WITS is excited to offer a virtual reading mentoring program for students and mentors for the 2020-2021 school year. The virtual program will bring together students and adult volunteers for … Read More
Developing Schedules and Lesson Plan Structure
Rufus M. Hitch Elementary School Text: Teaching Reading in Small Groups: Differentiated Instruction for Building Strategic, Independent Readers by Jennifer Serravallo Group Members: Amanda Paso, Study Group Leaders; Lily Kanefield, Joanne Schmidt, Jane Park, Katie Bremner Goal: To develop … Read More
RLTA Facilitators: Class of 2020
This year, the Rochelle Lee Teacher Award Summer Institute is taking place 100% online. The 19 workshops, 6 sessions of Becoming Readers Institute (BRI), 5 sessions of RLTA Orientation RLTAO), … Read More
Improving Reading Conferencing and Conferencing Frequency
School: Augustus H. Burley Elementary School Text: A Teacher’s Guide to Reading Conferences by Jennifer Serravallo. Group Members: Shannon Barbour, Jodi Shapiro, Study Group Leader; Emily Skowronek, Todd Strother, Amy Wiktor Goal: To improve reading conferencing and … Read More
Improving Reading Instruction
School: Audubon School Text: Understanding Texts & Readers: Responsive Comprehension Instruction with Leveled Texts by Jennifer Serravallo Group Members: Faviola Fernandez, Amanda Matteson, Colleen Stack, Kerry Tavarczky, Study Group Leader Goal: To improve small group and … Read More
Our Core Values
At the center of everything WITS does are our three core values: community, empowerment, and consistency. As I reflect on 2019, the meaning behind these words in the context of our … Read More
Message From Lauren Rocklin, WITS Board President
To me, the WITS mission is about elevating literacy and self-confidence in students around Chicago. As a volunteer, board member, and supporter of WITS for fifteen years, I’ve been fortunate … Read More
Teachers Create Community Online At Summer Institute
On a packed Zoom meeting in early August, 20 educators talked about the importance of incorporating social emotional learning (SEL) in their literacy instruction. Guiding the conversation was Laurie Brooks, … Read More
Implementing Social Emotional Learning
School: Chappell Elementary Text: Everyday SEL in Middle School by Carla Tantillo Philbert Group Members: Catherine Garber, Lauren Gillis, Michelle Glick, Anna Kim, Anne Merrick, Victoria Smith, Margot Taylor, Study Group Leader … Read More
Introducing the UnGala
Unprecedented Events Call for Unprecedented Events – Introducing the WITS UnGala Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WITS will not be hosting our annual Blackboard Affair gala. Instead, we will host … Read More
