This Edutopia article spread new insights into learner development. The full article is available here.
Book clubs have been a part of my life for a long time: for professional development at my school, for social outings, and for classroom use with students. As uncertainty and unrest grew this summer, the role of book clubs shifted in response. The safe spaces that social book clubs provided became gateways to exploring deeply challenging topics and emotions.
As I experienced this with my adult book club, I started thinking about how to make this shift with student book clubs, using them to help students process complex current events and the uncertainties of life since the shutdown. Now more than ever, students need avenues to reconnect with each other, develop skills to establish emotional boundaries, and explore ideas in safe spaces.
ESTABLISH GROUP NORMS
The first key to success for any group is establishing group norms. Developing norms together can be a way to develop community among group members, but more important, the experience establishes emotional boundaries. The process invites students to define their emotional needs and to communicate those needs with others.