This month, Victoria Education Group had the privilege of inviting the renowned American education expert Professor Lucy Calkins and her professional team to conduct reading and writing workshops in both Hong Kong and Shanghai with the aim of assisting teachers from kindergarten to upper elementary grades in learning and mastering reading and writing units, as well as gaining in-depth insights into the literacy development of children.
Professor Lucy Calkins is the founder of the Mossflower Reading and Writing Project (formerly known as the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, TCRWP). She has been teaching at the Columbia University Teachers College for over 40 years, serving as the co-director of the Reading and Writing Project and the Richard Robinson Professor of Children's Literature. Professor Calkins has authored over fifty books, including widely adopted instructional units.
Professor Calkins' reading and writing project is also a crucial component of Victoria's English teaching curriculum. After Dr. Koong personally went to Columbia University in the United States for training in reading and writing, she established a long-term friendship with Professor Calkins and her team. The program was introduced domestically in 2015. In addition to organizing fundamental on-campus training, we regularly provide opportunities for teachers to travel to Hong Kong and the United States for further professional development.
This Wednesday, Professor Lucy Calkins, along with her team, visited VPA to engage with our students and teachers in discussions about reading and writing. During the visit, a signing ceremony took place, officially designating VPA as Professor Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Project First Demonstration School Site.
The professors interacted closely with the students, gaining insights into their challenges and achievements in the reading and writing processes. Our year 4 and 5 students also shared their achievements in English learning with them in fluent English.
Year 5 students Avery and Daniel engaged in detailed discussions with Lucy about English writing.
Mr. Jay Holmes, Avery and Dr. Lucy Calkins
Avery shared her narrative essay with Lucy and expressed her love for various writing genres. Intrigued by Avery's enthusiasm, Lucy inquired specifically about her understanding of persuasive essays. To Lucy's surprise, Avery was able to articulate the steps of a perfect persuasive essay clearly, including incorporating counterarguments. By introducing counterarguments, she can demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of complex issues while strengthening her own argument.
Lucy was genuinely amazed that our year 5 students possessed such strong critical thinking skills, enabling them to consider issues from different perspectives and apply this skill in their everyday learning.
Dr. Lucy Calkins, Daniel and Dr. Andrew Mortillo
Daniel, on the other hand, shared his fondness for using sensory details – a technique involving the description of information perceived by the senses. This approach can make his writing more vivid and engaging, allowing readers to experience and understand the depicted scenes or emotions more deeply.
He continuously adds details in draft after draft, enhancing the challenges within the storyline and guiding readers into the vivid story world he has created.
Other students and teachers have also expressed that through such learning experiences, students have become more independent and are more willing to engage actively in reading and learning. During the reading process, students demonstrate deeper levels of thinking, moving beyond surface-level understanding to engage in profound discussions about the plot, characters, and themes present in the books.
VPA is now officially designated as Professor Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Project First Demonstration School Site! We believe that in the days ahead, there will be more cooperations with Lucy, and we will continuously enhance students' reading and writing abilities.
Reading skill is the basis for learning across all subjects, while writing skill also serves as the basis for expressing all thoughts. The combination of these two creates a positive cycle where learning, thinking, and expression continuously intertwine. This process involves inputting knowledge, comprehending it, and then outputting it, ultimately shaping individuals into lifelong learners!
