This past August, I was fortunate enough to co-facilitate a session of the Rochelle Lee Teacher Award (RLTA) program’s Becoming Readers Institute. Unlike other RLTA sessions, the Becoming Readers Institute (BRI) is not designed to explicitly teach transferable skills or strategies … Read More
WITS Virtual Program
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
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
Going Virtual: Adapting the WITS Early Childhood Summer Program
At WITS Early Childhood Summer Program (ECSP), students entering kindergarten and first grade enjoy familiar fairy tales while practicing foundational literacy skills, such as identifying letters and elements of a … Read More
Breaking Barriers To Access: WITS Partners With Chicago Public Library To Empower Early Readers At Home
Why Summer Learning Matters Summer learning is a critical tool in helping students prepare for a new school year. According to the National Summer Learning Association, students can lose up … Read More
Why SEL Practices Are Essential For Educators
According to the organization CASEL, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the “the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show … Read More
Building Community and Empowering Readers: Volunteering In the Age of Quarantine
Our work has shifted. As WITS faced challenges in real time amid the uncertainty of a global pandemic, we approached a renewed commitment to our vision of Building Communities, Empowering … Read More
Why WITS Is Providing Spanish Literacy Resources Online
WITS has always adapted programming to meet the needs of students and schools: transitioning to online programming has been no different. Back in April, WITS launched the Empowering Readers at … Read More
Empowering Readers and Cultivating Remote Relationships
An unprecedented interruption to the school year led to countless changes for Chicago Public School (CPS) students and staff, including a shift in WITS programming. In mid-April, WITS launched Empowering … Read More
WITSummer Books Family Reading Kits
At the end of every school year, students receive a trademark WITS orange bag filled with brand new, culturally diverse books inside. These books are a way for students to … Read More
