"Lucy Calkins' Advocate Speaks Up: A Teacher's Vindication of Lucy Calkins"

In the education landscape of Missouri, a fascinating debate has been unfolding. In 2021, 34% of 4th graders in the state were performing at or above the "proficient" level in reading, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. This figure, while commendable, was lower than the nationwide average of 26%.

At the heart of this debate is the Units of Study reading and writing curriculum by Lucy Calkins, a curriculum that has been both celebrated and criticized. The curriculum, known for its workshop-style model that prioritizes student choice and independent learning, has been under fire by education researchers and curriculum-evaluation organisations for not aligning with the "science of reading" and not emphasizing phonics enough, especially for early readers.

However, one educator, who retired in 2022 but took a long-term substitute position in a 2nd grade classroom in a neighboring district, argues for a more nuanced approach. They suggest that the answer isn't to abandon the current model, but to trust teachers to adapt it thoughtfully with the right tools.

In their classroom, the author used texts like The Other Side, a picture book about segregation, and Rose Blanche, a tale of a young girl in Nazi Germany, to facilitate discussions about power, justice, moral courage, and acting in the face of injustice. These texts, they argue, helped students make meaning across genres, time periods, and ideas, and connect the lessons to their lived experiences.

Yet, the classroom setting was not without its challenges. The curriculum relied on a 40-minute phonics block, which consumed time that could have been used for independent reading. The students, despite excelling in phonics, found themselves with less time for immersive reading experiences.

The state's response to this controversy has been the passage of science of reading laws, which replaced curricula like Calkins' with programs focusing on phonics instruction. However, the author questions if comprehension, meaning-making, and joy should also be considered as part of reading, not just decoding and phonics.

The author also raises concerns about the accessibility of materials, support, and guidance for educators in all districts. They argue that policymakers should ask what kids and teachers need in their specific circumstances, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all solution.

The author acknowledges that the curriculum was not perfect and had critiques, but they suggest that the real problem lies with state and district leaders who adopted the work without proper scaffolding, differentiation, and investment in teacher growth. They argue that trusting teachers to adapt curricula thoughtfully, similar to the trust given to curriculum creators like Lucy Calkins, could lead to a more effective and engaging learning environment for students.

Despite the controversy, the debate surrounding Lucy Calkins' curriculum continues, with educators, policymakers, and researchers alike grappling with the question of how to strike a balance between phonics instruction and comprehensive reading and writing education.