Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Study Groups (RLTA) are school-based professional learning communities. Study groups develop a goal to guide their learning throughout the school year, and meet monthly to discuss instruction and push their practice to reach their goal. Study Groups allow teachers to have a school-wide impact on student literacy instruction. The application is open from mid-December through mid-March. Awardees are announced late April of each year.
OUR MISSION
Reading matters
WITS sets students on a trajectory for success by building critical literacy skills and developing positive self-identity through teacher led professional development and volunteer powered mentorship programs.
OUR VISION
READ WITH US
WITS Study Hall is a collaborative learning space for adult learners to actively participate in antiracist conversation and enjoy the works of writers of color. We will focus not just on antiracist discourse, but celebrate the range of genres and stories by BIPOC authors.
WITS Study Hall will explore one book every two months and is open to all readers. You can sign up to join our virtual meetings, or use this framework to start your own book club. We’ll provide the book selection, discussion questions, and supplemental resources. Whatever your engagement, we hope you join us in this important reading.
WHO WE ARE
WITS is a movement of educators, volunteers and investors coming together to support a better public education for every student.
WHAT WE DO
WITS programs help students develop a love of reading that guides them through the critical transition of learning-to-read to reading-to-learn.
WHy WE DO IT
Reading is one of the most commonly and intensively used skills among all types of jobs across the entire U.S. economy.
Third graders who are proficient in reading are four times more likely to graduate than those without proficient reading skills.
HOW WE DO IT
WITS is 100% privately funded, and program delivery is not reliant on school or city budgets.
WITS communities of teachers and volunteers model for students the life-enhancing benefits of literacy and a passion for learning.
