Crowns Curriculum
After nearly three decades as an educator and school leader, I have come to a clear conclusion. Identity is not an add-on to instruction. Identity is the instructional strategy.
Too often, schools treat identity as something to acknowledge occasionally. It appears during heritage months or in an isolated lesson. But when identity is centered in the design of a classroom, the impact is immediate and visible.
You can feel it when you walk into the room. Students are greeted at the door. The walls reflect the people in the classroom. The space is clean, purposeful, and welcoming. More importantly, the instruction begins with the understanding that students are not empty vessels. They arrive with lived experience, cultural knowledge, and deep connections to their communities.
Great educators also understand the Pygmalion Effect, the understanding that what we believe about students shapes what they become.
This is especially powerful for Black boys.
In environments where their identities are affirmed, Black boys begin to take intellectual risks. They engage deeply with reading, writing, and mathematics. They ask questions. They seek help when the work becomes difficult. Over time, they begin to see themselves as scholars and leaders.
This philosophy is embedded in the Crowns Curriculum. Every image, every story, and every lesson intentionally reflects the brilliance of Black people across time. Students see both the legacy of the past and the achievements of today. When identity is reflected in the learning experience, rigor becomes not only possible, but expected.
If we are serious about improving outcomes, educators and school leaders must rethink how classrooms are designed.
The real question is this.
What would change in our schools if identity were treated not as enrichment, but as the engine of rigorous learning?
Want to learn how to better support your black students, check out our crowns curriculum, a college-prep elective designed to address a critical gap in education. It supports Black male achievement through culturally grounded instruction and real-world learning. Crowns curriculum equips educators with academically rigorous, culturally responsive materials that engage students as readers, thinkers, and leaders.
Interested in bringing Crowns to your school? Now is the perfect time to look into it for your schools 2027 school year.
Learn more about Crown's Curriculum: https://lnkd.in/g5ke2Zq9
Learn more about Kingmakers of Oakland: https://lnkd.in/gjjYdP8e
Peace,
Matin