Creating Community Remotely
April 1, 2020

Creating Community Remotely

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.4.2″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.2″ 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=”4.4.2″]Here in Seattle, where all public and private K-12 schools are currently closed or practicing “remote learning” for the foreseeable future, some preschools have also closed temporarily, in accordance with statewide advisories for social distancing. At Hilltop, which serves 120 children starting as young as age 2, our building […]

Institute Blog 0 4 min read
Food for Thought
November 11, 2019

Food for Thought

[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=”4.0.2″ hover_enabled=”0″] How does food create meaningful interactions? I eat lunch and snack with the children in my class of 3-5 year olds every day, and have been thinking a lot about our relationship with food, as well as the connection between food and our relationships with each other. […]

Institute Blog 0 6 min read
New Year, New Classroom
August 15, 2019

New Year, New Classroom

With summer in full swing, educators in the Rainbow Classroom at Hilltop are gearing up for our biggest transition of the year, when we send our group of now-3-year-olds into their new classrooms. They are ready for this move and it is becoming more apparent with each passing day that they are outgrowing Rainbow room.

Institute Blog 0 9 min read
Inspirations from Italy – Reggio Emilia
July 2, 2019

Inspirations from Italy – Reggio Emilia

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.25.3″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25.3″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25.3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.25.3″] This spring I had the opportunity to travel, with a group of colleagues from my graduate  program at Portland State University, to Reggio Emilia, Italy to tour the schools. While I have many thoughts to share about my trip, I want to focus on teacher preparation in a community that features emergent curriculum, […]

Institute Blog 0 7 min read
Threshold of Imagination
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
Recruiting Male Teachers Resources
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
Communicating with Communities: Family Partnership
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
Sharks and Schemas
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