“Being vulnerable and sharing a piece of yourself might be the hardest thing we do as humans. What if we are rejected? What if we aren’t liked? What if we are othered? Being part of a group that is often lumped in with others, the world often forgets just how brilliant and beautiful our people are. In this interview, Mike […]
I used to think that there were thoughts that needed to be filed under a mental cabinet called “the things I will never say or think about ever again”. I used to think that if I were to say some of my thoughts out loud, they would take their own form, create little legs, run away and cause chaos everywhere. […]
Preface: This blog is a reflection of the conversation educators in River Room at Hilltop had with their 3-5 year olds when news broke that the remains of 215 Indigenous children were found. Acknowledgements: I want to start by honoring and thanking Queen Anne’s Program Supervisor, Theresa (she/her), an Indigenous womxn from the Crow Nation, whom in a conversation last […]
“I’ve always wanted to have a classroom mural created by kids.” I honestly cannot remember what my co-teachers and I were talking about before this came out of my mouth, but from that point on, it was inevitable – we would have a mural. We actually ended up with three, one of which was a mural installed at a bus stop shelter across the street from Hilltop at our […]
Remember your hand placement. Remember to smile. Remember to ask permission to reach over. No sudden movements Mike, no sudden movements. My mind raced. My heart was beating twice as fast. The thought of “will I be another hashtag” floated in my mind. Last night, on St. Patrick’s day, I got pulled over. I was doing 35 in a 30 […]
The pandemic exposed a lot things in our society. How little regard we have for educators especially early childhood educators and the childcare system. How we view, treat, and support or Black, Brown, Indigenous, brothers, sisters, and two-spirits. How White Supremacy and the manifestation of racism is embedded in every fabric of society. How empathy and compassion can go a […]
Hilltop set to become a Seattle Preschool Provider Hilltop will join over 120 providers in providing high-quality, affordable preschool to children across the City of Seattle. Seattle, WA – Published on Mar 9th, 2021 – Hilltop Children’s Center and Educator Institute has been accepted into the Seattle Preschool Program (SPP). Hilltop, a reggio-inspired preschool, afterschool program, and early learning professional […]
It wasn’t only until 1990 that the United States adopted the Native Americans Language Act. That means for the last 400+ years prior to that, not only did we try to eradicate Indigenous identity or culture, but we had policies and systems in place that was meant to erase their language… Language is something we often take for granted. But with […]
In Part 1 of this two-part series, Hilltop educator Lauren Mayo shared some of her own experiences learning about injustice and activism as a young child, and named how her own parents took important risks in exposing her to those learning moments. She then challenged readers to reflect on the ways that they are challenging themselves to take risks with […]
This is a two-part series about fostering social activism in young children. In Part 1, Hilltop educator Lauren Mayo (she/her) shares some of her own experiences learning about injustice and activism as a young child. She challenges readers to reflect on the ways that they are taking risks with their own children – at home or in classroom settings – […]