Elevated Educator is a database that holds unit/lesson plans for teachers across the United States to teach classes that are culturally relevant. The database was developed by teachers serving multiple subjects from grades 6 to 12.

Teachers from East Lower and Upper School located in Rochester, NY, with the support of Dr. Sonia James-Wilson, Julie Kopp, and CUES, were the ones who developed all the unit plans in this database.

Currently Elevated Educator does not welcome submissions from teachers not associated with it's organization. However, Elevated Educator is currently working on allowing teachers accross the country to submit their culturally relevant lesson plans. If you would like feedback on the work your district is doing, reach out for more support through CUES.

The cost to run and maintain Elevated Educator is covered by East Lower and Upper School in Rochester, NY and the Center for Urban Education Success at the Warner School, University of Rochester.

Reach out to CUES.

From there, you will be connected with the level of support your district/organization needs to become culturally relevant.

First, TALK to your children about race, discrimination, white privilege and structural racism. It is never too early to talk about race. Be intentional about the words you use, the authors you put in front of your children, and the values you portray through your support of people of color. Make your ACTIONS match your words.

Second, DEFINE terms like 'implicit bias', 'white supremacy', 'privilege' and 'microaggressions' AND name them when they are seen. Silence reinforces biases and stereotypes.

Third, ENCOURAGE empathy (not sympathy!) and EMPOWER your children/family to take ACTION.

Here are some of our favorite books to get these steps moving with children:

Picture Books:

"I Am Every Good Thing" and "Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut" by Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James

"Seperate is Never Equal" by Duncan Tonatiuh

"Rosa" by Nikki Giovanni

"Kamala and Maya's Big Idea" by Meena Harris

"Who Will You Be?" by Andrea Pippins

"I, Too, Am America" by Langston Hughes

"Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Be Malcolm X" by Ilyasah Shabazz

"I am Enough" by Grace Byers

"Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History" by Vashti Harrison

"Juneteenth" by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Drew Nelson

"Young, Gifted and Black" by Jamia Wilson

Chapter Books:

"The Skin I'm In" by Sharon Flake

"The Stars Beneath our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

"Ghost" by Jason Reynolds

"The Poet X" and "Clap When You Land" by Elizabeth Acevedo

"Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America" and "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi

"Punching the Air" by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

"Dear Martin" by Nic Stone

"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You" by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

East staff have participated in many book circles and professional developments. Some of our favorite books are:

"Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain" by Zaretta Hammond

Anything and everthing written by Gloria Ladson-Billings

"We Want to Do More Than Just Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom" by Bettina Love

"Stamped from The Beginning:The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" by Ibram X. Kendi

"White Fragility: Why it's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" by Robin DiAngelo

Julie Kopp, Dr. Sonia James-Wilson, Warner Center, UR Faculty & Staff