Coffee and Conversation
With the Teachers’ Book Club, the NASH staff has their own after-school club, too.
Physics teacher founded the Teachers’ Book Club last year. As year two commences, she’s delighted to “bring like-minded people together and build a sense of community.”
September 27, 2019
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Only four weeks into the school year, extra-curricular activities are already in full swing. Given the abundance of clubs at North Allegheny, everyone seemingly has the opportunity to enjoy a school club — everyone, that is, except for the teachers.
But with the advent of the Teachers’ Book Club last year, NASH faculty now have the chance to be a part of a club.
“It is difficult to find a time to get together with colleagues during the school day because we all have different schedules,” said Physics teacher Joyce Harrell, who founded the club. “The inspiration for the club was to spend some time with my colleagues, get to know each other a little bit better, and enjoy some discussion about the books that we read together.”
Much like student clubs help to bring like-minded people together and create a sense of community, so does the book club for teachers
— Mrs. Harrell, Teachers' Book Club founder
Open to all NASH faculty and staff, the club votes on books and then allots several weeks to finish the reading. Then the group decides on a local restaurant or coffee shop to meet and discuss the selected book.
“We select each book by a vote and then we select a date far enough ahead to fit in the reading,” Harrell said. “We get about ten members per meeting and discuss the book over food and drinks.”
To date, the club has read In The Time Of The Butterflies, 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, The Immortalists, and Educated.
NASH Librarian Ms. Wienand is a club regular who has enjoyed the chance to share her passion for reading with her colleagues.
“I love being able to talk about the things that I have been reading with other people, and getting to hear their different points of view,” Wienand said, “or even finding out that someone hated my favorite character or liked a certain part of the book. It is always nice to get a different perspective on the book.”
In its second year, the club has proven to Harrell that adults can find just as much enjoyment from after-school clubs as the students can.
“Much like student clubs help to bring like-minded people together and create a sense of community, so does the book club for teachers,” Harrell said.
