Throughout the year, WITS students and mentors build relationships together through books and the power of sharing stories. At the end of each program year, to celebrate the time students … Read More
Teachers Share Why They Like the Rochelle Lee Teacher Award
The Rochelle Lee Teacher Award is a grant for Chicago Public Schools elementary educators. Each year, teachers may apply to receive a classroom library grant. If selected, teachers receive $500 … Read More
Welcoming Migrant Students Into WITS Programs
WITS centers our work around the core value of building community. Every WITS program is its own special community, a place where all students are welcome and mentors and students … Read More
Cultural Diversity In The Classroom
Chicago has been receiving a large influx of migrants from Central America over the past year. In a recent article describing Mayor Johnson’s strategies and response to the increase in … Read More
Supporting Multilingual Learners in the Classroom
There are over 70,000 Chicago Public School students who are classified as English Learners (ELs), which categorizes students as those who come from non-English speaking homes and are actively learning … Read More
The Power of Universal Design in Education
Often, equitable and accessible practices and structures are implemented reactively. When oversights and missed opportunities for inclusion are identified, upgrades and changes are made to address the issues. In the … Read More
Book Bans in 2022
WITS opposes all efforts to ban books in schools and libraries across the United States. WITS approaches our work with books using the “windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors” philosophy; … Read More
WITS Anti-Racist Book Club: Study Hall
Study Hall, the Working in the Schools’ (WITS) book club, began in 2020 as a collaborative learning space for adult learners to actively participate in anti-racist conversations. Study Hall focuses … Read More
Juneteenth 2024 Readings and Resources
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19. On this date in 1865, enslaved people in Galveston, Texas got word that they were free. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth Bill on … Read More
Black History Month 2023: Literacy and Education
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
