Testimonials
PILOT TEACHERS REPORT Dramatic Results
“The children loved the unit! They especially enjoyed playing the ‘games’ with reading partners. In fact, they continued to play the games and sing the songs long after we completed the pilot. I have observed an increase in the application of certain skills. For example, one of the lessons teaches ‘sight words in disguise.’ The children still use this term when decoding new words while reading. I also noticed the reading partnerships are stronger and they really use partners as someone to go to for help. I noticed skills learned in reading workshop carried over to writing workshop. It was amazing.
“The units fit nicely within my balanced literacy program in kindergarten. They include whole-group lessons for reading workshop and ideas or guidance for guided reading groups, one-to-one conferences, or reading partners. The units also include lessons for shared reading, interactive read-aloud, and interactive writing. The reading units flow nicely into writing workshop for a well-connected literacy block.”
—Allison Hepfer, Kindergarten Teacher
“The content of the units pushed my students to stretch their thinking and also question author’s purpose. ‘What was this author really trying to teach me?’ ‘What is the takeaway message from this text?’ The content also challenged my students to search for symbols and life lessons. And the knowledge they gained transferred into their other reading.
“My students could not wait for reading workshop every day so they could discuss what was happening in their readings. They pushed each other to read way more pages than if I had assigned them. It was a pleasure to listen to their conversations; the students really pushed others in the group by challenging their ideas and questioning to make them look deeper into the text. They were also excellent at using the text as evidence to support their answers.”
—Sarah Binversie, Grade 5 Teacher
“Unit 2, Super Powers: Reading with Print Strategies and Sight Word Power, gave my students a collection of ‘super reading powers’ and the knowledge of when to use, or ‘activate,’ them. The unit was highly engaging for my students and easy for me to differentiate for various levels in my classroom. The sessions fit easily into my literacy block from the beginning of the unit and beyond as students built reading stamina and reading fluency. I also appreciated the ability to modify the sessions to follow student progress. Lucy Calkins and her team have given teachers the tools to support their early kindergarten readers from the tiniest first step in the beginning of the year to the confident leap they will make to first grade.”
—Connie Finkestein, Kindergarten Teacher
“The units provide clear and concise goals and teaching points, as well as an amazing selection of easily accessible resources to use within the units, such as anchor charts, mentor texts, and student exemplars. Each lesson is developed with multiple opportunities to differentiate and customize throughout the sixty-minute workshop framework. The high literacy expectations in the new units offer teachers a solid path aligned to ELA Standards, but also the opportunity to embrace their expertise with pacing and responsive teaching for the growth of all students.”
—Rachon Miller, K–5 Literacy Specialist