Book Study Opportunities
Professional Learning 2018-2019
Book Study Q & A
What is a book study?
How does a book study align with effective professional development?
- Requires collaboration with peers
- Provides opportunities for deeper understanding through discussion
- Focuses on applying new knowledge in the classroom with a focus on student learning
- Includes multiple sessions over a period of time
What are the advantages of a book study?
- Flexible scheduling (Teachers may engage in the book study at any time on social media!)
- Voluntary participation
- Multiple opportunities for collaboration
- Continuous feedback from peers
- Permanent resource
How do I participate in a book study?
- RSVP to the Book Study Google Form in this SMORE
- Read the book or chapters
- Engage in virtual conversations on social media (Closed Facebook Groups or on Twitter) at a convenient time for you and at your own pace
What do I post on the social media discussion?
- Facilitator guides the discussion and keeps the discussion focused by posting specific questions or prompts for you to respond
- Participants share ideas, ask questions, identify ideas that can be applied to the classroom, identify potential obstacles for implementation of new ideas/strategies, etc.
How can I use a book study for my PDP?
Here is a sample PDP entry (Element 3) for a book study for Teach Like a Pirate (January):
I will participate in a book study on the book Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess. This book offers inspiration, practical techniques, and innovative ideas that will help me increase student engagement, boost creativity, critical thinking and effective formative checkpoints, and transform my life as an educator. I will participate by engaging in online (Facebook or Twitter) dialogue with other colleagues at my school by posting/responding at least once a week throughout the month of January. I plan to finish the book study by February 1, 2019.
Book Study Opportunities for 5.3b (Building Positive Student-Teacher Relationships)
Be the ONE for Kids by Ryan Sheehy (October Book Study)
Throughout Be The One For Kids, readers will get to experience real life stories from my personal life, my life as a teacher in all three levels, and my journey as an administrator. Readers will experience emotions that are real in our kids lives on a daily basis and will see my soul come to life in the pages.
This book will take educators on a journey through stories and ways that they can simply enhance your teaching practices and build relationships. Our education system isn't perfect, however everyone in the profession has the power to Be The One that changes it for kids.
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a 13-Year Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida (November Book Study)
Using an alphabet grid to painstakingly construct words, sentences, and thoughts that he is unable to speak out loud, Naoki answers even the most delicate questions that people want to know. Questions such as: “Why do people with autism talk so loudly and weirdly?” “Why do you line up your toy cars and blocks?” “Why don’t you make eye contact when you’re talking?” and “What’s the reason you jump?” (Naoki’s answer: “When I’m jumping, it’s as if my feelings are going upward to the sky.”) With disarming honesty and a generous heart, Naoki shares his unique point of view on not only autism but life itself. His insights—into the mystery of words, the wonders of laughter, and the elusiveness of memory—are so startling, so strange, and so powerful that you will never look at the world the same way again.
Kids Deserve It! Pushing Boundaries and Challenging Conventional Thinking by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome (February Book Study)
What if learning was exciting?
What if students felt important and empowered every time they walked into the building?
What if parents looked forward to calls from their children's teachers and principals, instead of cringing when the school's number popped up on their phones?
To Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome, those aren't far-fetched what ifs; they can (and should) be a reality for every teacher, school, parent, and student.
In Kids Deserve It!, Todd and Adam encourage you to think big and make learning fun and meaningful for students. While you're at it, you just might rediscover why you became an educator in the first place.
Learn why you should be calling parents to praise your students (and employees).
Discover ways to promote family interaction and improve relationships for kids at school and at home.
Be inspired to take risks, shake up the status quo, and be a champion for your students.
Book Study Opportunities for 4.1 (Problem Solving and Critical Thinking) and 7.4 (Monitoring the Effect of Instruction on the Whole Class and Individual Learning)
Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess (January Book Study)
- Tap into and dramatically increase your passion as a teacher
- Develop outrageously engaging lessons that draw students in like a magnet
- Establish rapport and a sense of camaraderie in your classroom
- Transform your class into a life-changing experience for your students