Chemistry on campus: Science teacher’s secret to building an inviting classroom
Manteca High chemistry teacher William Hillier believes success in his classroom starts with the human element — communication and conversation. From there, the 33-year veteran believes anything is possible. (Hanna Palacio/The Tower)
By LEILANY ARANDA
The Tower
In chemistry experiments, the right mix of elements can perform a spectacular reaction. This idea can also be applied to Room 91, where Manteca High chemistry teacher William Hillier brings interactive and humorous energy to his class every day.
Hillier is one of the most attentive and personable teachers on campus, focusing especially on his classroom environment, not just the lessons itself.
The natural sunlight spilling into his room, the everyday smile he gives, and the constant chatter creates an atmosphere that makes students want to never leave.
“Mr. Hillier is a teacher that has inspired me very much ever since I was in his class,” said Juan Villa Garcia, a senior at Manteca High. “He's one of those teachers that looks beyond just a student and looks towards how the students actually is in real life, how his home life is and how it's affecting them as a person, and his atmosphere and everything is very encouraging because he's more than just a teacher to me. He feels like another parent teacher who I'm able to come to.”
Manteca High chemistry William Hillier sheds a smile as he interacts with students Mateo Esparza and Addison Jackson. (Hanna Palacio/The Tower)
Balancing authority while building connections and gaining students trust is never easy. Teenagers in particular can be hard to get to open up, especially when they resist like unreactive elements, but …
Nobody knows formulas like Hillier.
“Some classes are less disciplined already,” Hillier shared, “and an awful lot of the time … just inviting them, letting them know that I want to hear what you have to say is enough to disarm them. When they feel like their point of view matters, they’re more likely to play ball.”
The Tower caught up with William Hillier to discuss how engages with students, and there’s a friendly and understanding tone attached to every word.
The Tower: How do you make sure every student feels welcome in your classroom?
William Hillier: I try to engage with them at least once during the day. Sometimes during random checks for understanding and a lot of the times just walking around, trying to see who’s having trouble with the work; checking, seeing if they need help and if it looks like they’re getting frazzled, ask if they’re okay.
TT: Do you ever face challenges engaging with students? Especially ones that choose not to communicate.
WH: Actually, some of the hardest of those are the ones who don’t want to communicate with you. They’re not giving you a hard time, just doing everything possible to try and not interact and a lot of times it’s hard to draw them out of their shell and sometimes. Unfortunately, the best leverage I have there is to call home and say, “Hey, he’s failing, he’s refusing to try, and help is available.”
TT: How do you manage kids that are disruptive or causing commotion? Is it difficult and what strategies do you use to maintain it?
WH: Usually, I try to say, “Hey I mean you’ve been in the class; you’ve seen I need you to get this done by the period to get your participation stamp and the participation stamp counts for points.”
TT: I know that a lot of teachers, especially when they're new, they kind of struggle with a teaching style. They kind of just go based off what they're told but they don't figure out their own until years later. Was that ever an issue for you? Did that ever cause problems in your classroom??
WH: My teaching style has evolved a lot over the years. When I first started teaching, I taught like I was taught which was predominantly lecture. As time went on, I learned that the kids needed to try things and apply them, and I learned that I actually had more success talking less and letting them try and find out whether or not they could do it.
TT: Is any of your style or strategies inspired by people in the past that you've had or anybody that you know?
WH: Yeah, my chemistry teacher, I struggled in chemistry. I struggled in chemistry, and I got an honorary C-minus the first semester I'm pretty sure. But my chemistry teacher was there at lunch, and he was there after school, and he said why don't you come in and we'll give you some help? And when I started teaching, I was getting very frustrated and I told him, I know him, he's a friend of the family, and I told him I was getting very frustrated and he said, well where do you have lunch? And I said, in the teacher's lounge. He said, “Don’t.” He said, “Open your room up and get to know the kids.” And that's what I've done for 33 years, and it has always helped pay off in a lot of the other ways we've talked about.