My team and I just finished reading Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Dan & Chip Heath. Awesome book and whoever suggested it for our book club should get a bonus (wink, wink). If you haven’t read the book, it presents various points through real life stories highlighting bright spots of change (if you have read the book, pun intended).
I liked how we broke the book into two parts and discussed the first part right after Halloween then we had our second discussion this past week. The conversation seemed natural and flowed with such ease, it was probably the best book discussion I have ever participated in. Mainly, because every was engaged and active, ideas built upon one another, and connections were made not only to what we do but also to pop-culture, personal lives, etc.
Since this was my book choice, I led the discussion. I kept it simple, three questions for both discussions.
Oct. 30th Meeting:
- What was your favorite story presented in the first half?
- How can we apply this to what we are doing?
- Which is more important, ‘The Rider’ or ‘The Elephant’?
Dec. 18th Meeting:
- In this second half, did you make any connections to a movie? (Pop culture)
- In this second half, did you make any connections to our work in the district? (Work related)
- Overall (whole book), is there anything you questioned?
Afterward, I was reflecting on the second conversation driving home, I realized that I need to practice what I preach. I believe the best way to solidify learning is through creation. This can be a great way for students to reflect on what stood out most to them, whether learning in a book or during a unit of study. Below you can find my creation from Switch:
