EDUCATION: Hill helps Eastern Greene students improve their reading skills

By Tawni Prudhomme Eastern Greene teacher Kim Hill works with Preston Henderson as part of Hill's "Literacy Quest" program at Eastern Greene Elementary School. [Order this photo]

EASTERN HEIGHTS -- Kim Hill is the director of "Literacy Quest," Eastern Greene Elementary School's Title I reading program.

First through fourth graders visit the room daily for one hour, and they are accompanied by their homeroom teacher. Hill and each homeroom teacher team teach during each reading period.

Mary Ann Chaney is a fulltime assistant for the Title I program. Hill said, "She is my guru."

There are five continuous groups moving through different stations. The groups may include small group intervention, quiet reading station, listening area, computer station, writing, vocabulary/word building, and a poetry station. Some groups are student directed. Others are receiving instruction.

Hill is constantly moving from group to group supervising and guiding her students. The teacher-to-student ratio is 4 to 1. There are approximately 20 students per class.

Hill has devised a method that keeps this room running smoothly and her students on task. There is a different colored table with matching chairs for each station. Students have color-coded folders. When they enter the classroom, they refer to the very large "agenda" board placed strategically on one wall. This will tell the students what stations they are to travel through during the class period. The agenda board is changed before each grade level enters the room. A timer sounds and students know when it's time to move to another station.

The physical areas of the classroom include a large carpeted area with a rocking chair, bulletin boards displaying student stories and a word wall, numerous storage units containing a wide selection of learning materials, and an explosion of reading materials just for the students.

Hill explained, "We serve grades one-fourth each day. These are heterogeneous grouping arrangements. All students kindergarten through grade sixth are administered the DIBELS assessment test. Strategic parameters are identified for intervention. Some of our students are gathered from this population. Our curriculum is based on regular grade level goals and skills and guided by the Indiana State Standards. In our room, we take the skill and break it down. We cover the skill thoroughly and intensely. Students receive skill instruction in very small 4 to 1 groups instead of a larger classroom situation. Learning styles and intelligences are addressed in the classroom. Differentiated instruction is utilized. That entails taking the student from their current level and moving them forward."

Hill is in her first year as Title I instructor. The past five years she saw 800 students every week during Character Education classes.

She said, "This was really good preparation for my present position that requires me to manage various grade levels, their curriculum, and all students."

Hill has lived in Sandborn for 14 years, and she received her bachelor's degree from Oakland City and her master's from Indiana Weslyan.