At Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA) in southeast Washington, DC, Mr. Ramon Griffin is more than a high school teacher. He is a constant in his students’ lives. In the classroom and in the hallways, he serves as a mentor, a motivator, and, for many, a trusted adult who helps them see what’s possible.
The way he shows up for his students is deeply personal. Growing up on the east side of Detroit, Mr. Griffin experienced early on how challenging life can be without consistent support. He learned that while circumstances can be difficult, they don’t have to define your future. And in seventh grade, he made a promise to himself to use education as the key to building a better life.
That experience stayed with Mr. Griffin and shaped his sense of purpose. He felt drawn to working with youth from similar environments, knowing firsthand the difference a steady, supportive presence can make. Today, the promise he made to himself lives on in how he teaches his students, motivating them to see more for themselves.
The work that comes first
In Mr. Griffin’s classroom, learning begins long before any lesson is taught. His approach is rooted in a simple belief: before students can succeed academically, they need to believe in themselves. “I first and foremost make sure I work on a student’s esteem. So, once I worked on their esteem, I would get the buy-in to help them academically,” he explains.
That mindset creates a classroom where relationships come first. Students feel seen, heard, and supported, but they are also pushed to grow. Associate head of school Elena Roberts sees that balance every day. She notes that students respond to the environment Mr. Griffin builds, treating each other with respect and showing up as part of a classroom community that feels more like a family.
He [Mr. Griffin] wants to ensure that all students succeed and that they fulfill whatever they want to accomplish.
Associate head of school, Thurgood Marshall Academy
Setting high expectations for success
That foundation of connection allows Mr. Griffin to set high expectations and guide students towards meeting them. As a Math 180® intervention teacher, he works with students who often enter his classroom below grade level, many carrying years of frustration and self-doubt in math. “When I ask students on the first day of class, ‘how many of you all like math?’ Only a few hands go up,” he says.
Rather than lowering expectations, he helps students rise to meet them. “I’m patient with you,” he tells them, “But I’m not going to allow you to fail yourself.” Mr. Griffin’s teaching reflects the structure of Math 180, which blends teacher-led instruction with individualized learning and targeted skill-building. Lessons are designed to meet students where they are, while still moving them forward. In practice, that means students are not only rebuilding foundational math skills but also gaining confidence as they begin to experience success. And Mr. Griffin notices a shift in engagement once students build that confidence, “By the end of the year, when I tell them to put their computers away, they ask for a few more minutes.”
Recent test results speak to the power of Mr. Griffin’s instruction. Last year, his Math 180 cohort achieved the highest percentage of students on track among DC charter schools. On average, students reached 200 percent of expected growth, with many doubling and some even tripling their projected progress in a single year. Some students who entered the program performing at an elementary level finished the year on track for grade-level expectations.
For Mr. Griffin, those numbers represent more than academic gains. They represent a shift in mindset. Students who once questioned their abilities begin to see what they are capable of.
When they may see me in the hallways and come to me running, stating how much of a growth they’ve made—best feeling in the world.
Math 180 teacher, Thurgood Marshall Academy
Mentorship that makes a difference
Mentorship is not something Mr. Griffin separates from teaching. It grows from the relationships he builds with students each day. Over time, students come to see him as someone who is consistent, honest, and present.
TMA student Armani saw that from the beginning. In class, he describes Mr. Griffin as one of the most interactive teachers he has had, someone who makes sure students are learning. If a student is off track, he says something. If they need help, he steps in. What stood out most to Armani was how genuine Mr. Griffin is. “He’s one of the most authentic people I’ve ever met,” Armani says. “He doesn’t fake anything.”
Because of that, reaching out felt natural. During a difficult time, Armani realized he needed help and decided to talk to Mr. Griffin after a school meeting. “I just felt like I got to talk to somebody,” he says. “And he was the only teacher I felt comfortable enough to share that.” That conversation led to ongoing support. Mr. Griffin checked in regularly and encouraged Armani to join My Brother’s Keeper, a mentoring group where students support one another.
At first, Armani was unsure. But over time, it became a place where he felt supported and understood. “I was surrounded by love and men trying to build each other up,” he says. With that support, Armani began to rebuild his confidence and find direction in and outside of school.
I don’t think I’d be where I am now without him.
Mr. Ramon Griffin's student, Thurgood Marshall Academy
Impact beyond the classroom
Long after students leave TMA, Mr. Griffin’s influence continues. Many return not just to visit, but to reconnect, sharing milestones and reflecting on the lessons that stayed with them. One of those moments came when Mr. Griffin reunited with former student Elijah during homecoming at Morehouse College. At TMA, Elijah was a bright student navigating challenges outside of school. Staff recognized his potential, but they also knew he needed support and consistency.
Looking back, Elijah says that made all the difference. Adults like Mr. Griffin did not reduce him to his hardest moments. Instead, they took time to understand what was behind them. “I was going through it outside of school,” Elijah says. “Somebody bringing me into their office and talking to me instead of immediately calling home . . . that changed the trajectory of how I was going in high school.”
When it came time to think about college, Mr. Griffin was one of the people who helped Elijah see Morehouse as a place where he could grow into the man he wanted to be. Elijah says that without those conversations, he may not have gone there at all. “Had I not met Mr. Griffin, honestly I might not have made it to Morehouse,” he says.
Seeing Mr. Griffin at the Morehouse Homecoming brought everything full circle. In that moment, Elijah recognized that Mr. Griffin’s impact had never been limited to the classroom. It was rooted in how he showed up every day. “ Seeing you being who you are in TMA, looking out for us, especially for the young Black men, making sure that we’re okay, talking to us about our mental [health], talking to us about the things that we might go through outside of school, and just overall encouraging us . . . that showed me this isn’t just a slogan that they put on a school, it’s how you live your life,” Elijah says.
Elijah and Armani are just two of many students whose lives have been shaped by Mr. Griffin’s teaching and mentorship. At Thurgood Marshall Academy, Mr. Griffin’s influence reaches new students each year. And students continue to leave his classroom with a stronger sense of confidence and a clearer belief in their own potential.
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