Language is a Construct

Language is a Construct

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 […]

Literacy Ideas for Home

Literacy Ideas for Home

Literacy is more than just learning how to read. It consist of reading, writing, creating, and other forms of emergent markings that represents their thoughts and ideas. Children as young as 2 years old begin to imitate the act of writing and if we build on children’s experience as they grow, they’ll not only just learn how to read, write […]

Learning Stories Conference 2021

Learning Stories Conference 2021

[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”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.1″] SALSA TAPS HILLTOP AS NEXT CONFERENCE HOST Seattle, WA has been selected to welcome the 3rd annual Learning Stories Conference in June 2021 Seattle, WA – Published on July 21st, 2020 – Hilltop Children’s Center and Educator Institute has been named the host of the 3rd […]

Zoom University

Zoom University

[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=”4.5.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” use_border_color=”off”] My mother used to always say “When I was younger, we never had to be on iPads, laptops, and video games.” And if you’re reading this mom, I can’t believe I’m saying this but… you’re right! At Hilltop, we […]

When Kids Become the Teachers

When Kids Become the Teachers

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.7″ hover_enabled=”0″] As any guardian knows, combining work and family life can be challenging. Educating young children while working from home during a pandemic? Now that’s a pretty monumental task. While there  is no shortage of articles and resources aimed at supporting families as they try to find and […]

Multiple Learning Styles

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. […]

Sharks and Schemas

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 […]

Hilltop’s Anti-Bias Booklist

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 […]

The Good Books: A Little Light Reading

The Good Books: A Little Light Reading

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″] Hilltop has a long-standing commitment to anti-bias education. Over the years, educators here have explored the challenges of converting this value from intention to reality. Standing up and saying “I believe in anti-bias education” doesn’t do much to change the day-to-day experience of our classrooms and culture. Even acknowledging the subtle inequalities, the tacit racism, the […]