Starting a teacher book club for teachers and staff can be a great way for staff to bond and grow as a community. Not only does it provide an opportunity for professional development and camaraderie, but it also fosters a culture of continuous learning and personal growth within the school community.
In this blog post, we will explore how to start a school book club, the benefits of having one, the logistics of meetings, and a list of possible books to read.
How to Start a Teacher Book Club
To start a school book club for teachers and staff, the first step is to gauge interest among the faculty and staff. This can be done through a survey or informal conversations to determine the level of interest and preferred meeting times. Google Forms is great for this!
Once there is a sufficient level of interest, a small planning committee can be formed to organize the logistics of the book club, including selecting books, setting meeting dates, and communicating with participants.
Benefits of Having a School Book Club
Having a book club for teachers and staff offers numerous benefits. It provides an opportunity for professional development by exposing teachers to new ideas and perspectives. It also fosters a sense of community and collaboration among colleagues as they engage in meaningful discussions about the books they read and their relevance to their work.
Additionally, it can serve as a stress reliever and a way to recharge as participants take time to engage in personal reading and reflection. The addition of snacks during the meeting doesn’t hurt either!
Logistics of Meetings
The logistics of book club meetings can vary depending on the preferences of the participants. Meetings can be held during lunch breaks (although this may be hard to coordinate!), after school, or even virtually to accommodate different schedules. Participants can take turns leading discussions or inviting guest speakers to share their expertise on the selected books. Can you imagine being able to have the author there as a guest speaker one time?!
Don’t forget that it is important to establish ground rules for respectful and constructive discussions to ensure that everyone feels comfortable expressing their thoughts. You might think that this would be a given, but book clubs can get heated, so don’t neglect this step!
List of Possible Books to Read
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Here are some possible books that could be considered for the school book club:
- The Power of Positive Leadership by Jon Gordon
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
- Culturize: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes. by Jimmy Casas
- Teach Like a Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess
- The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller
- Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne
- The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
- Your Students, My Students, Our Students: Rethinking Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms by Lee Ann Jung and Nancy Frey
- Uniquely Human by Barry M. Prizant
- Neurotribes by Steve Silberman
- One Without the Other: Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion by Shelley Moore
- Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman
- Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin
- Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life by Thomas Armstrong
- The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz
- Uniquely Stella by Ruth James
- Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline by Lorie Desautels
- Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
- Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann
- Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
- Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law by Haben Girma
- PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Couvson
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
- Not Yet . . . And That’s OK: How Productive Struggle Fosters Student Learning by Peg Grafwallner
- Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
These books cover a range of topics relevant to educators, including leadership, mindset, school culture, teaching strategies, and student engagement.
Should You Start a Teacher Book Club?
Starting a school book club for teachers and staff can have a positive impact on professional development, school culture, and personal well-being, but it really depends on if anyone wants to participate. By fostering a community of readers and learners within the school, educators can continue to grow and inspire each other in their shared journey of education. But if adding a book club to their list of things to do will be stressful, maybe a book club isn’t the right thing at that time.
Are you thinking about starting a book club at your school? Or have you done a teacher book club? What worked and what didn’t? Share your experience!
