Black Americans do not have equal access to education, especially as it relates to literacy. This can be traced as far back as 1565, when the Spanish brought enslaved Africans to present-day … Read More
Black History Month 2022: Readings and Resources
WITS celebrates and uplifts the voices of Black authors and creators year-round. In honor of Black History Month (BHM) 2022, here is a list of readings, resources, and ways to … Read More
Happy Holidays from WITS!
WITS is officially closed for Winter Break and will reopen on January 4, 2022. During the time off, we here at WITS do a lot of reading! We want to … Read More
Native American Heritage Month
November is National Native American Heritage Month. The Library of Congress site is a great starting point for finding virtual events, online art exhibitions, and classroom resources. Native American Heritage … Read More
Banned Books Week 2021: Books Unite Us, Censorship Divides Us
Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of the freedom to read. The theme of 2021’s Banned Books Week, observed September 26 – October 2, is “Books Unite Us, Censorship … Read More
Social Justice in the Classroom: How Teachers Inspire Students to be Heroes
Ask teachers to describe the impact they hope to have on their students, and most will say something along these lines: I want my students to grow into responsible citizens. … Read More
National Hispanic American Heritage & Latinx Month at WITS
September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage & Latinx Heritage Month. During this month, we pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic and Latinx Americans who have … Read More
This Weekend in Chicago: Colson Whitehead on “Harlem Shuffle”
Colson Whitehead will be the keynote speaker this weekend at the 36th annual Printers Row Lit Fest (PRLF). The festival is an opportunity to celebrate and support Chicago’s independent bookstores, … Read More
Inclusive Classroom Practices: Pronouns
By Shawn Bush (he/him/his) Lately, you may have experienced more conversations, meetings, and Zoom call introductions including the announcing of one’s pronouns. When working with young people, it is important … Read More
Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors
At WITS, we believe it is important that books celebrate the histories, experiences, and everyday life of the students we serve, the city we live in, and the world we … Read More
