Flourishing Classrooms Book Club/Series/Study

Start a book club/series/study (choose the name you like best) using the plan and questions below. Contact the author to help customize the best format and pace for your learning community, or be directly involved). Book clubs/studies can be a cost-effective form of professional learning that: deepen and spreads research-based best practices in your group, school, or district quickly; differentiates for teacher interests; and builds community amongst educators.¹ Other professional learning workshops, keynotes, or series can be arranged. 

Planning/Format

• Explore these essential considerations first (e.g., learning goals, differentiation, active learning).

• Plan for 4-8 sessions of 0.5-2 hour duration with 1-2 weeks between. Blend in-person and/or online sessions depending on budget, release time, and other factors. Arrange for book copies ahead of time.

• Invite a mix of wellness champions, system and school leaders, and educators interested in implementing the practices who can commit to the sessions. Give them the books and format to get started.

• At meetings, participants may:

  • discuss chapter-specific content (allow for some flexibility in pace and choice of domains);

  • experience facilitated wellness activities;

  • share about personal insights/practice, and any sharing of activities with others;

  • reflect individually, in partners, or in groups on the questions below.

• In between meetings, encourage participants to:

  • try wellness activities personally and with students (this online index will help)

  • share insights, challenges, and questions through a group email/chat. 

Reflection Questions

Use any, all, or none of these questions depending on the needs of your group. 

1. The intent of Flourishing Classrooms is to cultivate well-being in students, staff, and the school community beyond. How was this true for you, or not? Who benefited most from your efforts?  

2. Did any domain(s) of wellness stand out for you, and if so, why?

3. Did you try any activities or otherwise take action to make personal life changes? Is your focus to "add-on", "integrate", or both? Full activities or supplementaries? The online index may help with this.

4. Did you explicitly share any wellness practices with students or others? Can you facilitate one of your favorite activities for the book club?

5. Thinking of possible responses to questions 3. and 4. above (yes or no for each), do any of the following descriptors resonate:

a) YES/NO: "personal/private practitioner"

b) NO/YES: "students-first ... I'm good" or perhaps "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do"

c) YES/YES: "wellness champion"

d) NO/NO: "questioning and considering"

6. Which ideas from the book felt most valuable, challenging, disagreeable, or new (and why)? 

7. What happened to you as you read the book? What were you thinking and/or feeling? Was there a lasting impact? 

8. What questions are you living now, and what do you need to move forward in a good way?

1. White, Kelley Mayer. "Professional Development That Promotes Powerful Interactions: Using Teacher Book Clubs to Reflect on Quality in Teacher-Child Relationships." Dimensions of Early Childhood 44, no. 3 (2016): 28-34.