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Professional: A Word That Means Nothing and Everything to Teachers
Sometime in the summer of 2020, a small, vocal set of parents and advocates decided that teachers should get back…
Educators Get To Imagine Bigger, Too [On TED]
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the latest celebration of TED-Ed Educator Talks at the TED Headquarters in…
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Are You More Savvy Than a Third Grader?
A few weeks ago, I had no intention of doing anything outside of my regular family/work duties. No meetings. No calls. Nothing. But last week,
Shine On, Diamond (Patience)
This past Saturday, I was doing some mindless scrolling through Instagram when I saw an announcement from one of my former students. Diamond – yes,
You Couldn’t Sit With Us (An Observation about Teachers)
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a special professional development session on a snowy and icy day at PS 20 in the Lower East
What It Means To Stick With Love [About King and Us]
It felt like a typical night for a Black student activist at Syracuse University back in 2002. In addition to the keynote speaker that the
Why I Changed My Mind About Teachers and Education Theory
“But you can’t divide a fraction by another fraction unless you find the reciprocal.” “Yes, you can and here’s how.” It was a typical math
Who and What Will Colleges Defend? (On Claudine Gay and The Rest Of Us)
Claudine Gay was the first Black president in Harvard University’s history, and, as such, stewarded the work of the world’s most prestigious university over a
American Dreams, Wraiths, and Asylum Seekers
About a decade ago, my former school’s parent coordinator introduced me to a new student. This wouldn’t be a remarkable event because my school opened
What I Get To See In Us [2023 Year-In-Review]
There were about six minutes of silence in my house while I stared at my computer screen. This time, my advisors were on the other
A Note on Nikki Haley, Slavery, and Teacher Professionalism
There are complex answers that deserve interrogation through all their interwoven facets and there are complex answers that converge toward a simple response. The cause
Tired of Being Tired (Towards A Better 2024)
Have you ever taken a ride on Kingda Ka roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure? You get in a seat with the high-velocity harness,
‘Origin’ and Teaching Our Son Before The World Does
A few weekends ago, ARRAY Inc. invited EduColor to a screening of Origin, a movie based on the events surrounding and within Isabel Wilkerson’s best-selling
What Does A Good School Even Mean?
Recently, I saw a meme suggesting what school should have taught us as opposed to what it teaches us. The setup usually lists a set
Learning Loss and the Lessons Americans Refuse To Learn
The United States of America has spent the last three years arguing about the pandemic’s effects on students’ academic and socioemotional well-being. Of course, this
For Educators Who Get In Trouble But Want To Stay In Their Professions
Last night, I was asked to speak virtually to a group of student teachers who read my book This Is Not A Test for class
Death By Millions of Cuts (In Defense of NYC Public Schools and Beyond)
Last year, when I dropped my son off at school, my first question to the staff was “What’s changed?” After the cuts came down, students
Difficult For Whom: A Conversation about Conversations and Systems
Recently, my son did an active-shooter drill at his school. I asked him how it went. He mentioned how it was fine, but a few
The Problem With How You Discuss Reading
Kids can’t read. At least that’s what we’ve been told to believe by folks trying to dismantle public education. Proponents of this refrain use frivolous
Abolish School Supply Lists, Too
My son and I ran over to a super convenience store (you’ll know which one) to do some last-minute grocery shopping when we happened upon
What Spongebob Taught Me About Optimism In The Now
“Just six more minutes left / We’ve done all we could do / And whatever happens next / I’m glad I’m here with you …”
What The American Teacher Act Shows Us About Education Now
In the last year, I’ve visited four different classrooms, three of them within New York City. During my visits, I noticed similar trends: well-organized classrooms,
Cry On The Last Day of School, Too (on Abbott Elementary)
When was the last time you cried at the end of a school year? I’ve done it about five times as a teacher, each moment
We Put The Public in Public Schools (A Reprise)
Last Monday, a coalition of parents, educators, students, and New York City Councilmembers came together to rebuke school budget cuts to New York City schools.
Where Contrition and Closure Go Hand-In-Hand
“Vilson, you should read the names of the graduates. You know them anyways.” We’re at a retirement party that my wife and I organized for
It’s OK To Not Have The Words
There was a moment, just as I was getting into the groove of my second class, where I thought I had it all together. And
A Word About The Work We Must Do
About five years ago, the Teacher Activist Group in Boston, MA invited me to speak at their 7th annual Boston-Area Education for Social Justice Conference.
About Me
José Luis Vilson is a math educator, blogger, speaker, and activist in New York City, NY. He has written and spoken about education, math, and race for a number of organizations and publications, including The New York Times, Education Week, The Guardian, Al Jazeera America, Huffington Post, Edutopia, GOOD, and El Diario / La Prensa, NY. For more, click here.