Tip:
Do you have shelves full of journals and books that may have valuable information you could use as a professional developer? This is the year to create a system to organize your reading materials to either throw them away or use them later.
- If you haven't read the journal in a year, look at each table of contents to see if any of the articles or the entire journal can be put in one of the following categories: Read, Throw Away, or Share.
- Set aside 30 minutes twice a week to read from the "Read" pile.
- Read the summary, recommendations, or conclusion first. Then go back for details if article seems promising.
- Take some of the journals from the "Read" pile with you while commuting, waiting for appointments, or on airplane trips.
- Highlight interesting articles and summarize the findings.
- Ask colleagues to read some of the articles and share findings.
- Create a professional development library on-site and online.
- If the journals you read post articles online and archive articles, throw the paper versions out.
- Encourage publishers to post articles online and save trees.
Submitted by:Barbara Bray
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