“I call this place Education Disney World,” says Hill Learning Center teacher Jeff Barger, a grin stretched across his face.
After retiring from 30 years of teaching in public schools, Mr. Barger joined Hill’s staff in the 2020-2021 school year and now teaches third- through fifth-grade reading and writing.
“I was all-in from the start because I knew this was a great place. I was already preaching HillRAP before I even came here,” explains Mr. Barger, a longtime supporter of Hill’s well-respected reading intervention program.
HillRAP guides teachers through direct, explicit, mastery-based instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The program’s sequence and emphasis on multi-sensory instruction is influenced by Orton-Gillingham. The web-based HillRAP app allows teachers, tutors, and students to access the program from anywhere with an Internet connection.
Mr. Barger, who earned a master’s degree in elementary education with a concentration in early literacy from Appalachian State University, confidently explains,”I tell families: ‘We’re going to teach your children how to read here – how to decode words – and from that, they’ll be able to go on and read.'”
As a teacher, he appreciates the methodology’s “laser-like focus” on literacy skills, built through repetition and routine.
“Every day I come in, that’s what we’re working on,” he says. “And because we do this day in and day out, students get better.”
The HillRAP app gives teachers immediate feedback on students’ progress.
Mr. Barger explains with unmistakable excitement: “I can show students the progression. I can say, ‘You’ve moved from one-syllable consonant-vowel-consonant words to words with multiple syllables. I can show you your own progress.'”
“Plus it’s very transparent. It’s like we’re giving students the exact prescription for what they need.”
Talented teachers like Mr. Barger can synthesize students’ skill levels and needs with their individual backgrounds and interests to customize classroom activities.
“I like introducing books to my students that they’re not familiar with, especially early chapter books,” he notes.
He intentionally selects books with diverse characters from Hill’s library. Many of the books were hand-selected by veteran teacher Shauna Saunders, who specializes in DEI-focused instruction.
Recently, Mr. Barger gave his classes Dream Street, a New York Times-acclaimed picture book about a lively Boston block “where everyone is special, and the warmth of the neighborhood shines.”
One of Mr. Barger’s students, who was born outside the United States, was immediately captivated by the cover of the book.
“He saw the book and noticed the kids on the cover and said, ‘These kids look like me.’ Bingo. That’s what we’re trying to do here,” Mr. Barger notes with pride.
A spirit of inclusion and focus on holistic teaching are factors that drew Mr. Barger to Hill.
“I really just love the people I get to work with here,” he says with a smile. “They are good, kind people who truly care.”
With a slight chuckle, he adds, “I have to stop talking about them or I’ll get emotional.”
Clearly, students at Hill Learning Center experience growth and transformation. But the same applies to faculty as well.
“Being here allows you to be more patient,” Mr. Barger remarks. “It’s so frenetic in other places, but here, you can learn to be patient – and not just with students and colleagues but with yourself. There’s more time for self reflection.”
“The soil is rich here and you’re going to grow.”