Outreach Institute Book Club Series: Teaching to Transgress

Overview
Join us for our 2026 Winter Book Club! This year we will gather in-person over five sessions to discuss and reflect together on ideas and concepts from Teaching to Transgress, the powerful and passionate book written by educator, author, and activist, bell hooks (1952–2021).
In , bell hooks reflects on what it means to teach in ways that are authentic, liberating, and deeply human. She blends personal stories with feminist and critical theory, advocating that education should be a space where everyone can think freely, speak openly, and grow together. bell invites teachers and students into a shared practice of learning rooted in love and dialogue.
Learning Objectives
This book is both a reflection on teaching and a hopeful vision of education as a tool for freedom. We hope this book helps create a sense of community among everyone in the book club. Whether you come to the book club as a teacher, a student, or someone shaped by learning in other ways, our hope is that reading Teaching to Transgress together offers space to share experiences, support one another, and learn collectively. We hope these conversations feel affirming and sustaining, especially for those navigating the challenges of teaching and learning, and that this group becomes a place where people feel heard, connected, and strengthened through community.

Each session will include:
*20-30 pages of reading prior to meetings

*Discussion with fellow early learning professionals

*Reflective writing

*2.5 hours of STARS credit (for pre-session reading and live attendance)

Book Club Timeline (all sessions 5:30-7pm)
February 5th, Session 1: Chapters 1 and 2

February 19th, Session 2: Chapters 3 -5

March 5th, Session 3: Chapters 7-9

March 19th, Session 4: Chapters 10-12

April 2nd, Session 5: Chapters 13 and 14

About the Facilitators:
Paty Ruas (she/her)
My name is Paty, (pronounced Pa-chee), and I identify as a first generation Latinx immigrant and indigenous. I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the US as a young adult. My early years were formative in my construction of my own identity. A big part of my upbringing was my passion for reading books, which helped me make sense of the world and expand my creativity.
I have been teaching since 2006 and a faculty member at Hilltop Children's Center since 2017. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to work as an educator and currently hold the role of a program mentor. I can say that I feel passionate about anti-bias education, community-building, and the whimsical perspective of childhood. I believe in creating learning environments where children and adults feel honored, valued, and connected. One of my all time favorite books is Pedagogy of Hope, by Paulo Freire, which was such an inspiring and honest self-reflection of his own work in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This book gave me hope to continue on my own journey in education.
Rose Muniz (she/her)
Hiya! I'm Rose, a teacher at Hilltop Children's Center in the Tahoma Learning Community of two-year old's. I have nannied children on and off from when I was thirteen, and have worked in ECE for 3 years in North Carolina and Washington. I am currently enrolled in the ECE program, Centering Relationships and Social Justice in Early Childhood. My teaching philosophy is shaped through a sense of belonging and inclusivity, as well as a great respect for creating and working together collaboratively.
This is my second year at Hilltop — I moved to Seattle last year and live with my partner and our Italian Greyhound, Gnocchi. I love watching films, going to concerts, thrifting everything, and trying new restaurants. Children are my inspiration in life, along with art and books, and I love learning through them. My favorite book is Queer Brown Voices — Personal Narratives of Latina/o LGBT Activism edited by Uriel Quesada, Letitia Gomez, and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, featuring stories from diverse Latina/o LGBTQ+ individuals. It is very profound for me as a Puerto Rican (Boricua) to read.

Each Book Club session is eligible for 2.5 hours of STARS training credit for all WA State Early Learning Professionals who attend live.
Can't make it to every session? We hope you'll join us for the full series to get the maximum Book Club learning experience, but we understand that scheduling conflicts are bound to happen. Please email us at [email protected] if you know you'll have to miss a session.

Registration is FREE for all early learning professionals! Many thanks to our generous sponsors at Seattle's Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) for helping us make Book Club affordable and accessible.
You will only need to register once (choose the February 5th ticket) to enroll in the full Book Club series.

Parking Options at Hilltop Children's Center - Fremont:
Use this map to find free 2-hour street parking and paid lot parking available near our building (type our address into search engine: 3601 Fremont Ave. N, Seattle).
Please note that there will be a fee charged for parking in our lower-level garage or in the open lot behind our building. 2-hour street parking on Fremont and 36th ave is free.
Bus numbers 31, 32, 40, and 62 also drop off within two blocks of our building.

Any additional questions? Email us at: [email protected]

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Host or Publisher Hilltop Children's Center - Professional Development Institute