Started in 2005, WITS Kindergarten (WITSK) serves Chicago Public Schools kindergartners. Students spend fifteen-twenty minutes once a week reading aloud one-on-one with the same mentor, practicing skills, and enjoying stories. WITSK helps students build book and print awareness as well as letter and sound recognition skills. WITSK encourages students to love reading.
WHY wits kindergarten MENTORING IS IMPORTANT
WITSK students build book and print awareness including reading left to right and distinguishing between letters and words.
Our partner educators believe that consistent one-on-one support will not only help students academically, but will also fulfill a need for social interaction.
Research shows that reading aloud and talking about what you have read encourages social-emotional learning, empathy, and conversation skills.
Reading aloud evokes the powers of imagination while also making visual associations that help children to transition more quickly to independent reading.
our outcomes
TODAY ONLY 28% OF CPS FOURTH GRADERS ARE PROFICIENT READERS, IN 2019 THAT NUMBER WAS 40%.
64% of WITS students met or exceeded the national average for reading level growth in one year.
At the end of the school year 83% of WITS students said they like reading books for fun, up from 65% at the beginning of the year.
93% of WITS students reported feeling good or very good about spending time with their mentors
100% of our partner teachers are satisfied with student participation in WITS.
GET INVOLVED
program facilitators
Jessica Gilliam
Program Coordinator
Kandace Mack
Program Coordinator
Tra'Lisha Renteria
Program Specialist
Estefania Rodriguez
Program Coordinator
