Book Study Planning and Logistics
What Format Do I Want to Use?
Mel: Currently, I have been using Canvas, but now our district is moving away from Canvas, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do. All of my old book studies are posted in the Canvas Commons.
Audra: I try to use a variety of formats. I have teachers who do one of my book studies every year, and I don’t want them to feel repetitive. Plus, I want to model different strategies and tools teachers can use in their classrooms. These are some of the formats I’ve used:
- discussion forums in Canvas,
- blogs/eportfolios,
- Flipgrid,
- Twitter,
- product creation, and
- in-person discussion at our back-to-school conference.
Where Do I Find Book Ideas?
Mel: I get ideas through TAGT. People mention books in TAGT Connect all the time. I see titles from vendors at giftED. I also see books mentioned in the GT newsletters I follow (e.g., TedEd, Puzzlements).
Audra: I’ve gotten a lot of my ideas from other coordinators and from attending the giftED and TAGT Leadership conferences.
How Long Should the Study Last?
Mel: I have only done book studies that last one month. I’m toying with the idea of doing a study that lasts a semester, but I’m not sure if I have the attention span for that. I always do 3 weeks of online discussions followed by a week of reflections, revisiting past discussions, and catching up.
Audra: I offer book studies in the summer. I open them all at the beginning of June and keep them open for 7–8 weeks. I always close the study right before our back-to-school conference the last week in July. That way, if someone doesn’t get credit for the book study, they know they need to show up the next week.
Do I Have Specific Due Dates Along the Way?
Mel: Yes. I divide the book into the three most logical chunks for the study. The deadlines are not set in stone, but more of a guideline. However, if a participant has not completed at least half of the discussions by the end of Week 2, I remove them from the study.
Audra: I don’t have due dates along the way because that means I have to check in on those dates, and my schedule doesn’t always allow for that. I give a recommended timeline for teachers to follow so that the work doesn’t pile up on them. I have a start date and an end date, and teachers work within that time frame.
Do I Want Participants to Interact With Each Other?
Mel: Yes! Participants in my book study are required to interact with others’ posts. Interactions account for about a quarter of their grade, and they can’t get credit with anything less than an 85%.
Audra: It would be nice, but if you don’t have specific due dates along the way, it’s hard to manage that. Depending on the format, I might have teachers comment on other posts, but that’s another layer of accountability. Some of my book studies do have optional Zooms, which is something I started based on feedback from past participants.
Will I Buy Books for Teachers?
Mel: Sadly, I don’t have the budget for that. I would love to be able to provide books, but I do think there is value in having your own copy of a book. You can make your own notes in the margins, and you don’t have to feel bad if it gets wet at the beach or something.
Audra: I buy 20 books for a book study. The first 20 people to register get a book. After that, others can join, but they are responsible for getting their own book. The first time I did a book study, I barcoded the books and checked them out. But after years of wear and tear and people not returning books, I decided it was worth the investment to buy the books for the teachers to keep. I’ve also done book studies based on books that I know are in the professional library on every campus. That way teachers can check the book out or borrow it from another school.
What Is My Participant Capacity?
Mel: I have had book studies with almost 40 people. While I can handle that many people participating, I feel like the participants didn’t bond as well as times when I kept the numbers smaller. My personal preference is to keep the group to 20 or fewer, but it definitely needs to have more than five participants.
Audra: I think the class size depends on your capacity. Someone is going to have to check the work, email teachers, comment, and give credit. I’ve had book studies for 15 people, but the most recent one this summer had 88! You just have to keep in mind that more people means more time on your end.
Are There Others Who Can Help Facilitate?
Mel: I have two facilitators that could help run a book study or two, but I haven’t asked them yet. I just didn’t think about it. I will be changing that this summer!
Audra: I offer about five different book studies each summer. It’s too much for me to monitor, so I hire my GT specialists to facilitate. Everything is already set up from previous years, so it’s really just about facilitating and managing. I meet with the facilitators in the spring to go over my expectations and make any tweaks to the course. If it’s the first time for a book, then I like to facilitate so I can see how it works.
How Many Hours Credit Do You Give?
Mel: It depends on the book. When creating the book study, I keep track of how many hours I spend reading, annotating, and participating in simulated discussions. From there, I set the time as 3, 6, or 9 hours. At the end of the inaugural book study, I ask participants how many hours they spent on the study. I make adjustments to future studies based on their feedback.
Audra: I start with 6 hours of SBEC, flex, and GT update credit. In my end of course survey, I ask people to tell me how much time they actually spent on the book study. I use that information and adjust individual credits for SBEC and flex credit. I never give participants fewer than 6 hours, but I am happy to give them a few more hours.
What are your expectations for the book study? Do you have any tips?
Mel: I share these expectations and tips with my participants:
By participating in this book study, you agree to the following expectations:
- Read the required pages and post in the discussions by the assigned date.
- Comment on the posts of others. At least one comment is expected, but more are welcome. Your comments should be relevant.
- Approach the questions with an open mind and answer honestly.
Here are some tips for participating in this book study:
- Feel free to speak informally.
- When commenting on another’s post, do not just restate what they said (i.e., “I like how you said [insert original post here]”).
- Keep your comments constructive. This is a judgement-free zone.
- If you get overwhelmed or fall behind, let the moderator know.
Audra: For each book study, I create a document that outlines the expectations. Because I structure the book studies differently, the expectations may vary. I have a GT update site and include a page for each book study so participants are very clear about the requirements for their book. One tip would be to see if the book is in audio format. If it is, look at how long the audiobook is, and you can use that to determine the amount of credit you give. But don’t forget to add additional time for the responses.
How Will I Get Feedback From Participants?
Mel: I use a Google Form at the end of the study. Here are the questions I ask:
- Overall, how did you enjoy the book?
- Do you feel like the credit hours are reflective of the amount of work you did?
- If you answered no to the question above, how many hours do you think you should have earned?
- How well do you feel the questions helped you effectively analyze the book?
- What improvements could be made to this book study?
- Is there anything else you would like to add?
Audra: I ask teachers to complete a Google Form at the end. Sometimes I ask specific questions, but these are the things I ask regardless of the book:
- Did you find the content relevant and helpful to you as an educator? Please elaborate on your response.
- You earned 6 hours of credit for this course. About how much time would you say you actually spent working on this book study?
- Did you like the format of this book study? If you answered no or maybe, please elaborate.
- Would you be interested in another book study in the future?
- What can I do to improve this professional learning experience for the next time?
Do I Want to Use a Rubric? How Will I Know Someone Has Earned Credit?
Mel: I use the grading function in Canvas. If participants answer the discussion question, they get points (usually 2–5). If they reply to someone else’s post with a relevant response, they got one point. If they do not get full credit, I make a comment in the system asking them to correct their work and let me know when they have submitted a new response. Then, I regrade. At the end, if a participant has an 85%, they get credit. If not, they have one week to make corrections.
Audra: We recently started using Canvas and the grading system (SpeedGrader) has been a huge help. I use it much like Mel does. I have never created a rubric, although I have thought about it. If I see a response that doesn’t really answer the question, then I ask that person to elaborate and a rubric, although I have thought about it. If I see a response that doesn’t really answer the question, then I ask that person to elaborate and go a bit deeper. Luckily, I haven’t really had this issue.
How Do I Develop My Discussion Questions?
Mel: When I am reading a new book, I make notes in the margins of any thoughts I have while reading. I underline passages that are particularly interesting. I write down any intense emotions or feelings I experience while reading. If I think of a conversation I’d like to have about a certain part, I write the conversation prompt in the margins. After I finish the book, I think about what a teacher could gain from reading it. If I think it’s a good book, I develop the discussion questions based on all the notes I took while reading. Based on feedback after every book study, I make adjustments to the questions and tasks. My personal goal with book studies is to make sure they are actionable (e.g., teachers finish the study ready to immediately implement something in their class) and evoking (e.g., teachers finish the study with a new perspective on something). If the book does neither of those things, I will not use it for a study. Click here to see picture of one of my books.
Audra: I read the book twice. First, I read it deeply and annotate it like I do anytime I’m reading a professional book. I don’t always know that I’m reading a book for future professional development (PD). When I finish reading, I make the decision. If the book is something I feel like a teacher could use in their classroom without a bunch of fanfare or it’s something that helps a teacher understand giftedness at a deeper level, then it goes on my PD list for the future. At this point, I go back and skim the book and my annotations to take more detailed notes. Here’s an example of my notes from a book I think I’m going to focus on in the future. From there, I start thinking through the intent of the book. For example, if it’s a book about differentiation, then my goal is for teachers to apply their learning and create something they would use with their students. If the book is about social-emotional needs, the study may need to be more reflective and discussion based. I also try to model different tools and strategies so teachers will feel encouraged to use them. I built the book study for Perfectionism in Flipgrid a couple of years before the pandemic when it was still relatively new. For another book study, I asked teachers to use an electronic portfolio to blog their responses.
What Books Have You Used So Far?
Mel:
- The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness by Todd Rose
- Genius Hour: Passion Projects That Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry by Andi McNair
- Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students by Colin Seale
- What to Expect When You’re Expected to Teach Gifted Children: A Guide to the Celebrations, Surprises, Quirks, and Questions in Your First Year Teaching Gifted Learners by Kari Lockhart
- Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca
Audra:
Face-to-face book studies I’ve used are:
- Thinking Protocols for Learning by Janelle Wills
- Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca
- Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use by Susan Winebrenner and Dina Brulles
Online book studies I’ve used are:
- Gifted Guild’s Guide to Depth and Complexity: Finding Your Way Through the Framework by Ian Byrd and Lisa Van Gemert
- Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears by Dan Peters
- Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students by Colin Seale
- The Underachieving Gifted Child: Recognizing, Understanding, and Reversing Underachievement by Del Siegle
- Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics by Diane Heacox and Richard Cash
- Sparking Student Creativity: Practical Ways to Promote Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving by Patti Drapeau
- Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student by John Spencer and A. J. Juliani
- Teaching Gifted Children in Today’s Preschool and Primary Classrooms by Joan F. Smutny, Sally Y. Walker, and Ellen I. Honeck
- Inspiring Middle School Minds by Judy Willis
- Perfectionism: A Practical Guide to “Never Good Enough” by Lisa Van Gemert
Book Study Planning and Logistics
Mel | Audra | |
What Format Do I Want to Use? | Currently, I have been using Canvas, but now our district is moving away from Canvas, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do. All of my old book studies are posted in the Canvas Commons. | I try to use a variety of formats. I have teachers who do one of my book studies every year, and I don’t want them to feel repetitive. Plus, I want to model different strategies and tools teachers can use in their classrooms. These are some of the formats I’ve used: discussion forums in Canvas, blogs/eportfolios, Flipgrid, Twitter, product creation, and in-person discussion at our back-to-school conference. |
Where Do I Find Book Ideas? | I get ideas through TAGT. People mention books in TAGT Connect all the time. I see titles from vendors at giftED. I also see books mentioned in the GT newsletters I follow (e.g., TedEd, Puzzlements). | I’ve gotten a lot of my ideas from other coordinators and from attending the giftED and TAGT Leadership conferences. |
How Long Should the Study Last? | I have only done book studies that last one month. I’m toying with the idea of doing a study that lasts a semester, but I’m not sure if I have the attention span for that. I always do 3 weeks of online discussions followed by a week of reflections, revisiting past discussions, and catching up. | I offer book studies in the summer. I open them all at the beginning of June and keep them open for 7–8 weeks. I always close the study right before our back-to-school conference the last week in July. That way, if someone doesn’t get credit for the book study, they know they need to show up the next week. |
Do I Have Specific Due Dates Along the Way? | Yes. I divide the book into the three most logical chunks for the study. The deadlines are not set in stone, but more of a guideline. However, if a participant has not completed at least half of the discussions by the end of Week 2, I remove them from the study. | I don’t have due dates along the way because that means I have to check in on those dates, and my schedule doesn’t always allow for that. I give a recommended timeline for teachers to follow so that the work doesn’t pile up on them. I have a start date and an end date, and teachers work within that time frame. |
Do I Want Participants to Interact With Each Other? | Yes! Participants in my book study are required to interact with others’ posts. Interactions account for about a quarter of their grade, and they can’t get credit with anything less than an 85%. | It would be nice, but if you don’t have specific due dates along the way, it’s hard to manage that. Depending on the format, I might have teachers comment on other posts, but that’s another layer of accountability. Some of my book studies do have optional Zooms, which is something I started based on feedback from past participants. |
Will I Buy Books for Teachers? | Sadly, I don’t have the budget for that. I would love to be able to provide books, but I do think there is value in having your own copy of a book. You can make your own notes in the margins, and you don’t have to feel bad if it gets wet at the beach or something. | I buy 20 books for a book study. The first 20 people to register get a book. After that, others can join, but they are responsible for getting their own book. The first time I did a book study, I barcoded the books and checked them out. But after years of wear and tear and people not returning books, I decided it was worth the investment to buy the books for the teachers to keep. I’ve also done book studies based on books that I know are in the professional library on every campus. That way teachers can check the book out or borrow it from another school. |
What Is My Participant Capacity? | I have had book studies with almost 40 people. While I can handle that many people participating, I feel like the participants didn’t bond as well as times when I kept the numbers smaller. My personal preference is to keep the group to 20 or fewer, but it definitely needs to have more than five participants. | I think the class size depends on your capacity. Someone is going to have to check the work, email teachers, comment, and give credit. I’ve had book studies for 15 people, but the most recent one this summer had 88! You just have to keep in mind that more people means more time on your end. |
Are There Others Who Can Help Facilitate? | I have two facilitators that could help run a book study or two, but I haven’t asked them yet. I just didn’t think about it. I will be changing that this summer! | I offer about five different book studies each summer. It’s too much for me to monitor, so I hire my GT specialists to facilitate. Everything is already set up from previous years, so it’s really just about facilitating and managing. I meet with the facilitators in the spring to go over my expectations and make any tweaks to the course. If it’s the first time for a book, then I like to facilitate so I can see how it works. |
How Many Hours Credit Do You Give? | It depends on the book. When creating the book study, I keep track of how many hours I spend reading, annotating, and participating in simulated discussions. From there, I set the time as 3, 6, or 9 hours. At the end of the inaugural book study, I ask participants how many hours they spent on the study. I make adjustments to future studies based on their feedback. | I start with 6 hours of SBEC, flex, and GT update credit. In my end of course survey, I ask people to tell me how much time they actually spent on the book study. I use that information and adjust individual credits for SBEC and flex credit. I never give participants fewer than 6 hours, but I am happy to give them a few more hours. |
What Are Your Expectations for the Book Study? Do You Have Any Tips? | I share these expectations and tips with my participants: By participating in this book study, you agree to the following expectations: Read the required pages and post in the discussions by the assigned date. Comment on the posts of others. At least one comment is expected, but more are welcome. Your comments should be relevant. Approach the questions with an open mind and answer honestly. Here are some tips for participating in this book study: Feel free to speak informally. When commenting on another’s post, do not just restate what they said (i.e., “I like how you said [insert original post here]”). Keep your comments constructive. This is a judgement-free zone. If you get overwhelmed or fall behind, let the moderator know. | For each book study, I create a document that outlines the expectations. Because I structure the book studies differently, the expectations may vary. I have a GT update site and include a page for each book study so participants are very clear about the requirements for their book. One tip would be to see if the book is in audio format. If it is, look at how long the audiobook is, and you can use that to determine the amount of credit you give. But don’t forget to add additional time for the responses. |
How Will I Get Feedback From Participants? | I use a Google Form at the end of the study. Here are the questions I ask: Overall, how did you enjoy the book? Do you feel like the credit hours are reflective of the amount of work you did?If you answered no to the question above, how many hours do you think you should have earned?How well do you feel the questions helped you effectively analyze the book?What improvements could be made to this book study? Is there anything else you would like to add? | I ask teachers to complete a Google Form at the end. Sometimes I ask specific questions, but these are the things I ask regardless of the book: Did you find the content relevant and helpful to you as an educator? Please elaborate on your response. You earned 6 hours of credit for this course. About how much time would you say you actually spent working on this book study? Did you like the format of this book study? If you answered no or maybe, please elaborate. Would you be interested in another book study in the future? What can I do to improve this professional learning experience for the next time? |
Do I Want to Use a Rubric? How Will I Know Someone Has Earned Credit? | I use the grading function in Canvas. If participants answer the discussion question, they get points (usually 2–5). If they reply to someone else’s post with a relevant response, they got one point. If they do not get full credit, I make a comment in the system asking them to correct their work and let me know when they have submitted a new response. Then, I regrade. At the end, if a participant has an 85%, they get credit. If not, they have one week to make corrections. | We recently started using Canvas and the grading system (SpeedGrader) has been a huge help. I use it much like Mel does. I have never created a rubric, although I have thought about it. If I see a response that doesn’t really answer the question, then I ask that person to elaborate and a rubric, although I have thought about it. If I see a response that doesn’t really answer the question, then I ask that person to elaborate and go a bit deeper. Luckily, I haven’t really had this issue. |
How Do I Develop My Discussion Questions? | When I am reading a new book, I make notes in the margins of any thoughts I have while reading. I underline passages that are particularly interesting. I write down any intense emotions or feelings I experience while reading. If I think of a conversation I’d like to have about a certain part, I write the conversation prompt in the margins. After I finish the book, I think about what a teacher could gain from reading it. If I think it’s a good book, I develop the discussion questions based on all the notes I took while reading. Based on feedback after every book study, I make adjustments to the questions and tasks. My personal goal with book studies is to make sure they are actionable (e.g., teachers finish the study ready to immediately implement something in their class) and evoking (e.g., teachers finish the study with a new perspective on something). If the book does neither of those things, I will not use it for a study. Click here to see picture of one of my books. | I read the book twice. First, I read it deeply and annotate it like I do anytime I’m reading a professional book. I don’t always know that I’m reading a book for future professional development (PD). When I finish reading, I make the decision. If the book is something I feel like a teacher could use in their classroom without a bunch of fanfare or it’s something that helps a teacher understand giftedness at a deeper level, then it goes on my PD list for the future. At this point, I go back and skim the book and my annotations to take more detailed notes. Here’s an example of my notes from a book I think I’m going to focus on in the future. From there, I start thinking through the intent of the book. For example, if it’s a book about differentiation, then my goal is for teachers to apply their learning and create something they would use with their students. If the book is about social-emotional needs, the study may need to be more reflective and discussion based. I also try to model different tools and strategies so teachers will feel encouraged to use them. I built the book study for Perfectionism in Flipgrid a couple of years before the pandemic when it was still relatively new. For another book study, I asked teachers to use an electronic portfolio to blog their responses. |
What Books Have You Used So Far? | The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness by Todd Rose Genius Hour: Passion Projects That Ignite Innovation and Student Inquiry by Andi McNair Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students by Colin Seale What to Expect When You’re Expected to Teach Gifted Children: A Guide to the Celebrations, Surprises, Quirks, and Questions in Your First Year Teaching Gifted Learners by Kari Lockhart Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca | Face-to-face book studies I’ve used are: Thinking Protocols for Learning by Janelle Wills Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use by Susan Winebrenner and Dina Brulles Online book studies I’ve used are: Gifted Guild’s Guide to Depth and Complexity: Finding Your Way Through the Framework by Ian Byrd and Lisa Van Gemert Make Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears by Dan Peters Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students by Colin Seale The Underachieving Gifted Child: Recognizing, Understanding, and Reversing Underachievement by Del Siegle Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics by Diane Heacox and Richard Cash Sparking Student Creativity: Practical Ways to Promote Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving by Patti Drapeau Launch: Using Design Thinking to Boost Creativity and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student by John Spencer and A. J. Juliani Teaching Gifted Children in Today’s Preschool and Primary Classrooms by Joan F. Smutny, Sally Y. Walker, and Ellen I. Honeck Inspiring Middle School Minds by Judy Willis Perfectionism: A Practical Guide to “Never Good Enough” by Lisa Van Gemert |
About the Authors:
Melanie Harlan
Meharlan@forneyisd.net
I sort of fell into education way back in 2001 when my old high school principal randomly called me one day and asked if I would be interested in teaching science. It took a lot of convincing to get me to agree, but eventually I did and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Since then, I have taught every level of every science in HS and a few math courses. I switched to the “dark side” in 2014 and officially became the GT director in Forney in 2020. It’s been a fun adventure & I love that I am still discovering & learning new things. Talk to me about anything pertaining to GT identification, secondary services, and teacher training. Oh, and summer enrichment camps! I am immensely proud of the summer programming we have built in our district!
Audra Rowell
arowell@nisdtx.org
Audra has been involved with gifted education for the majority of her career. Having taught 5th GT, she was involved in curriculum writing and professional development. Upon leaving the classroom, she became a GT coordinator for elementary services in Irving for 9 years. For the past 8 years, she has served Northwest ISD as the Advanced Academics Coordinator for K-12. She’s been involved with TAGT in a variety of ways over the years and looks forward to Leadership every year. Audra is a proud aunt to lots of nieces and nephews, and is proud to be a Texas Longhorn.