"Lucy Calkins' Justification Vindicated: A Teacher's Supportive Testimony"
In classrooms across the nation, Lucy Calkins' reading and writing curriculum has been a catalyst for thought-provoking discussions and meaningful learning experiences for fourth-grade students. This curriculum, designed to synthesize across texts, genres, time periods, and ideas, has been instrumental in helping young learners connect with thought-provoking texts such as The Other Side, a picture book about segregation, and Rose Blanche, a haunting story about a young girl in Nazi Germany.
However, the curriculum has faced criticism from education researchers and curriculum-evaluation organisations for not aligning with the "science of reading" and not emphasising phonics enough. In response, some districts have chosen to adopt alternative curricula, such as the one implemented in a neighbouring district in 2022. This curriculum, relying on rigid decodable readers and phonics drills, has been met with mixed reactions from students.
Despite the controversy, it is crucial to consider the broader context when evaluating the effectiveness of literacy curricula. The writer argues that curriculum creators like Lucy Calkins trusted teachers to think and adjust their instruction based on students' needs. However, the real problem isn't with Lucy Calkins, but with state and district leaders who adopted her work without scaffolding, differentiation, or investment in teacher growth.
Policymakers should ask what kids and teachers need in their specific context when choosing and implementing literacy curricula. The writer emphasises the importance of ensuring educators in all districts have access to materials, support, and guidance they need. This includes not only resources that focus on phonics instruction but also those that prioritise comprehension, meaning-making, and joy - elements that are essential for fostering a love of reading and writing.
In 2021, 26% of fourth graders nationwide performed at or above the "proficient" level in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. This figure varies across states, with Missouri, for instance, having 34% of fourth graders performing at or above the "proficient" level in reading on the same assessment.
The writer questions whether comprehension, meaning-making, and joy should also be considered when deciding what counts as reading. In the case of Lucy Calkins' curriculum, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. The curriculum provided more than sentence frames; it also offered anchor texts that opened up conversations about power and justice to young learners.
Moreover, the curriculum helped students write real literary essays about justice and identity, and connect picture books to their lived experiences. In contrast, the curriculum used in the neighbouring district, which focused on phonics instruction, was met with resistance from students who found it less engaging.
If the writer was teaching in the neighbouring district, she would have reduced the phonics block to 10 minutes of targeted intervention. This approach would allow more time for students to engage with meaningful texts and foster a love of reading and writing.
In conclusion, the answer isn't to abandon the current model, but to trust teachers to adapt curriculum thoughtfully, with the necessary tools. This means providing resources that balance phonics instruction with comprehension, meaning-making, and joy, and investing in teacher growth and professional development. By doing so, we can ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education that fosters a love of learning and prepares them for success in the future.
