May 30, 2019

Threshold of Imagination

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.22.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.23.3″] One of my cherished childhood memories was working on my all-time favorite activity: building forts. I dove into a process of adding several layers of bedsheets combined with a set of mix-and-match chairs, creating an impervious stronghold. There was something really special about the way my lopsided constructions […]

Institute Blog 0 5 min read

April 7, 2019

Creating LGBTQ+ Schools Resources

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.21.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” z_index_tablet=”500″] PREFACE: This space has been created for educators, administrators, parents, and youth advocates and attendees of “Creating LGBTQ+ and Gender-Inclusive Schools: A Human Rights Campaign” as a forum for sharing experiences and reflections as they work through these resources. On […]

Institute Blog 0 6 min read

March 10, 2019

Indigenizing Edu – Resources

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.20.2″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off”] PREFACE: This space has been created for educators, administrators, parents, and youth advocates and attendees of “Indigenizing Education: A Discussion of Early Learning in Native America” as a forum for sharing experiences and reflections as they work through these resources. On […]

Educator Discussion Series Dialogue 0 6 min read

February 25, 2019

Recruiting Male Teachers Resources

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” parallax_method_3=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.101″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.11″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off”] PREFACE: This space has been created for educators, administrators, parents, and youth advocates and attendees of “No Place for Men? Attracting More Males to ECE” as a forum for sharing experiences and reflections as they work through these resources. On this […]

Educator Discussion Series Dialogue 0 4 min read

February 21, 2019

Multiple Learning Styles

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.11″] “Until you can recognize that you are living a racialized life and you’re having racialized experiences every moment of every day, you can’t actually engage people of other races around the idea of justice” – Whitney Dow As our schools become more diverse, cultural responsiveness is an increasingly important skill for teacher efficacy and children’s success. […]

Institute Blog 0 9 min read

January 7, 2019

Rituals: A Vessel for Participation

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″] Educators in the Rainbow Room at Hilltop welcome a new group of children ages 2-3 each September, some who are moving from a younger Hilltop classroom or have had siblings at Hilltop, and some whose families are new to Hilltop. As one of those educators, I try my best to observe and listen carefully to what […]

Institute Blog 0 6 min read

December 17, 2018

Communicating with Communities: Family Partnership

Family engagement is about going beyond a movie night, or hosting a festival or carnival. At Hilltop we believe it’s equally about creating an environment that is inclusive and representative of the families we serve, but also is one where we all embrace communication and commit ourselves to sharing values, information, and expectations for each other in support of the […]

Institute Blog 0 3 min read

December 1, 2018

Trauma Informed Care – Resources

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”] PREFACE: This space has been created for educators, parents, adults, and attendees of “Trauma Responsive Care with Communities of Color” as a forum for sharing experiences and reflections as they work through these resources. On this page, […]

Institute Blog 0 4 min read

November 27, 2018

Sharks and Schemas

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.1″] In the news this past winter, a cold snap off the coast of Cape Cod caused four sharks to literally freeze solid, washing up on the beach in a heartbreaking display of nature’s cruelty. Reading more about this, I asked myself several questions: Why didn’t the sharks migrate as it got colder? Do sharks migrate? Sharks […]

Institute Blog 1 3 min read

November 8, 2018

Hilltop’s Anti-Bias Booklist

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.1″] In late fall of 2013, I was trying to appear calm and collected via Skype, my laptop resting precariously on a cardboard box, in order to impress the Hilltop hiring panel that was interviewing me. For the most part, I was feeling confident and qualified. Then they asked the question “How familiar are you with anti-bias […]

Institute Blog 1 7 min read