Book Study Groups

What They Are And Why They Matter

Adrienne EvansBook Study Groups

What are professional book studies?Professional book studies engage educators in critical reading, intentional dialogue, and job-embedded learning with the purpose of enhancing teaching and students' learning.

How are book studies aligned with quality professional development?Professional book studies are.Job-embeddedSustained over timeExperienced with colleaguesFocused on student learning and achievementResults-oriented

What do teachers do as participants in a professional book study?Book study participants engage in the following:ReadRespond to text and classroom-focused questionsParticipate in small and large group dialogue that is text-basedMake connections to their teachingSummarize their participation in the learning sessionIdentify a learning goal that connects the text to their instructional planningRepeat the cycle though the life of the book study

What happens as a result of a book study?Professional book studies have led to:Individual and/or collaborative action research projectsSchool-wide initiatives to apply key concepts outlined in the textCurriculum studies and/or developmentMore frequent professional reading and dialogue that promote a culture of inquiry and collegiality

How do professional book studies get started?Book studies are formed based on professional needsSchool goals serve as the drive for staff to learn more about a topic that will impact teaching and learningDistrict initiatives can be the source of starting a book studyCollaborative partnerships with universities and colleges can initiate the need for this learningA commitment to improving education for students is central to getting it started

What books are studied?Any educational book could be used. In most schools, the professional book study is related to school or district initiatives.

What book study facilitators need to do?Plan thought provoking questions linking the text to the participants' practice.Facilitate the process that emphasize text-based dialogue, inviting and challenging the participants to comprehend the reading and make connections to their classrooms.Provide opportunities to engage in informative assessments during and after each session to expand participants thinking.Generate coaching questions that serve as feedback.

Book Study SuccessAt Salem Middle School in Cary, N.C., teacher teams have each taken up a title from a book list compiled by administrators, allowing the teams to address weaknesses but stick with common school goals, according to teacher William Ferriter. As social studies and English teachers, members of Ferriters team were concerned that they were not collecting enough data on students mastery of more advanced skills in the required curriculum. So they settled on Richard J. StigginsClassroom Assessment for Student Learningas their text. With parts of the book as a guide, this year the group broke each social studies standard into measurable parts and wrote assessments for each. Sounds like an easy and logical taskbut it was one wed never considered and never had the time to tackle! Ferriter wrote in an e-mail. Were proud of what we have nowand already have the next part plannedrewriting standards into kid-friendly language that starts with the phrase, I can. Ferriter, a member of the Teacher Leaders Network, which fosters enlarged roles for teachers, said that the key to the success of book study at his school is that it is not an add-on to more central endeavors. Book studycombined with regular [team] meetingsis the professional development in our building.