Abbey Palmer

EDCS 605

Book Study Final Reflection

Participating in a book study with members of my cohort was a positive and enriching

experience that I believe helped develop my ability to become a future literacy specialist. During this

process, I was able to reflect upon new concepts, pose critical thinking questions and further

develop my educational relationship with my peers through collaboration.

I facilitated Chapter 7- Helping Kids on the Bubble: The Literacy Intervention Classroom

and Chapter 8- Creating Unity through Whole School Experiences. I prepared for my turn to

facilitate by trying to identify the most important topics within chapters 7 and 8. I wanted to bring

up topics that would allow for us to have a rich discussion and relate it to our current lives as

teachers. My hope was that we would make connections and discuss how the readings were

applicable to our schools, teachers and students. My inspiration came from a variety of sources,

many of which are attributed to the collaboration of my book study partners, Jamie and Matt. We

spent time analyzing what we thought our book study should be about, and we structured it so that

each session was engaging and fun to discuss. I also referenced the book study guide from Farstrup

& Samuels, specifically on page 5, where it discusses clarifying roles and responsibilities. This helped

me delegate what exactly I needed to do in order to prepare and have an idea of what should be

expected from me as a facilitator. When it was my turn to facilitate, I asked the group to watch the

video clip “Teacher Study Group Responds to Paper Things” and be prepared to discuss. I chose

this activity because it tied in with the theme of the two chapters and also tied back in with my
essential question “What are your thoughts on book selections for school wide reads? Staff choice

vs. Student voice.” I wanted our group to focus on the benefits of staff choice vs. student voice

because it is a hot topic at a number of schools right now. We want to engage our students in

enriching literature, but are we stifling their motivation and engagement by choosing the literature

that they read? I also identified and selected several reading excerpts within the two chapters. On

page 129, I wanted to discuss what the group’s thoughts were on the intervention classroom. I asked

if they thought it was burnout for students or big opportunities. This opened up the floor to

converse about the pros and cons of a room such as this. Our group decided that cons would

possibly be a lowered self esteem from being in one room, specifically if the students understand the

meaning behind the room, and that the social opportunities would not be as great for them

compared to rotating to different classes. One of our major pros was the very specific criteria and

standards they had for the teacher who would run the room. During my facilitation, I had the group

go to page 139 and reflect on Literacy Bootcamp and engage in conversation about possible ideas

for implementation at our schools. We discussed the benefits of having a universal curriculum for

consistency and how the staff should decide collaboratively on which graphic organizers and

thinking maps to use.

During facilitation, I focused on listening when considering the Adult Learning Theory.

“One of the most valuable tools that you can have in your tool kit of coaching skills is silence” (Toll,

pg 56). I wanted to challenge myself because I know as a future Literacy Coach; I am going to have

to facilitate meetings and other important events while having to listen at the same time. At first, it

was a little challenging for me. I had to actively tell myself to remember to listen to what my peers

were saying and then respond back instead of barreling on to the next topic I wanted to discuss.
I noticed several things that went well after I facilitated my study group. I had high engagement

from my peers and each of them was eager to discuss the topics I had listed. We had an amazing

discussion and ended up learning a lot about our different schools and procedures while discussing

our topics. One thing I would have done differently would have been to add more video clips to

analyze and discuss applicability to our own schools. We enjoyed studying those and then analyzing

whether or not we could have applied them to our own classrooms and what modifications were

necessary.

Overall, I loved participating in the book study groups. I learned so much by being able to

discuss the chapters with peers and navigate our way through each section. I learned how to

facilitate teaching adult learners while still maintaining credibility, validity and helping them feel

empowered. I feel inspired to take this back to my school and share the experience with my

principal to see if we can start a book study at our school. Finally, I’ve realized how much of an

advocate I am for adult and teacher collaboration. The rich discussions and problem solving

techniques helped rekindle my love for reading a good book. Often times we find ourselves getting

caught up in grading, working and never taking time to enjoy ourselves. We encourage our students

to read, but because of busy schedules, we forget how important it is to sit down and just… read.

This experience has reminded me that there really is nothing better than great friends, a mug of hot

tea and an excellent book.

 References

Allen, J. (2016). Becoming a Literacy Leader: Supporting Learning and Change. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Samuels, S.J., & Farstrup, A.E. (2009). What Research Has to Say About Reading Instruction. Newark,

DE: International Reading Association.

Toll, C.A. (2014). The Literacy Coach’s Survival Guide: Essential Questions and Practical Answers.

International Reading Association.