Teaching for Black Lives study groups across the United States participated in the 2025 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Actionweek of action.

Walt Whitman High School’s Leadership Academy for Social Justice (LASJ) hosted a Social Justice Fair that brought together Whitman students and families, activists, educators, and organizations, including Teaching for Change, from the DMV area.

Pre-K students explore the 13 Guiding Principles of Black Lives Matter at School through storytelling.

A class of 3-5 year olds engaged in a week long book study of Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and focused on hair care routines. The book and experiences addressed the Black Lives Matter guiding principles of Diversity, Black Families, Empathy, Unapologetically Black, and Intergenerational. 

The Black History Month showcase at Breakthrough Montessori PCS, which featured a poetry slam, was a celebration of community, self-expression, and Black joy. 

Join us for the annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair on Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 9:15AM–12:45PM in person at Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS (200 Douglas Street NE).

Students at Thomas ES were joined by teachers and families for an assembly on March 7, 2025 celebrating Black Lives Matter at School. Students from each grade presented performances about Black activists and staff were honored with awards celebrating Black women.

Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC: The Washington, D.C. International Film Festival for a fourteenth year to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring films and filmmakers for some films into D.C. classrooms.

In celebration of Black History Month and in alignment with the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, Langley Elementary School's fifth-grade class explored Black youth excellence in food and agriculture. With support from the FoodPrints team of FreshFarm and led by Mr. Jamie Phillips, students engaged in hands-on activities that celebrated the contributions of Black innovators to sustainable food systems.

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice hosted a virtual curriculum fair, featuring an inspiring keynote by Jesse Hagopian and dynamic workshops rooted in the Black Lives Matter at School movement. The event centered on the national demands and guiding principles that focus on improving the school experience for Black students.

Since it launched three years ago, Teaching for Change has hosted a table at the annual "A Day of Action," hosted by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in the museum's beautiful atrium which is shared with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Students explored the political and economic factors leading to the civil war in El Salvador, as well as the role of the United States in influencing the war's outcome.

Maximo Alfaro integrated various cultural, historical, and geographical elements into a cohesive unit in his middle school classroom at District of Columbia International PCS. The unit included a map activity, a Central American Cultural Day, and a guest speaker from the local Central American community.

Teaching about Central America in an AP English Language and Composition classroom using mixer activities, poetry, and an essay.

In and ESL/Bilingual class, students learn about Central American countries and student contribute to a shared/collaborative slide presentation about each country over the course of a week.

High school students learn about Central Americans of note and desing monuments to celebrate them.

We are big fans of the new graphic history called Freedom Was in Sight: A Graphic History of Reconstruction in the Washington, D.C., Region. The book was recently introduced at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture at an event we co-sponsored for educators. We are also hearing from D.C. area educators who are using the book in their classrooms.

In a country that is deeply divided, the staff at Bruce Monroe @ Park View Elementary School show how to bridge that gap with a schoolwide exploration of students’ history and culture — and a commitment to activism for justice.

Elementary and Secondary Working Group Meeting

Twelve teachers from the DCAESJ elementary and secondary working groups gathered at the Teaching for Change office for a workshop on race, identity, and stereotypes in art, led by Diamond Gray of the American Visionary Art Museum.

Inspired Teaching Demonstration School (ITDS) had a successful inaugural Banned Books Week (September 23rd - 27th). From classroom read-alouds early in the week-long celebration, to guest parent speakers, and culminating in a Banned Book Character Parade, read on to learn more about the variety of ways ITDS championed the freedom to read.