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Professional Book Study Program
HIGHLIGHTED BOOKS
Book study groups are an effective form of professional development and can be used by educators at all levels for their own professional growth or with students of any age, with some adaptation for younger readers.
Following are five steps, from forming a book study group to implementing the discussion and follow-up strategies.
STEP 1
Form a Book Study Group
Book study groups function best when they include five to 15 individuals. Smaller groups may not provide sufficient interaction or variety; larger groups make it difficult to allow all members to participate actively. It is helpful if the group is composed of individuals with similar skills and interests, although varying viewpoints are to be prized because they inject diversity of opinion and enliven discussion.
One of the first matters on which the group must reach consensus is a schedule for reading and discussion. The schedule should permit sufficient time for group members to complete agreed-on reading assignments. But the schedule should not be so extended that participants forget what they have read and discussed between meetings. Most groups settle on weekly or biweekly meetings.
Another scheduling factor is meeting length. An hour or 90 minutes usually works well for a schedule of four to eight meetings in all. The group should agree to using time well. Focus on the book study during the meetings, rather than being distracted by other matters that might arise. Light refreshments, however, are a welcome addition and can be provided on a volunteer basis.
STEP 2
Choose a Book and an Objective
Choose a book on a topic that interests everyone in the group but is sufficiently open-ended to encourage new learning through reading and discussion. It should be thought-provoking and with enough depth to stimulate debate.
An important consideration is, Why read this book? What does the group want to learn? The study group should clearly determine one or more learning objectives before proceeding further.
The book also needs to fit within a reasonable schedule. Lengthy books will mean either heavy reading assignments or an extended schedule.
STEP 3
Decide How to Read the Book
Some books should be read by all group members. For example, a first assignment might be to read chapters one through four, followed by discussion, and then carry on in similar fashion.
In other cases, it makes sense for members to read different parts of a book and then report on them in the group meetings. This procedure works well with collections of essays, for example.
Whichever approach is chosen, it is a good idea to develop a series of discussion starters — questions or challenging statements that stimulate discussion. These starters can be framed for before reading, during reading, and after reading.
STEP 4
Read and Discuss the Book
Follow the schedule. Some groups find it beneficial to choose a discussion leader to get the ball rolling and a recorder, who will summarize the discussion.
Tie discussions to real-life contexts. Key question: How are the ideas in this book important to my professional life? How can I use what I learn?
STEP 5
Evaluate the Book and Plan for Future Book Study
At the conclusion of the book study, take time to consider: Did the book stimulate thought and discussion? Did the group study meet the learning objectives? How might the group study experience be improved?
Taking such evaluation into account will allow the group to bring in new members, re-form, or simply continue on, developing a new "cycle" of study.
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