There are lives that refuse spectacle and still command a room. Mr. Wilkens carried a peculiarly American burden with grace, coaching while playing, teaching while enduring, and choosing generosity over noise. The life he built is a text we must read carefully.
Partnerships work best when they are local, accountable, and organized. Build a partner database that centers Black-owned and community-owned businesses, secures MOUs and DSAs that comply with FERPA, matches students by IEP supports and interests, tracks paid hours and outcomes, and publishes a quarterly dashboard. System beats heroics.
Differentiation should lift students to grade level learning, not lower the bar. Keep grade level texts on the table, add accommodations and scaffolds to open access, and monitor progress so supports fade as independence grows.
An Individualized Education Program meeting should run like a strategy session. Share the agenda early, review data together, write plain language goals, and leave with a 30 day plan that names actions, owners, and dates. Families walk out knowing exactly what happens next.
Family partnership is a steady rhythm, not a single meeting. Share a weekly, plain language update that explains what was taught, what you observed, and what comes next. Add one clear way families can help, then repeat it every week.
Transition services should produce paychecks and references. Track paid hours, job shadows, interviews, and supervisor feedback. Build a résumé before graduation and connect students with vocational rehabilitation so work continues after high school.
Accountability is a scoreboard. Publish service minutes, IEP progress, and work experiences in public view, disaggregated and privacy-safe. If the data is strong, show it. If it is weak, fix it with a plan.
Each educator highlighted in our Teacher Feature series is also a nominee for the Thoughts Cost Teacher of the Year Award, celebrating their exceptional impact, innovative teaching, and dedication to education. This nomination underscores our appreciation for their significant contributions to shaping bright futures.
Still, no one addressed that he is saying you don't have to look in the United States for players anymore. Of course, most players are still African-American, but who knows what that will look like in another 50 years. Look at draft picks over the last 20 years, search where the NBA invests in scouting, and follow the money.
Think about how many industries Black people were prevalent in at one point, and remember what happened when those jobs started being outsourced overseas.
My oldest child is 15, and he played in his first AAU basketball tournament this weekend. It was fantastic to watch him play and see areas in which he can improve. More than that, it was cool to just watch him and my nephew play. I watched some of the best talents in Seattle play, … Continue reading Observations from my sons first AAU tournament.
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