Created for Our Children: Homeschool Curriculum by Black, Hispanic and Indigenous Educators
- Nawah Banyamyan
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Choosing a homeschool curriculum is one of the biggest decisions a homeschooling parent will make. Families want resources that help their children become strong readers, confident writers, capable problem-solvers and knowledgeable young people.
However, many Black, Hispanic and Indigenous parents are searching for something more.
We want our children to receive a strong education while also seeing themselves, their families and their communities represented throughout their learning. Our children deserve curriculum that recognizes their history, celebrates their accomplishments and teaches them that they come from intelligent, creative and resilient people.
That is why I created Created for Our Children: A Guide to Homeschool Curriculum by Black, Hispanic and Indigenous Educators and Parents.
Why culturally affirming curriculum matters
Children are deeply affected by what they see—or do not see—in their educational materials.
When children constantly study books in which the inventors, scientists, leaders, families and historical figures look nothing like them, they may begin to believe that people from their community did not contribute anything meaningful to the world.
Our children need to learn about the accomplishments of Black, Hispanic and Indigenous people throughout the entire school year—not only during Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month or Indigenous History Month.
Culturally affirming curriculum helps children:
Develop a positive sense of identity
Learn accurate and complete history
Recognize the accomplishments of their ancestors
See themselves as scientists, authors, mathematicians and leaders
Understand different cultures and communities
Ask thoughtful questions about the world
Build confidence in their ability to succeed
Develop respect for their family and heritage
Representation should not replace strong academics. It should be intentionally included within a strong academic program.
Curriculum created by Black educators and parents
During my research, I found several excellent curricula and educational companies created by Black educators, historians, parents and homeschoolers.
These creators have developed resources in areas such as:
Black history
American and world history
Mathematics
Science and STEAM
Literature
Culture and identity
Leadership
Economics
Entrepreneurship
Programs such as Black History 365, Woke Homeschooling, Heritage Mom, Urban Intellectuals, Sankofa Club, Melanated Mathematics and Black Girl MATHgic provide families with meaningful alternatives to traditional materials.
Some of these programs offer complete history courses, while others provide living-book guides, flashcards, mathematics activities, online classes or cultural enrichment.
These resources show children that Black history is more than enslavement and the Civil Rights Movement. Black history also includes ancient civilizations, families, faith, resistance, discoveries, literature, mathematics, business, invention, leadership and community building.
Curriculum created by Hispanic and Latino educators and parents
I also found resources created by Hispanic and Latino educators, bilingual teachers and homeschooling parents.
These programs commonly focus on:
Spanish-language instruction
Bilingual literacy
Hispanic and Latino history
Latin American geography
Cultural traditions
Literature and storytelling
Music and art
Nature studies
Identity and family
Resources such as Hispanic Heritage Studies, MommyMaestra, Latinos Homeschooling, Spanish Educational Solutions, Discovering Español, Con Todo Press and Niños & Nature help families bring language and culture into their homes.
Many Hispanic and Latino families want their children to become bilingual without losing their connection to family, culture and community. These resources allow children to learn Spanish in meaningful ways instead of simply memorizing isolated vocabulary words.
Children can learn language through stories, conversations, songs, nature, history, geography and everyday family experiences.
Curriculum created by Indigenous educators and tribal nations
There are also valuable curricula created by Indigenous educators, Native-led organizations, tribal nations, Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
These resources often focus on:
Tribal history
Indigenous languages
Sovereignty and government
Treaties
Land-based science
Environmental responsibility
Traditional foods and plants
Literature and storytelling
Contemporary Indigenous life
Community knowledge
Programs and organizations such as Native Knowledge 360°, Redbud Resource Group, Strong Nations, GoodMinds, the Cherokee Nation Language Department, Lessons of Our Land and Tend, Gather and Grow provide more accurate ways to teach Indigenous history and culture.
One of the most important lessons from this research is that Indigenous peoples should not be presented as one large, identical group.
The Cherokee, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Diné, Lakota, Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous nations have their own languages, histories, governments and cultural practices. Whenever possible, families should identify and study the individual nation rather than using only general terms such as “Native Americans.”
We must examine who created the curriculum
A curriculum can include pictures of Black, Hispanic or Indigenous children without being culturally informed.
Families should ask:
Who created this curriculum?
Did members of the community participate in its development?
Were historians, educators or Knowledge Keepers consulted?
Does the curriculum present people only as victims?
Does it show historical and present-day accomplishments?
Are different communities treated as one culture?
Does it include stereotypes?
Are the books written by people from the cultures being studied?
Does it provide strong academic instruction?
Does it encourage children to think, investigate and ask questions?
Whenever possible, choose resources that are created, reviewed or approved by the people whose stories are being taught.
The major gap I discovered
Although I found many excellent culturally affirming resources, I also discovered a significant gap.
Most Black, Hispanic and Indigenous curriculum companies specialize in one area. Some create history lessons. Others provide Spanish resources, literature guides, cultural studies, math kits or science activities.
Very few provide a complete Pre-K–12 homeschool curriculum covering every core subject.
Parents often have to purchase a traditional curriculum and then add culturally relevant resources from several different creators. This can become expensive, time-consuming and overwhelming—especially for families homeschooling multiple children.
A family should be able to obtain a complete grade-level curriculum that includes:
Language Arts
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Black, Hispanic and Indigenous history
Biblical studies
Culture and identity
Health
Life skills
Financial literacy
Assessments
Answer keys
Parent lesson plans
Homeschool record-keeping tools
This discovery strengthened my vision for Tazamach Learning Press™.
Tazamach Learning Press™
Tazamach Learning Press™ is developing academically strong, culturally affirming and Bible-based curriculum for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous children.
Our goal is to eventually offer complete curriculum for every grade from Pre-K through Grade 12.
Each complete grade-level program will be designed to include:
A parent or teacher guide
Clearly organized lesson plans
Student textbooks and workbooks
Reading selections
Hands-on activities
Projects and research assignments
Assessments and answer keys
Portfolio checklists
Progress-monitoring tools
Homeschool record-keeping forms
Suggested schedules
Support for struggling learners
Cultural connections
Biblical instruction
Printable and digital options
As a certified K–12 educator, literacy intervention specialist, curriculum developer, homeschooling mother and founder of Tazamach Homeschooling Academy, I understand that parents need more than attractive worksheets.
Parents need a complete plan.
They need to know what to teach, how to teach it, how to support a child who is struggling and how to determine whether their child is making progress.
Created for real homeschooling families
Our curriculum vision considers the realities of families who may not have large homes, expensive supplies or unlimited time.
Learning can happen at the kitchen table, on the couch, at the library, in the backyard or while visiting the community.
Families should not need a separate schoolroom to provide an excellent education.
Tazamach Learning Press™ curriculum will be designed for:
First-time homeschooling parents
Families homeschooling multiple children
Working parents
Families living in small spaces
Families teaching on a limited budget
Children working above or below grade level
Struggling readers and writers
Homeschool co-ops
Microschools
Private schools
Tutors and intervention specialists
The world is a classroom, and meaningful learning can happen wherever a family is.
Our children deserve a complete education
Culturally affirming education is not about excluding the histories of other people. It is about correcting the imbalance that has caused the accomplishments and experiences of our communities to be ignored, minimized or misrepresented.
Our children should learn how to read deeply, write clearly, solve difficult problems and investigate the natural world.
They should also know who they are.
They should see people from their communities represented as authors, mathematicians, inventors, educators, scientists, builders, leaders and parents.
They should understand that their history did not begin with oppression.
They should be prepared academically, spiritually, culturally and practically for the responsibilities ahead of them.
Created for our children
The Created for Our Children Curriculum Guide was developed to help families discover educational resources created by Black, Hispanic and Indigenous educators, parents, organizations and tribal nations.
It is also an invitation to support the people who are doing the important work of creating curriculum for our communities.
When we support culturally informed curriculum creators, we help them develop additional books, courses, lessons and programs. We also demonstrate that families want educational materials that reflect their children accurately and respectfully.
Our children deserve curriculum that recognizes their identity, develops their abilities and prepares them for the future.
They deserve resources created with them in mind.
They deserve an education created for our children.
Tazamach Learning Press™ creates academically strong, culturally affirming and Bible-based educational resources for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous children. Follow Tazamach Learning Press™ and Tazamach Homeschooling Academy for curriculum updates, homeschooling support and new educational resources.
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