Professional+Book+Clubs+for+Educators

Book Clubs are not simply something that we, as educators, can facilitate for our students, but also something in which we can participate.

McMahon and Raphael (1997) explain their sociocultural theoretical and research foundations for establishing book clubs with their students, but when one examines the goals of books clubs as they explain them, it becomes evident that book clubs are an effective tool for learning at any age. Their three critical concepts of book clubs are “(1) the role of language in development of thought, (2) the zone of proximal development, and (3) the process of //internalization// of newly learned concepts” (p. 7).
 * __Why/Rationale:__**

Allen (2006) stresses the importance for educators to have some control over their own professional development and feels that professional book clubs (that she calls study groups) can successfully achieve this (p. 47). “Study groups provide teachers with the opportunity to reflect, review, and integrate new thinking into their classroom instruction. … We use professional resources as springboards for discussion and personal examination” (p.48). Educators value learning and sharing with other educators.

If you wish to be an agent for change within your school and organize a book club for yourself and colleagues, there is much to consider.
 * __How to:__**


 * //Purpose and Objectives// – What is your goal or driving force behind the book club? Select a topic or theme for the study.
 * //Support// – Seek financial support from administration, curriculum coordinators, superintendents, etc. These funds are used to purchase book titles and refreshments.
 * //Frequency and Duration// – How often will the book club meet? Also consider the day of the week and time (before or after school or perhaps through the aforementioned support, there is release time). For how long will each session be planned?
 * //Book// //Selection//– Consider what format you want the study to take. Do you envision everyone reading the same text or a variety of texts on a specific topic? Also consider locating possible supplemental resources to add to discussion sessions (i.e. video clip, related article, etc.). Will you make selection decisions independent of the group or will the decision be in collaboration with others?
 * //Your Role as a Facilitator// – Be prepared to host, plan, and organize, but not teach the group (Allen, 2006, p. 49). Consider asking a colleague to be a co-facilitator (Selway, 2003, p. 8). Remember to be open, transparent and “model the level of introspection” you wish to see within the group (Selway, 2003, p. 16).
 * //Session Format// – Consider the format of individual sessions and routines that can be woven through the sessions.
 * //Long-Term Planning// – How long do you envision the professional book club running? Do you envision membership being fluid? If so, how will you support those that join later?
 * //Flexibility// – Be prepared to be flexible. The personal interests of those involved may lead the book club to places you had not planned or envisioned.
 * //Patience// – Be patient. It may take time for the discussions to achieve depth. It also takes time to establish the trust that is integral to deep conversations about personal conversations and for colleagues to be open and introspective.

Education Example:
 * __Examples:__**
 * [|DC/SLA Professional Book Club] – A professional book club for the Special Libraries Association in Washington, DC.

Other Professional Book Club Example:
 * [|West End Business Professional Book Club] – A business-related, professional book club in Richmond, Virginia

At the beginning of this school year, I received a hand-written invitation to join a professional book club within my school. We were then sent a follow up email that contained more information regarding the format and expectations. The school provided a plethora of resources for teachers to select from that centred around the topic of reading instruction in some manner. (One aspect of our school plan for this school year encompassed improving reading instruction within our school.) Our variation on a traditional book club was everyone was reading a different book. We were provided with a variety of titles to select from and told the book was ours to keep. They also expressed a willingness to purchase a different title, if a teacher requested.
 * __(Niki’s) Personal Experience:__**

Our instructions were to read, explore, and question as much or as little of our selected text as we wanted by our first meeting session and be willing to participate in a discussion involving our books. It was emphasized that we were not to feel pressure to have accomplished a specific amount of reading or task, but we were to work at our own pace and be willing to listen and to share.

When we received notification of our first meeting, it was reemphasized that this was to be a low-stress endeavor and the invitation to attend was open to all staff members, whether they had read anything or not. Staff could just come to the session and listen. The atmosphere was kept informal. We sat around tables pushed together in the library and enjoyed snacks. We each took turns sharing which book we read and our thoughts on it. We asked each other questions and made recommendations. By the end of the session, the principal decided to purchase one of the titles for all classroom teachers and another title for the professional section of the library. As well, some teachers made arrangements to borrow books from a colleague.

Additional sessions are planned for later in the school year and following the same format. The organizers have provided teachers with the flexibility to continue reading the same title or begin a new title. We have also been encouraged to put into practice something we learned and share our experiences at future sessions.

I appreciated the opportunity for individualization in my school-based professional development. I also appreciated the clear parameters that the book study was to be a low-stress endeavor that could be molded to fit individual teachers. As a specialist, I do not always feel that I fit into school-based professional development, but I was given the flexibility to select a title that both fit with the school plan and my role within the school. My own experiences with professional book studies, both this year and in the past, have been positive. I feel they are a worthwhile method of professional development that educators may have not taken the initiative and/or time to do otherwise and they provide an opportunity to learn and to reflect on your learning.

Read [|Linda Ganser Selway’s personal experience] with professional book clubs for more information.

Allen, J. (2006). //Becoming a literacy leader: Supporting learning and change//. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
 * __References:__**

McMahon, S. & Raphael, T. (1997). The book club program foundations and components. In McMahon, S. & Raphael, T. (Eds.), //The book club connection: Literacy learning and classroom talk// (pp. 3-25). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Selway, L. (2003, April). //Leading a professional book club: Staff development to build understanding and grapple with difficult issues.// Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from: []