Wanting students to be lifelong learners is a common response given by teachers when discussing what they want their students to be or what they would like students to get out of their schooling. Agreed, it is an admirable goal, though an important question should be asked: How many teachers or educational leaders actually engage, of their own volition, in professional reading?
To me, professional reading is more than reading an article about education in the newspaper. It is is much deeper than that. Good professional reading involves, picking up an education magazine or book, subscribing to a podcast (reading is not just reading anymore) or going to a website loaded with articles about education or following a blog.
Why is professional reading so important?
- It helps shape our views and develop further our education philosophy
- It give us theory to think about putting into practice
- It presents us with new ideas, particularly the way technology is being integrated into education
- It stops us from using experience alone when making decisions. Too many school decisions are made this way without consulting education literature.
- We can share our learning and model it for our students. There are many education teams that will read a book together and discuss it in their meetings, putting some of the ideas into practice.
- As a leader, being well read in the field of education can also help in gaining support and trust from you staff.