The Writing

Here is a sample of my written work, including books and articles. To reach out about them, feel free to contact me.

First Book

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This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education

A collection of essays about race, class, and education through stories from the classroom and researched essays. Vilson's rise from rookie math teacher to prominent teacher leader takes a twist when he takes on education reform through his now-blocked eponymous blog, TheJoseVilson.com. He calls for the reclaiming of the education profession while seeking social justice.

* Foreword by Karen Lewis, Afterword by Pedro Noguera

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Articles I've Written

"After Claudine Gay’s Resignation, Who and What Will Colleges Defend?
Word in Black
January 2024

"On Nikki Haley, Slavery, and Teacher Professionalism"
Word in Black
January 2024

"‘Origin’ and Teaching My Son Before the World Does"
Word in Black
December 2023

"We Need to Create Pathways for Black Teachers to Stay"
Sacramento Observer
June 2022

"Educator Voice: Climate justice is education justice"
PBS
November 2021

"Biden must build a more equitable US education system"
National Catholic Reporter
January 2021

"Where politicians get it wrong with kids going back to school"
The Grio
July 2020

"Higher Learning: Empowering Youth Through Culturally Responsive Education"
Essence featuring Julia Torres, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Imani Perry, and Killer Mike
July/August 2019

"The New York City school controversy shows why standardized testing is broken"
Vox
March 2019

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
New York Times
March 2014

"It’s Every Parent’s Right"
New York Times
May 2014

"Coding Opens Doors"
New York Times
November 2014

"Testing Students for Grit Is Another Marker of School Inequity"
New York Times
March 2016

"How Common Core Hurts My Students"
The Atlantic (The Progressive and National Journal)
September 2015

"American Schoolteachers Are Heroes. They Shouldn't Have To Be"
Huffington Post
February 2018

Trayvon Martin and the Implications for Teacher Perceptions of Students
Huffington Post
March 2012

The Reason Why The Black Male ‘Crisis’ Is a Hoax
Huffington Post
November 2010

Why Black/Latino Male Teachers aren’t as Effective in the Classroom… Yet
Huffington Post
May 2011

"Where the Hammer Meets the Pick"
Huffington Post
May 2011

What Teacher Leadership Looks Like for the New School Year
Edutopia
August 2013

Rethinking How We Use Calculators
Edutopia
May 2013

Engaging Teachers in Math
Edutopia
March 2013

Why Mathematical Practices Matter as Much as the Content
Edutopia
January 2013

Rethinking Conversations on Race Among Educators
Edutopia
November 2012

Three Dos and Don’ts of Transformative Teacher Leadership
Edutopia
November 2012

Engaging Students in Math
Edutopia
October 2012

"Betsy DeVos Is Not My Secretary of Education"
The Progressive
July 2017

"Why Everyone Needs to Know What Happened to Sixteen-Year-Old Kalief Browder"
The Progressive
March 2017

"Trying to Teach in the Age of Trump"
The Progressive
December 2016

"Harlem Needs A Different Kind of Capital"
The Progressive
April 2016

"Sick of Inequality: The Case for the Detroit Teacher Strike"
The Progressive
January 2016

"Stealing Possible"
The Progressive
September 2015

If America’s Serious About Appreciating Teachers, Here’s What It Takes
GOOD
May 2013

America Loves Celebrity Chefs, But Who Are Our Celebrity Teachers?"
GOOD

Are We Doing Enough To Make Sure Our Kids Aren’t Racist?"
CNN
April 2012

"How Jay-Z Can Help Us Remix Education"
Education Week
September 2011

Featured In

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The Teacher You Want to Be: Essays about Children, Learning, and Teaching

This book is about bringing the education we want for our own children to all. It is focused on a set of strongly held beliefs that drive the actions of educators every day. Each chapter of the book is focused on a single belief and invites readers to consider what they can do to help children attend schools based on the true, authentic expressions of their teachers' beliefs.

* Collection Edited by Matt Glover and Ellin Oliver Keene

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My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired

Marie Kondo performs a quick tidying ritual to quiet her mind before leaving the house. The president of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Ed Catmull, mixes three shots of espresso with three scoops of cocoa powder and two sweeteners. Fitness expert Jillian Michaels doesn’t set an alarm, because her five-year-old jolts her from sleep by jumping into bed for a cuddle every morning.

Part instruction manual, part someone else’s diary, the authors of My Morning Routine interviewed sixty-four of today’s most successful people, including three-time Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Soni, Twitter cofounder Biz Stone, and General Stanley McChrystal–and offer advice on creating a routine of your own.

Some routines are all about early morning exercise and spartan living; others are more leisurely and self-indulgent. What they have in common is they don’t feel like a chore. Once you land on the right routine, you’ll look forward to waking up.

* Collection by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander

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Keeping the Faith in Education

Keeping the Faith in Education tackles problems in education from the angles of faith, hope, belief, and redemption. In a time when teachers are under attack, they tell the world why all of us should continue to believe in their soulful, worthy work. It is a collection of essays and poems written by teachers and students that will inspire and restore anyone who works in education. Each page serves as a reminder of how and why teachers bare their souls to help their students shine.

* Foreword by José Vilson

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Teaching with Heart: Poetry that Speaks to the Courage to Teach

In Teaching with Heart: Poetry that Speaks to the Courage to Teach a diverse group of ninety teachers describe the complex of emotions and experiences of the teaching life – joy, outrage, heartbreak, hope, commitment and dedication. Each heartfelt commentary is paired with a cherished poem selected by the teacher. The contributors represent a broad array of educators: K-12 teachers, principals, superintendents, college professors, as well as many non-traditional teachers. They range from first year teachers to mid-career veterans to those who have retired after decades in the classroom. They come from inner-city, suburban, charter and private schools.

* "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" by Tupac Shakur with a reflection from Jose Vilson

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Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead But Don't Leave

We need a bold new brand of teacher leadership that will create opportunities for teachers to practice, share, and grow their knowledge and expertise. This book is about "teacherpreneurs"—highly accomplished classroom teachers who blur the lines of distinction between those who teach in schools and those who lead them. These teacherpreneurs embody the concept that teachers can teach as well as lead the transformation of teaching and learning. It’s about empowering expert teachers who can buoy the image of teaching and enforce standards among their ranks while all along making sure that their colleagues as well as education policymakers and the public know what works best for students.

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Teaching 2030: What We Must Do for Our Students and Our Public Schools ... Now and in the Future

In the raging controversy over the purpose of public education and how to fix the nation’s underperforming schools, the voices of America’s best teachers are seldom heard. Now for the first time, in a provocative book about the future of teaching and learning, 12 of America’s most accomplished classroom educators join a leading advocate for a 21st-century teaching profession to bring expert pedagogical know-how and fresh and provocative policy ideas to the national school reform debate.

* Co-Authored by José Vilson and others

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