you or, maybe, that you don't
understand. Take your notes to themeeting.
Discussion Questions to Get You Started

Does the book offer a

central idea or premise?
What are the problems or issues raised?

Do the issues
affect your professional life?
How so?

What
evidence
does the author give to support the book's ideas? Does he/she use personalobservations and
assessments? Facts? Statistics? Opinions? Historical documents?Scientific research? Quotations
from authorities?

Is the evidence
convincing?
Is it relevant or logical? Does it come from authoritativesources? (Is the author an authority?) Is
the evidence speculative...how speculative?

Does the authoror can you

draw implications
for the future? Are there long- or short-term consequences to the problems or issues raised in the
book?

Does the authoror can you

offer solutions
to the problems or issues raised in the book? Who would implement those solutions? How
probable is success?

Does the author make a

call to action
to readersindividually or collectively? Is that callrealistic? Idealistic? Achievable? Would
readers be able to affect the desired outcome?

Are the book's issues

controversial?
How so? And who is aligned on which sides of theissues? Where do you fall in that line-up?

Can you point to

specific passages
that struck you pesonallyas interesting, profound,silly or shallow, incomprehensible,
illuminating?

Did you
learn something new
reading this book? Did it broaden your perspective about adifficult issue?

Have you used

any of the techniques outlined in the book in your own work? Howsuccessful were they?

How can you apply

the information offered in this book to your own work?
Resources:
American Library
Association: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/booklovers/bookclub/bookclub National Association
of Elementary School
Principals: http://www.naesp.org/resources/2/Middle_Matters/2008/MM2008v17n2a4.pdf Michi
gan English Language TeachingMichigan Teachers Book
Club: https://www.press.umich.edu/elt/bookclub