HILL Pedagogies provides educational services and support to honor and advance the Histories, Identities, Literacies and Liberation (HILL) of communities. Drawing from the scholarship of leading researcher, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, professional learning initiatives en parents, leaders, teachers, and young people both in the United States and internationally to promote effective pedagogical practices.
With a focus on individualized learning strategies, academic planning, and mentorship, we strive to cultivate a nurturing environment where practitioners can thrive professionally and personally. Our goal is to inspire Culturally and Historically Responsive learning environments and foster academic success.
Welcome to
HILL Pedagogies!
Where genius is cultivated,
joy is unearthed, and education is a pathway to liberation.
HILL Pedagogies provides educational services and support to honor and advance the Histories, Identities, Literacies and Liberation (HILL) of communities. Drawing from the scholarship of leading researcher, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, professional learning initiatives en parents, leaders, teachers, and young people both in the United States and internationally to promote effective pedagogical practices.
With a focus on individualized learning strategies, academic planning, and mentorship, we strive to cultivate a nurturing environment where practitioners can thrive professionally and personally. Our goal is to inspire Culturally and Historically Responsive learning environments and foster academic success.
About HILL Pedagogies
HILL Pedagogies provides educational services and support to honor and advance the Histories, Identities, Literacies and Liberation (HILL) of communities. Drawing from the scholarship of leading researcher, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, we provide education and professional learning for educators, parents, leaders, teachers, paraprofessionals, community members, young people and more both in the United States and internationally to promote effective pedagogical practices. Our goal is elevating genius, justice and joy!
About HILL Pedagogies
HILL Pedagogies provides educational services and support to honor and advance the Histories, Identities, Literacies and Liberation (HILL) of communities. Drawing from the scholarship of leading researcher, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, professional learning initiatives en parents, leaders, teachers, and young people both in the United States and internationally to promote effective pedagogical practices.
With a focus on individualized learning strategies, academic planning, and mentorship, we strive to cultivate a nurturing environment where practitioners can thrive professionally and personally. Our goal is to inspire Culturally and Historically Responsive learning environments and foster academic success.
Our Vision
We envision a world where classrooms and other learning spaces are sites of genius, justice and joy. It is our goal to support educators so they are equipped to nurture the full humanity of every student, where learning is rooted in love, truth, creativity, and the liberation of historically underserved communities—locally and globally. Children and educators alike must be free to dream, create, learn and live out their highest potential.
Our Mission
At HILL Pedagogies, our mission is to transform education by advancing students’ Histories, Identities, Literacies, and Liberation (HILL). Through culturally and historically responsive professional learning and consultation, we support educators in creating learning spaces where every student feels seen, affirmed, and empowered to think critically, act boldly, and thrive in the global world.
Our Challenge
Too often, students are asked to fit into systems that were never designed with them in mind. Historically, learning standards, curriculum, assessments, teacher evaluations, and teacher education have focused on the teaching only of skills. Still today. curriculum overlooks students’ histories. Instruction ignores their identities. Assessment limits their literacies. And learning environments silence their calls for liberation. HILL Pedagogies exists to disrupt this norm by providing an advanced state of education, centered on rich pedagogies and pursuits of identity development, skills, intellectualism, criticality, and joy. HILL Pedagogies seeks to partner with educators ready to do the same.
SERVICES
The tools, strategies, and support to teach for genius, joy, and justice.
Speaking & Keynotes
Dr. Gholdy Muhammad offers powerful keynotes and hands-on coaching rooted the HILL Pedagogies' Five Pursuits Framework™️ of HILL Pedagogies. From inspiring talks to curriculum development support, every session center culturally and historically responsive practices that spark meaningful change.
Instructional Coaching
In these sessions, educators bring real curricular materials to collaboratively plan while receiving coaching on writing these materials on ways to transform them to engaging, responsive lesson and unit plans. This coaching focuses on the HILL Pedagogies' Five Pursuits Framework™️, which emphasizes culturally and historically responsive practices.
School-District Consulting
If schools or districts are setting goals or creating plans, a consultant from HILL Pedagogies will collaborate with the team to strategize, provide advice, and participate in meaningful discussions.
HILL Model Deep Dive Workshops
Led by a Cultivating Genius Coach, these customized workshops help educators explore culturally and historically responsive education in depth. Participants will dive deeper into the HILL Pedagogies' Five Pursuits Framework or the HILL Model, learning ways to teach and assess identity development, skills, intellect, criticality and joy. Sessions blend theory and practice, covering topics like equity, literacy, lesson planning, and culturally and historically responsive classroom strategies.
Curriculum Review
Our team provides equity-centered curriculum reviews and audits to help schools assess and strengthen their instructional materials and tools. Using the HILL Pedagogies' Five Pursuits Framework™️, we analyze curriculum for cultural responsiveness, representation, rigor, and relevance—offering detailed reports and actionable feedback to ensure all students see themselves, succeed academically, and engage meaningfully with the content.
In Cultivating Genius, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad introduces the Historically Responsive Literacy Framework—an equity-centered approach rooted in 19th-century Black literacy practices. Grounded in four pursuits—identity, skills, intellect, and criticality—this framework empowers all students, especially youth of color, to thrive personally, academically, and socially.
In Unearthing Joy, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad expands her equity framework by adding a fifth pursuit—joy—defined as wellness, beauty, healing, and justice. Through culturally and historically grounded teaching, she offers practical tools to help students learn with purpose and thrive in every way.
Sample Mini Lesson from book
Nurturing the Heart and Mind:
Alfred L. Cralle and the Ice Cream Scoop
IDENTITY
What is your favorite ice flavor?
SKILLS
How is the ice cream scoop an example of a simple machine? (STEM Learning)
INTELLECT
Who is Alfred L. Cralle and why do you think he invented the ice cream scoop?
CRITICALITY
What hardships did Alfred L. Cralle experience during the time of his invention?
JOY
How is the ice cream scoop an invention of joy?
The Five Pursuits
Culturally and historically
responsive Education
Identity
This involves teaching and learning the multiple and diverse identities of students and others, such as culture, race, gender, and more. Identity can also include how a student develops in terms of interests, hobbies, and social practices.
Skills
This involves the teaching and learning of multiple and diverse learning standards, competencies, and proficiencies. These are the actionable things we want students to be able to do.
Intellect
This involves the teaching and learning of multiple and diverse sets of themes, topics, and knowledge set into action. Knowledge comes from many places; it can come from learning about new people, places, things, histories, current and local events, and concepts. Intellect is the ability to apply knowledge to real-world situations.
Criticality
This involves the teaching and learning of multiple and diverse ways to advance students’ consciousness and social awareness by teaching students how to name, understand, question, and disrupt injustice, hurt, harm or pain within humanity and the world. Criticality helps to build a better world for all.
Joy
This involves the teaching, uplifting, and recognition of beauty, aesthetics, truth, benefits, and personal fulfillment within humanity and the world. This may include engaging students in art, music, wellness, healing, peace, happiness, self-determination, collaboration, wonder, laughter, imagination, care, and advocacy.
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Testimonials & Reviews
Aisha Patel
"Dr. Muhammad’s keynote was transformational. Our educators walked away inspired and equipped with a new lens for teaching that centers students’ identities and brilliance."
Mike Johnson
"After working with a Cultivating Genius Coach, our curriculum is more inclusive, engaging, and reflective of the students we serve. The impact was immediate and powerful."
Carina Mendoza
"Reading Cultivating Genius completely changed how I approach lesson planning. It gave me the tools to teach with purpose and helped my students see themselves as scholars."
