LINK to Article: Experts Say Lucy Calkins’ Reading Program FAILS!
This article states that Lucy Calkins’ reading method called “Units of Study” is the THIRD most widely used method in the nation. This notation alone startles the phonics advocate but we’re not too surprised. Calkins made millions at the New York City Department of Education during the Bloomberg administration at which time she was given the golden keys to every single school in the City except those exceptionally performing schools. When she had finished ruining the lives of many teachers and kids, she was gone; we thought. But this master at marketing reappeared, under Carmen Farina (one of her old time friends). She again was hired as a chief consultant of the NYC DOE. Once again, pouring out her nonsense into New York City classrooms and onto teachers..
The philosophical tentacles of the three cueing system which is one of the main tenants of the “Units of Study” reach far beyond Columbia University into almost every college in the USA. This is WHOLE LANGUAGE repackaged, remade and tied with a lovely bow of baskets and carpets. All with nothing substantive for teachers to use. I suppose this suits the Whole Language professors in college just fine because they don’t have to change their lesson plans. Many of these college professors have resisted scientific findings of reading instruction for decades. They are holding onto an old and poorly designed instructional method while indoctrinating young teachers.
Lucy better beware, however, because on her heels of poorly designed programs, Dr. Louisa Moats is gaining popularity. Intelligent and passionate professors are being dispatched to school districts throughout the country to reteach and retrain with the LETRS program. Additionally, the new and far reaching READING LEAGUE has formed a coalition of good solid instruction to counter the Lucy Calkins Cult.
The day of reckoning for Lucy and her minions is coming. An outcry has begun to rise from teachers themselves. They want and deserve good instruction and they deserve to be told the truth. Teaching reading is NOT beyond their reach, it is easy and can be done with good, solid instructional tools.
