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Middle School Prepares Us For Social Science Thinking, Too
I got a story to tell. Yesterday, I was running errands when one of my former students stopped me at…
A Brief Reflection on My Dissertation and Teachers’ Labor
A few weeks ago, after skimming through the formatting of my dissertation one last time, I said a little prayer.…
They’re Still Not Like Us (Math and Our Values)
In 2015, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal invited me to discuss education reform and my book, This Is Not A Test: A…
Critical Race Theory Is About You, and All of Us
Recently, Christina Cross, a Black woman sociologist at Harvard, found her work at the crosshairs of the same person who…
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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 to work. They overshadowed the
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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 NYC. For those who are
On Professional Development and The Places We Don’t Have Yet
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend EduCon in Philadelphia, PA. Principal – and friend – Chris Lehmann asked me to participate in
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Scenes from an Unopened Curriculum Binder [Pt. 1]
The following text is a combination of things that never happened, but may feel familiar. But if they feel familiar, it probably did happen, but
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
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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
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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
About Me
I'm José Vilson and I wear many hats. This blog documents how I acquired them. For the longest, I was the "educator that Gotham deserved." Find out how we got here.
