Edutopia contributor Darcy Bakkegard has published an article on effective professional development.
Through my personal experience in a dozen book studies, both as a student and as an author/guest speaker, I’ve witnessed huge differences in book study execution, leading to very different results. Based on these experiences and conversations with book study host Dr. Nikki Vradenburg, NBCT, director of education with Montana PBS, several factors emerged that elevate a basic book study to a truly meaningful professional learning experience.
1. PROVIDE CHOICE
Pretty simple: Increase engagement and growth by offering choice. Compared with a district-mandated book study done for a whole staff, engagement was greater in a summer course, Vradenburg notes, “because it was the teacher who had found the book study based on their own interest and desire.”