Jill was a ray of light in our lives! We all fell in love with her genuine passion for teaching and loving kids. Our daughter had so many wonderful experiences with Jill as her teacher
My son's love of learning, to us, is a direct product of Ms. Jill’s Montessori classroom, and reflective of his teacher who is always encouraging him and challenging him to do and be his best. He finds rigor and accountability while also knowing he is supported, accepted, and cared for by his teacher and his peers.
Ms. Jill is an inspiration to young and old alike! She taught my sons at Montessori Day School and inspired them with Cosmic Education and Montessori value. Her high regard for the spirit of the child within gave them a lifelong love of learning. She also created a strong sense of community among students, parents, and teachers.
Joni Long Jill was my daughter's teacher at Montessori. She is amazing! She is compassionate and truly connects with the children at their level. She provides them with academic and emotional guidance. We are so lucky to have had her as a teacher!
Associate Program Director, Arts Horizons
From her Teaching and Performing Artist work:
Jill developed programs in the classroom as workshop series in the New York City School Districts. Her style as a teaching artist has always demonstrated the highest caliber of teaching skills by addressing the learning standards, bringing a certain level of focused quality and joy to the children, and sustaining the program through solid lesson plans and support material. She has provided curriculum development/staff development for teachers so they may enhance their lesson plans through her vision. ... Jill’s achievements as a teaching artist in Early Childhood Development and Special Education has made her one of the most sought after teaching artists in the area. Her strength as an assembly/performing artist providing a full spectrum of diverse/cultural dances has added to her demand.
PS 38 Principal
Ms. Jill provided PS 38 with her expertise in the Arts as it relates to Dance Movement, helping the children to reach their highest potential. She is compassionate, responsible and above all, dedicated to helping children succeed.
Staton Island, NY
Kindergarten Teacher
As a Kindergarten teacher in NYC Public School, I was lucky to work with Ms. Jill and her residency in multicultural dance. Jill is a talented artist but also a wonderful teacher. She connects well with the young children. She has great ideas and is well-prepared. Jill is generous with her time and is willing to do more than expected. If you could have seen the faces of the children in my class during our dance sessions, you would have seen pure delight, joy, and pride. All of us, teachers and students, benefitted from these classes.
PS 38
Staten Island, NY
Reading Teacher
Ms. Jill’s Multicultural Dance Residency was excellent. Children participated in dances from around the world. They learned some background culture that helped to connect them to the dances.. Ms. Jill brought music, percussion instruments, props and costumes. She had a gentle, soothing manner. The dances were interesting yet not too difficult. The children’s final performance in the auditorium was successful. The focusing techniques and bridges to poetry and culture helped to develop literacy strategies.
PS. 46
Bronx, New York
Director, Montessori Day Schools
From her Montessori- teaching supervisors:
Ms. Jill is a creative, motivated and talented teacher.
She has:
—developed a Multicultural Arts Curriculum age appropriate Pre-K to 6th grade
—shows strong accountability towards all aspects of the classroom.
—writes lesson plans aligned with State Standards with ILLP’s to support ELL
students.
—communicates well with parents through emails and Newsletters
—is creative in lesson presentation, weaving in her background in the arts with song,
movement, culture and the spirit of play that are in line with Montessori curriculum.
—brings a strong peace curriculum and peace area to her classroom environment.
Jill is a team player that works with others to share ideas to create a better
environment for the school. She brings joy to all areas of her work.
From her UCLA professor:
Jill is highly qualified, a fine teacher, and an excellent role model for her students. …. She is curious, open, receptive, responsible, and capable. She works steadily combining her keen intelligence with personal sensitivity which is alert to ethical and emotional issues. ….Jill cares deeply about teaching, loves it, and conscientiously improves on yesterday’s successes. She is a natural giver but understands that students must make their own discoveries to benefit from their learning experiences. She is patient, kind, friendly, demanding, supportive and has a gentle sense of humor which enables her to see many sides of a situation.