Classroom Assistants

"Being a docent at the Art Institute of Chicago feeds my intellect, but volunteering with WITS feeds my soul. I never walk in to the school feeling better than I do when I walk out."  - Kathy Filippini, Volunteer, Schiller School

25 to 1.

That is the average ratio of students to teachers in the Chicago Public Schools. One teacher to accommodate the diverse needs of 25 students. While this may be the ratio in most CPS schools, thanks to the Classroom Assistants program, our partnering schools have a much better ratio.

The Classroom Assistants program is responsible for the birth of our organization. In 1991, two courageous women living in the Gold Coast saw the need for volunteers in Cabrini Green and walked into Byrd School to see what they could do to help. Since then hundreds of people have volunteered their time and energy to help under-resourced teachers in CPS elementary schools.

Our Classroom Assistants volunteer an average of two hours a week (and for some as many as 10 hours) in a specific classroom where they help one teacher with their daily activities. Whether its pulling aside a struggling student to give him one-on-one attention or organizing lesson plans for the day, our Classroom Assistants are hands-on volunteers in CPS and thus make a real impact where its needed most.

Over the years, the program has grown to include recent retirees, college students, homemakers, and community and religious groups. The volunteers in this program dedicate countless hours to their classrooms making a lasting impact on the students and teachers they serve.

Commitment: minimum of two hours per week, once a week, preferable for entire school year
Contact Person: Kristen Eidson, Program Director
Requirements: Background Check

We are currently recruiting volunteers for the 2010-11 school year.  Please fill out our general inquiry form and you will be contacted shortly.