Ms. Hill's Classroom Edit display name

Current requests

Past projects 3

• Flexible Seating for Growing Minds

  Funded Sep 29, 2023

  Thank you for the incredible gift you have given 10th grade ELA students here at Franklin Pierce High School. The flexible seating has provided comfort to hundreds of students since it arrived. The beanbags in particular are a real hit, and help students focus on reading their novels with physical ease.

  The seating is particularly useful for students with disabilities. Those who need to take frequent breaks in the hallway due to overstimulation and quiet down and gather themselves on a cozy beanbag instead of standing or sitting on the tile. There are also designated "think spaces" in the room where students can take a pause or brain break before they re-engage with the learning.

  One thing I have noticed is former students stopping by and complimenting the new furniture. They say they wished they had it when they were in my room, or they wish their new teachers had it. It is heartwarming when we can create ways for students to feel at ease in their learning environment. Thank you for providing that for us.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Hill

  This classroom project was brought to life by Windows of Hope Foundation.

• Culturally Responsive Literary Circles: a Book Club for Diverse Learners

  Funded Oct 3, 2022

  Thank you so much for your generous donation! I have never facilitated lit circles/book clubs before, but it is a smashing success. The fact that the students have so many diverse authors and protagonists to choose from heightens their buy-in. I love hearing students talk deeply about the novels and the ways in which they connect to their own lives and experiences. Even our reluctant readers have become engaged and want to find out what will happen in their chosen texts.

  Our protocol involves reading, group discussion, and being responsible for roles which include: summarizing, making connections, describing themes and symbolism, characterization, and identifying literary devices. Students stick with the same novels and groups for the duration of the quarter, so they are very comfortable reading out loud and asking one another questions.

  This quarter has been such a success that I hope to model my classroom after these lit circles in the future. I am already refining the protocol and mini-lessons to make an even greater impact on student learning using the provided texts. The district has also shown interest in the pilot, and they are working to develop more models like the one we are currently using.

  Thank you for the opportunity to delight in reading with my 10th grade class. It has been such a pleasure. What a wonderful way to end the year.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Hill

  This classroom project was brought to life by Windows of Hope Foundation.

• Justice and Joy in Our Classroom Library

  Funded Sep 21, 2018

  I would like to extend my deepest gratitude for your generosity.

  I am deeply moved by my students' interest in connecting with diverse protagonists. It was my hope that students would feel represented in the literature available to them. What I am surprised and heartened by is their interest in connecting to characters who are very much unlike them, and their ability to relate to these characters on a basic human level.

  The scholars in my classroom were required to give booktalks last month, and the ways in which they were reflecting on the stories was complex and exciting. I especially enjoyed listening to the students who rated themselves low in their reading confidence; they were just as engaged and eloquent as their more self-assured peers. I have no doubt that this is directly tied to the rich library they have access to.

  We are now 4 months into the school year and the 8th graders have been undergoing "benchmark testing" every few weeks to measure their reading fluency and comprehension. I am proud to say that the number of "at risk" students in my class has been steadily declining. More importantly, their desire to read and engage in stories is rising. I even have students from other 8th grade classes come by my room to check out books.

  I believe learning is simply expanding one's perspective, and inviting the stories of other people into one's heart and mind. As a first year teach in an area heavily impacted by poverty, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to help students learn in such a joyous way. Please rest assured that your donation is improving the lives of Ford middle schoolers every day.”

  With gratitude,

  Ms. Hill