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Featured image for “You Couldn’t Sit With Us (An Observation about Teachers)”

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
Featured image for “Why I Changed My Mind About Teachers and Education Theory”

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
Featured image for “Who and What Will Colleges Defend? (On Claudine Gay and The Rest Of Us)”

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
Featured image for “American Dreams, Wraiths, and Asylum Seekers”

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
Featured image for “What I Get To See In Us [2023 Year-In-Review]”

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
Featured image for “A Note on Nikki Haley, Slavery, and Teacher Professionalism”

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
Featured image for “Tired of Being Tired (Towards A Better 2024)”

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,
Featured image for “‘Origin’ and Teaching Our Son Before The World Does”

‘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
Featured image for “What Does A Good School Even Mean?”

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
Featured image for “Learning Loss and the Lessons Americans Refuse To Learn”

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
Featured image for “For Educators Who Get In Trouble But Want To Stay In Their Professions”

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
Featured image for “Death By Millions of Cuts (In Defense of NYC Public Schools and Beyond)”

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
Featured image for “Difficult For Whom: A Conversation about Conversations and Systems”

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
Featured image for “The Problem With How You Discuss Reading”

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
Featured image for “Abolish School Supply Lists, Too”

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
Featured image for “What Spongebob Taught Me About Optimism In The Now”

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 …”
Featured image for “What The American Teacher Act Shows Us About Education Now”

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,
Featured image for “Cry On The Last Day of School, Too (on Abbott Elementary)”

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
Featured image for “We Put The Public in Public Schools (A Reprise)”

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.
Featured image for “Where Contrition and Closure Go Hand-In-Hand”

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
Featured image for “It’s OK To Not Have The Words”

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
Featured image for “A Word About The Work We Must Do”

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.
Featured image for “God Keeps Me and Us Around (2021 Year-In-Review)”

God Keeps Me and Us Around (2021 Year-In-Review)

Many of us end this year the same way we ended last year: by staring at screens, searching for answers to questions we don’t know
Featured image for “College, Career, Or Whatever Readiness”

College, Career, Or Whatever Readiness

In recent times, the term “college and career ready” has come back into trend. It’s a term that first saw a spotlight during the Obama

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.

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