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
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
Beyond Good Intentions: Diversity in Kid Lit
The WITS Team recently came together to do a deep dive into diverse kids’ books: learning about recent movements in kid lit, discussing where we missed seeing our own identities … Read More
Juneteenth Community Programs, Teaching Guides, & Anti-Racism Resources
Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19, which is the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas got word that they were free. President Joe Biden signed the … Read More
Utilizing an Equity-Literacy Framework
WITS celebrates the strengths of our students and the communities we partner with. We commit to taking the structural view rather than the deficit view of educational disparities. It is … Read More
Accountability Is Only One Step Towards Justice
The road doesn’t end. We continue to stand with and support our Black and Brown communities following Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict for murdering George Floyd less than one year ago. … Read More
