Teachers
Big Kids
Steve Sherman
Ryan Riss
Angela Larsen
Mountain Room
Megan Arnim
Hi, there! My name is Megan Arnim, and I’ve worked with 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children at Hillop since 1998.
I love: children, children’s literature, children’s artwork, women’s voices singing, Tango music, the Oregon Country Fair, my family, Washington State, thinking deeply, baking desserts, and the way the evening light turns everything golden against a dark sky.
I could easily live without: dentist appointments, green peppers, bank statements, earwigs, and disrespectful behavior.
Nick Terrones
Sandra Floyd
Raindrop Room
Myrna Canon
I have worked for over 28 years as a preschool teacher at Hilltop Children’s Center. I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in elementary education in the Philippines, and taught in my native land for seven years as a kindergarten teacher. I twice received the Master Teacher Award from the Child Care Director’s Association of Greater Seattle, and have had a number of my documentation panels used as illustrations in the book Spreading the News. My work is also prominently featured in the video Children at the Center: Reflective Teachers at Work. My dedication to children and my own professional and spiritual development is outweighed only by a commitment to have fun!
Over the years, I have attended several early childhood continuing education courses to enhance my teaching skills. On the 25th anniversary of my teaching career, I was honored with the creation of a scholarship fund by a group of parents of Hilltop alumni. The scholarship provides temporary emergency funds for Hilltop families experiencing difficulties in paying for childcare.
I have been married 36 years to my beloved husband and we are blessed with one son.
During my 28 years at Hilltop, I have seen an enormous amount of growth and change, not only in myself, but also in the Hilltop community. I have been continually inspired by the new ideas that were steps in our journey at Hilltop throughout the 90’s: High Scope Curriculum, the Project Approach and the blend of Emergent Curriculum and Reggio Emilia we practice now. Throughout the evolution of these new philosophical approaches to curriculum, I have maintained a respect for the uniqueness of each child and have honored cultural diversity. I feel I have achieved knowledge and professionalism in the field of early childhood education that makes the hard work all worth it.
I share my passion for gardening as a metaphor for the passion I feel for the teaching profession. A garden, like children, needs consistent love, respect, care, and nurturing, in order to flourish. I find that the hobbies I pursue, especially ballroom dancing, complement my love of teaching as it helps me “go with the flow.” During the weekends, I enjoy hanging out with my family, dancing, and participating in Filipino cultural events.
My favorite children’s books are: The Little Cloud, Tell Me Something Before I Go to Sleep and The Pumpkin Blanket. The favorite books that I read daily are the Holy Bible and Keep Life Simple Therapy.
Here are a few quotes that I would like to share:
“Celebrate the ordinary. Your heart knows the comfort and beauty in common things. Let it tell your head.”
“A joy that is shared is a joy made double.”
“Learn to value spiritual things over material things. They last longer, cost less and bring more.”
“Create a ten-second wildflower meadow in your mind whenever you need it. Your imagination can be a great peacemaker in times of chaos.”
River Room
Kristin Williamson
Jamilah Johnson
Erin Schulze
Rainbow Room
Sarah Greenleaf
Lindsay Johnson
Emily Viehauser
I’ve been a teacher on the Sunlight team since September of 2005. I came to Hilltop to learn about and practice in-depth project work and the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching, learning, and being in community together.
Primarily, I come from the Midwest, although I’ve spent much of my adult life on the West Coast. When I’m not at Hilltop, I’m usually spending time with my family. My husband Jeremy and I have two girls; Raiden is seven and Jaisa is five. In our free time together we like paying attention to the moon, going to the beach, hiking in the woods, camping, being silly, and snuggling up to watch movies.
I’ve been working with young children and their families since 1995. Since then, I’ve worked in many different atmospheres in a variety of positions. I’ve been an assistant teacher, a co-teacher, a lead teacher, a supervisor, helped two brand new preschool programs get up and running and now am a member of a four person teaching team. I’ve also experienced working in single age classrooms, multi-age classrooms, and cooperative preschools.
My education throughout the years has been continuous. In addition to having my CDA ( Child Development Associate Credential), I have attended a great number of classes, conferences, and workshops pertaining to all areas of child development to help me stay focused and refreshed. I have hopes to work on a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education when my husband is finished with his Master’s program.
My focus while helping to create an engaging and responsive environment for children is to foster a love for learning. I believe that self-confident independent thinking children will learn because they are enthusiastic about life and interested in the world around them. Working with children is very rewarding in so many ways. Even after all this time, they still continue to amaze me.
“I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,
or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,
but because it never forgot what it could do.” –by Naomi Shihab Nye