Hello everyone! How are we already at the end of July this week?? Summer flew, and I am partially dreading the reality of going back to work on Thursday. I am also excited though, can that happen? Every year it does, so I am just going to roll with it! Have you ever been presented with a task that you were unsure about? And no, I am not talking about the regular school stuff that happens; we all know new. tasks are a given for school counselors. This year I have been given the task of leading a book study for a group of teachers.......yikes! Even after eight years, this task sounds scary to me. I mean, asking a colleague to read a book during the school year??? Even this sounds a little difficult, and I am the one leading the book study!! Nevertheless, I am going to do this, and I am determined to do it well! Even though I have not yet started this book study, here are some things that I feel are going to set me and my colleagues up for success: 1. Choose a short book. We are all educators, and I am almost positive that most colleagues are going to be less than thrilled to lear they are going to have to do something extra for work. To ease the pain, I suggest choosing a short, easy read book with a big message. Need some help choosing a book? Jon Gordon has many short, great reads. Other great books are Todd Whitaker books or Teach Like a Pirate. If you do not have a say in the book that is chosen, that is ok too! If it is a longer book, I would suggest highlighting the important parts of the book and have the group read those portions. People will appreciate the time-saving action while still getting something out of the book. 2. Read the book first, duh! I know this sounds like a given, but sometimes tasks are sprung on us and we do not have time. As much as possible, try to read the book before you start the group, or at least a good portion. Remember, its hard to ask someone to do something that you have not done yourself. Plus, it will allow you to be prepared to answer questions and lead the discussions in the right way. If you do complete the book before the book study happens, I also suggest rereading as you go, so that you can experience the book in the book study setting. Lots of work, I know! But I feel like it will be worth it, and will provide a positive experience with your colleagues. 3. Change up the discussion setting. Let's be honest: coming together and sitting in a circle and talking about personal stuff can be intimidating for those of us who are not counselors. Even though I am the type of person who thrives on sharing, not everyone shares that same joy. So, we have to improvise. In order to make it not seem like a chore, change it up every week. Nothing works better than applying some cooperative learning strategies teachers can take back to their own classrooms and use with their students. Need some ideas? check out the Kagan books, they are perfect for classroom cooperative learning! Do not be afraid to put your colleagues on the spot; try assigning a chapter to each person and they are in charge of teaching the group the content of the chapter. Remember, use what works for the group, and always read your participants. 4. Expect silence. As any good counselor knows, we should embrace the silence in any session. This strategy applies in a group discussion, no matter how painful. You would think a group of teachers who expect students to participate and answer questions would be chomping at the bit to talk, right? Well, any of you who have ever presented or trained a group of education professionals know that it doesn't exactly go that way. In fact, some may start to embody some of the behaviors of their students! Not to worry though, you have to expect some pushback. Expect the silence, and unfortunately, expect the eye rolls. If you do encounter some heavy pushback, do your best to redirect the conversation and move on from the topic. Movement in the discussion is key in a positive book study, so keep things moving! 5. Apply the book to your own experiences.
This is always easier said than done. First, remember what your goal for the group is, and then share how you will implement this in your own professional practice. For example, the book we are using in our book study is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The goal for the group is to learn about the seven habits and how they can incorporate them into their classrooms. During the book study, I am planning on sharing on how I can form these habits in my classroom so I can teach these habits to my students through action. Does this sound difficult? Yes! I am still going to give it a try though! Even though I am on the front end of my book study journey, I am hopeful that I will get to share a helpful book with my colleagues and. they can take something away from it. Stay tuned to see how it goes!
1 Comment
Febby
4/17/2021 12:42:41 am
Thanks, it has been very helpful
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
July 2017
|