Action Research Paper LC Eldridge and Zawislak

Running head: ACTION RESEARCH ON THE LUCY CALKINS WRITING CURRICULUM.
From Writer to Author: Does Student Attitude and Ability Increase After Exposure to Lucy
Calkins Writing Curriculum?
By
Julie Eldridge & Brian Zawislak
EA7750
Lindson Feun, Ph.D.
Oakland University
April 14, 2020

ACTION RESEARCH ON THE LUCY CALKINS WRITING CURRICULUM. 1
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………….…………… 2
Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Chapter 1 ………………………………………………………………………………. 4
● Introduction
○ Assumptions and Limitations
○ Research Question
Chapter 2 ………………………………………………………………………………. 7
● Review of Literature
Chapter 3 ………………………………………………………………………………. 12
● Method of the Study
○ Overview
○ Selection of Students
○ Research Design
○ Description of Instruments
○ Data Analysis
Chapter 4 ………………………………………………………………………………. 15
● Results of the Study
○ Triangulation of Data
○ Student and Parent Survey Results
○ Teacher Observations
○ On-Demand Writing Scores from Illuminate
○ Discussion of Results
Chapter 5 ………………………………………………………………………………. 22
● Conclusions and Recommendations
○ Conclusions
○ Recommendations
○ Implications of Future Research
References .…………………………………………….………………………………. 25
Appendices .……………………………………………………………………………. 27
● Appendix A – Administrator Consent Form ……..…………………………….. 27
● Appendix B – Parent Permission for Student Survey ..………………………… 28
● Appendix C - Student Consent Form …………………………………………... 29
● Appendix D - Student Survey ..………………..……………………………….. 30
● Appendix E - Student Survey Results …………………………………….……. 31
● Appendix F - Parent Survey ……………………………………………….…… 33
● Appendix G - Parent Survey Results ……………………………………….….. 34
● Appendix H – Fall On-Demand Writing Scores ……………………………….. 36
● Appendix I – Spring On-Demand Writing Scores …………………………….. 37
Acknowledgements
The researchers would like to thank our professor, Dr. Lindson Feun for his dedication
and support throughout the process. We would also like to thank the administration, staff,
students, and parents at Costello Elementary. Special recognition to Dr. Tammy DiPonio for
allowing us to conduct this study with her staff and providing us opportunities to engage in
conversations about the Lucy Calkins curriculum. In addition, the researchers would like to
acknowledge Mrs. Natalie Haezebrook for her support with literacy inquiries, as well as Mr.
Remo Roncone and Dr. DiPonio for their mentorship throughout the program. Thank you to the
Macomb cohort members for their unwavering support regarding our research. Lastly, we would
like to thank our families for all their support and patience along the way.
Abstract
This action research report examines the influences of Lucy Calkins’ writing curriculum
on fifth graders at Costello Elementary School in Troy, Michigan. The key inquiry is: does
student attitude and ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins writing curriculum? Data was
collected and analyzed from teacher observations, student and parent Likert Scale surveys which
included free response questions, and student on-demand writing samples. The data suggested
that student attitude and ability increased with exposure to the Lucy Calkins curriculum, but it is
hard to say if the results are statistically significant. Furthermore, it is also challenging to
conclude if the curriculum is the reason for the increase in ability and attitude about writing.
Chapter 1
Introduction
The Troy School District (TSD) implemented the writing curriculum created by Lucy
Calkins and the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) colleagues, in the fall
of 2016. All twelve elementary schools piloted the program in grade levels Kindergarten through
5th grade.
The TCRWP’s reading and writing curriculum is a research-based curriculum that extended
their research beyond state standards for reading and writing and strived to reach the whole child.
According to their Units of Study webpage (TCRWP, n.d.) their work strives to reflect their core
beliefs and values, “One of the most important of these is that raising the level of literacy for
children is an act of social justice.” They go on to explain the extent of their goals:
Our work aims to prepare kids for any reading and writing task they will face or set
themselves, to turn them into life-long, confident readers and writers who display
agency and independence in their future endeavors. That is, our aims reach beyond
state testing and fulfillment of tasks for schools. We aim to strengthen a generation of
readers and writers.
Furthermore, to achieve these student goals, TCRWP’s research included ways to “support
teachers, administrators, and school change agents with professional development, curriculum,
and instructional methods” (TCRWP, n.d.). Having a curriculum that includes not only the
students, but the entire educational team made the TCRWP curriculum an obvious choice for the
TSD.
During the 2018-2019 school year, the TSD was the 12th largest school district in the
state of Michigan, educating approximately 13,000 students. Geographically, the TSD resides in
the city of Troy, which is in central Oakland County. Troy is a suburban community whose
residents can be categorized as educated professionals, who are civic and culturally minded. The
district consists of two high schools, four middle schools, and 12 elementary schools.
Additionally, there is an alternative high school and an International Baccalaureate high school
that provides specific learning opportunities for interested students. In the TSD, approximately
53% of the student population were Caucasian, 36% were Asian, 5% were African American,
3% were Hispanic descent, and 3% identified with two or more races. Over the past five years,
enrollment in the TSD dipped in 2014-2015 to about 12,500 students, however the student
population increased over the past four years, to reach an all-time high. In that same time, the
distribution of diversity remained unchanged, however the population of English Language
Learners increased. Moreover, about 17% of students in the TSD qualified for free or reduced
lunch.
Costello Elementary School is one of the 12 elementary schools in the TSD. Costello is
one of six National Blue-Ribbon schools in the TSD, and all TSD schools are Michigan
Exemplary Blue-Ribbon schools; both of our high schools are ranked among the top four percent
of all schools in the United States by Newsweek Magazine; our student achievement levels are
among the best in Michigan and the nation; and our graduates earn additional consideration from
Michigan State University and the University of Michigan because of their TSD education.
During the 2018-2019 school year, Costello Elementary School had a population of about
360 students ranging from preschool to fifth grade. The families that contributed to this
elementary school’s population ranged from low-income to high-income households with the
majority of the families being from mid-income households. Miss Eldridge’s classroom had 20
students; 11 males and 9 females.
As a 5th grade teacher, Julie Eldridge, saw a dramatic increase in student ability to write
after one year of using the Lucy Calkins’ writing curriculum. After two years, she noticed a
positive increase in students’ attitudes towards writing. In speaking about her observations with
Brian Zawislak, we both wondered what students’ writing would look like when students who
were exposed to the Lucy Calkins’ writing curriculum reached the high school level. Thus, we
decided to conduct research to answer the following research question: Does student attitude and
ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins writing curriculum?
Assumptions and Limitations
For the purposes of this program analysis it is assumed that all participants, the classroom
teacher, students, and parents have participated on a voluntary basis and answered honestly.
Students were surveyed before they received their final report card. While we assured students
that participation in the survey would have no impact on their report card, it can be assumed that
students felt their answers would in fact have an impact. We further assume that participating
parents have observed and had an understanding of their child’s writing life. Finally, we assume
that teacher observations are limited to the sample of students participating and that her
observations are unbiased.
Research Question
The primary research question being examined in this program analysis is: Does student
attitude and ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins writing curriculum?
Chapter 2
Review of Literature
Introduction
In Growing Extraordinary Writers, Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) noted that more and
more schools are realizing that the teaching of writing needs to become a priority. They went on
to add that adults and children are writing more than ever due in large part due to the
technological revolution. Access to texts, tweets, emails, and other forms of social media
provide individuals an opportunity to work on their writing craft. In addition, Wagner (2008)
indicated that the upcoming generation will need seven survival skills to compete in the global
economy. Of these seven skills, Wagner (2008) pointed out that, “The ability to write is
paramount to two of those seven skills.” Furthermore, corporate leaders insist that new hires
need to be more clear and concise in their writing. So, how can today’s teachers develop writers
who are passionate about improving their craft while meeting the needs of the next generation?
To answer this question, a review of different literacy models was examined including Lucy
Calkins Writer’s Workshop model.
Literature Review
As mentioned earlier, technology is advancing and, as noted by Kear, et al (2000) in their
article, Measuring attitude toward writing, teachers face an uphill battle in their attempt to foster
positive writing attitudes in their students. Writing, particularly good writing, takes perseverance
and effort. As a result, “As children move from grade to grade, their attitude toward writing
worsens” (Kear, et al, 2000). So, teachers need a tool to measure student attitude toward writing.
The authors attempted to develop a survey for teachers to monitor the affective growth in
writing; they strive to instill what could be administered individually or to an entire class in a
few minutes. After reviewing other instruments and examining college-level texts used in
language arts methods courses, the authors developed a 54-item instrument. That instrument was
administered to a few hundred students, and the tool was revised down to 28, reliable items using
a four-point Likert scale and named The Writing Attitude Survey (WAS). From a statistical
perspective, the WAS proved to be highly reliable. However, since it only produces one global
score, it cannot be used to identify causes for poor attitude. Nevertheless, the WAS provided
teachers with knowledge about their students’ attitudes toward writing, which informed their
instruction.
The WAS can be used to develop an initial baseline of data regarding student’s attitude
toward writing, as a pre- and post measurement score of attitude toward writing, to collect an
attitude profile for a group of students, or to serve as a way to monitor the impact of an
instructional program in writing. In fact, a third-grade teacher collected data using the WAS to
support the implementation of her writing program. Moreover, the pre- and post measurements
allowed a fifth-grade teacher to observe changes in students’ attitudes regarding writing. Kear,
et al (2000) noted that effective teaching strategies and engaging opportunities to write
successfully can make real inroads in student perspectives. So, teachers can use the WAS to
learn how to better help their students write better and enjoy writing more.
How do we motivate students to write and to write well? Guay et al. (2010) stresses the
importance of distinguishing among types of school motivation towards specific school subjects
in the early elementary years. Their research found that older elementary students are more self-
motivated than younger elementary students. They believe this could be a result of students
becoming more experienced with school subjects over the years. Additionally, they discovered
that “girls are more intrinsically motivated towards reading and writing and are more regulated
by identification towards writing than boys” (p. 730-731).

Dallas Price (2012), an educator at an elementary school for gifted children, discovered
that his middle-school aged students were more motivated to write nonfiction when technology
was involved. Which makes sense in a world where technology has infiltrated our daily routines.
Even young students can be heard talking about their own social media accounts or hosting their
own YouTube channels. To Price, it made sense to transform their nonfiction assignment into a
historical documentary production. Students were in groups of three and worked together to
move through the writing process together. They collected research from online sources,
planned, and wrote the script for their documentary. Students were also engaged in the critique
and revision processes. “Communication skills such as writing, speaking, and presenting have
increased stakes for students creating a documentary. Students become motivated to
communicate precisely when they know their writing is being read by multiple peers. They strive
for the best product because their work will be shown to audiences outside of the classroom”
(Price, 2012, p. 109).
In addition to motivation, our research indicated that the methods educators use to teach
writing is highly significant to a student’s success in writing. According to literacy experts Lucy
Calkins and Mary Ehrenworth (2016) educators must teach students to write the way
professional writers write. We educate students about the scientific method and to use the
method as a process when testing out ideas in science. Writing is a learned skill and educators
need to teach the writing process; collect and organize data, draft essays, revise, and edit, with
the same intentions as teaching the scientific method. Moving through the process in any order
and revisiting parts as needed.
Time for writing is extremely important and must be protected. Calkins and Ehrenworth
(2016) recommend educators of writing to utilize the Writers’ Workshop method every day
which includes at least a half-hour of independent writing time. On their website (TCRWP,
2014) the TCRWP described in detail what a writer’s workshop entails for grade levels
kindergarten through eighth grade:
During the writing workshop, students are invited to live, work and learn as writers. They
observe their lives and the world around them while collecting, drafting, revising, editing,
and publishing well-crafted narrative and expository texts. Students receive direct instruction
in a mini lesson, during which the teacher explicitly names a skill proficient writers use that
is within reach for most of the class, then demonstrates the skill and provides students with a
brief interval of guided practice using it. Students then have time to write, applying the
repertoire of skills and strategies they’ve learned, while receiving feedback through one-to-
one conferences and small group instruction designed to move them along trajectories of
development.
Calkins and Ehrenworth (2016) also emphasize the importance of choice, feedback, and
setting goals. When students are allowed to choose topics, they are highly interested in they are
more motivated and more successful in transferring their ideas to paper. If students are provided
a topic then students should have the freedom of choosing subtopics and how they gather
information. Having students write in their own way paves the way for their own voice to come
out of their writing. Frequently throughout the writing process students need to receive feedback
from their peers and the teacher. Receiving feedback is an effective method for accelerating any
learning. From the feedback, students create goals for their next steps to raise the level of their
writing.
According to her website (Heinemann, 2019), Lucy Calkins has authored or coauthored
many professional books, she is a Robinson Professor of Children’s Literature at Teachers

College, Columbia University, and her Units of Study are used in tens of thousands of
classrooms around the world. To say Calkins is an expert on literacy is an understatement.
However, there are always critics who believe otherwise. Barbara Feinberg (2007), an author and
child advocate, is one such critic. In her research, Feinberg found no research to back the
efficacy of Calkin’s work. She argues that there is no one way to teach literacy; Calkins’ Units of
Study limit student engagement of reading and writing.
Research does, however, show that the writer's workshop method is a successful teaching
strategy. One that Lucy Calkins utilizes in her Units of Study. Joyce Cicalese (2009), a writing
coach in Georgia, reported student growth when the fifth-grade teachers she coached
implemented a writer’s workshop. The teachers were spending 45 minutes, three times a week
teaching writing and grammar and many teachers, who were not writers themselves, were
disengaged in the lessons. Cicalese encouraged the teachers to implement a 60-minute writers’
workshop, five days a week. As a result, students were more engaged in writing, students
enjoyed choosing their own topics, writing stamina increased, and student voices became
prominent. Furthermore, on standardized assessments, students were more proficient in ideas,
organization, style, and conventions.

Chapter 3
Method of Study
Overview
The purpose of the study was to examine the Lucy Calkins Writing Curriculum that is
utilized by elementary and middle schools in the TSD. Lucy Calkins Writing Curriculum
provided structure and support for students in the TSD as they developed their writing craft and
style. Moreover, it is a system which hopes to turn students into life-long, confident readers and
writers. The Lucy Calkins team has worked with thousands of schools across the country and
around the world for more than 30 years. Lucy Calkins Writing Curriculum was in its third year
in the TSD and there are no signs for it to be replaced or seriously adjusted.
Selection of Students
Selection of subjects for the purpose of the study was a matter of convenience. All
participants shared their time and experiences voluntarily and were self-selected.
Research Design
This study was conducted beginning in the fall of the 2018-2019 school year when
students first completed an, on-demand writing sample in September. For the assessment,
students were given brief directions and reminders prior to planning, writing, and revising their
own essay. The teacher, who has been trained to reliably evaluate writing samples using the
Lucy Calkins’ rubrics then assessed the samples as a way to develop baseline information for
each student. Students completed a second on-demand writing sample in March so that the
teacher could measure student growth. After completing the first on-demand writing sample, the
teacher was provided additional training about the Lucy Calkins Writing Curriculum at a district-
provided professional development in October. Furthermore, the teacher worked with the
district’s elementary reading specialist for a Teachers College institute in November. In the
institute, the specialist modeled the way teachers should interact with students to personalize
instruction so each child’s individual learning needs were met. Next, the teacher attempted to
explicitly teach the strategies that were modeled and was provided feedback on their instruction
by the literacy specialist. Then in February of 2019, a search was done to find scholarly journals
and research about Lucy Calkins. Following the second on-demand writing sample, students
were surveyed in May of 2019 about their writing experience in their fifth-grade class. Beyond
this, parents were also surveyed at the same time. All along, the teacher had been making
observations about the students’ writing experience.
Description of Instruments
As was stated before, the students produced two writing samples. One in September, and
one in March. During these writing samples, the students were prompted with brief directions
and reminders. The students were then given 45 minutes to plan, write, and revise their own on-
demand essay. On the day prior to the on-demand performance assessment, students are notified
that they will be completing a specific style of writing to tell, persuade, or inform others about a
special moment, topic, or experience they were passionate about along with other brief reminders
about what was expected for the specific writing style. Following the one writing workshop
session, teachers collected, and used the writing samples as a formative assessment that informed
instruction and charted growth over time.
The student survey itself contained three demographics questions about gender, academic
ability, and race, as well as 20 Likert-style questions used to identify a student’s attitude and
ability about writing. At the end of the survey, students had an opportunity to complete two
open-ended questions that focused on what the student enjoyed most about their writing
experience and what they think could be improved about the writing experience. The parents
worked through an extremely similar survey about their perceptions of their child’s attitude and
ability about writing. They also answered three demographic, 20 Likert-style, and two open-
ended questions.
Data Analysis
Student and parent responses to surveys, which includes demographic, Likert, and open-
ended questions were linked with the teacher’s observation notes, and scores from student on-
demand performance writing assessments to develop themes about the students’ writing
experience. These themes were then used to make recommendations for program improvement.
Chapter 4
Results of Study
Triangulation of Data
The sources of data used to triangulate the resources were student surveys, parent
surveys, and teacher observation. Students in Miss Eldridge’s classroom were invited to
complete a voluntary survey to capture the student's opinions about their own ability and
attitudes regarding the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum.
Prior to students completing the survey, we asked parents permission for their children to
participate in the survey. Parents were also invited to complete a voluntary survey to capture
their thoughts about their student’s ability and attitudes toward the Lucy Calkins writing
curriculum.
Miss Eldridge also included observations she made during the 2018-2019 school year.
Personal opinion and interpretation are useful when evaluating the attitudes and abilities of
students in writing.
Additionally, we analyzed the data collected in Illuminate. The TSD requires elementary
teachers to record student writing scores of the on-demand writing samples in the fall and the
spring. The scores are recorded to an online data collection program called Illuminate. The
scores are entered using a rubric created by the Lucy Calkins curriculum. The rubric determines
if a student is below grade level, on grade level, or above grade level.
Student and Parent Survey Results
Analyzing the results of the survey developed by the researchers, the twenty-three
questions were divided up into six specific categories that focused the analysis on the percentage
of students who responded positively to the questions. Thirteen students and nine parents were
surveyed, and all the students and parents completed the survey. Responders to the survey used
a five-point Likert scale including the choices strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and
strongly disagree. A positive response is considered strongly agree or agree. The survey was
administered to fifth-grade students and parents in Miss Eldridge’s class at Costello Elementary.
Statements 1 – 3 gathered demographic info on the students. Their questions were about
gender, ability level, and the race the students identified with. Fifty-four percent of the students
were male. In addition, two-thirds of the parents who responded had a male son. In terms of
ability, 69% of the students responded on grade level, while 23% were above grade level and 8%
were below grade level. Parents who responded were equally divided between the on and above
grade level, and only 11% of the parents were below grade level. The community is very diverse
and as a result, the race statement reflects that. Thirty-one percent of students answered
Caucasian, 23% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% were Chaldean, and 8% were biracial. The
other 31% chose not to respond to the question. However, parent respondents were not as
diverse as 89% of the parents were Caucasian and 11% were Asian/Pacific Islander.
Statements 4 and 5 pertain to the student and parent perception of their students’ ability
in different aspects of writing. These include, can they get started and improve their writing.
For both of these questions, 85% of the students have a positive view of themselves. Seventy-
nine percent of parents think their child can focus on writing, and 89% think their child can raise
their level of writing.
Statements 6 – 8 looked at the students’ ability to write different parts of an essay. More
specifically, what is the students’ perception about writing the beginning, middle, and end of an
essay. Of the three parts, students do not feel as strong about writing the beginning of the essay
compared to the body of the essay, 61% compared to 92% respectively. While 85% of students
responded positively to writing the conclusion of an essay. Similarly, parents responded very
positively to these three questions as well. Eighty-nine percent of parents believe in their child’s
ability to write the beginning and middle of an essay, and 78% believe they can write a
conclusion. Interestingly enough, data suggested that students believe they struggle with
beginning an essay while parents think the conclusions could use more work.
Statements 9 – 12 pertained to the students’ perception of writing different types of
essays. These included persuasive, informational, and narrative. As with other topics, students
enjoyed working on topics which were important to them, and this was no different in this case
in which 92% of students responded positively to writing a personal narrative. On the opposite
end, students did not perceive themselves to be good science writers as only 31% responded
positively to that. Nevertheless, 69% of students believed they were good persuasive and
historical writers. Parents on the other hand all responded positively in their child’s ability to be
able to write to inform or to produce a personal narrative, however 78% responded positively to
writing a persuasive essay. It’s interesting to note that data suggested that students said they
struggled to write about science, but every parent believed that their child could write about
something they did in science.
Statements 13 and 14 looked at the students’ perceptions about using proper mechanics in
their writing. More students, 77% compared to 62%, responded positively to using punctuation
compared to spelling correctly. Parent perception of the same content correlated with that of
students. Parents also responded more positively to punctuation compared to spelling yet at a
slightly lower level at, 67% to 56%. Furthermore, a third of the parents felt like their children do
not revise their writing for spelling errors.

Statements 15 and 16 looked at students’ perception about feedback regarding their
writing. More students respond positively to teacher feedback than to peer feedback, 92% to
85%, however some students noted that they enjoyed socializing with classmates in the learning
space via writing. Parents also responded positively about feedback, but they felt like their child
preferred either method since both statements had an 89% positive response.
Statements 17 – 23 evaluated the students’ enjoyment of writing. For statement 17, 62%
of students responded positively to the statement, “I enjoy writing,” but only 11% of parents
responded positively to the same question. For statements 18 – 23, less than half of the students
responded positively to all of the statements, which include writing more in school, sharing their
writing with others, writing in their spare time, and career aspirations in writing. Parents did
however feel like their child enjoyed sharing their writing with others. Furthermore, neither
students or parents responded positively to the statement, “I want to be a journalist,” and parent
data suggested that all of their children would rather do math homework than write.
The final part of the survey provided the students an open-ended opportunity to explain
what they liked about their writing experience, and what could be changed. Some overall themes
emerged from the responses. Overall, the students said they enjoyed the different types of
writing they have done while at Costello, and they appreciate the ways the teachers have
encouraged them to raise their level of writing. Parents also concurred with these statements, but
they also added that the focused feedback from the teacher has made a huge impact on the
students’ writing. Nevertheless, students and parents suggested additional freedom to be able to
have chosen what it is they wanted to write about. Moreover, parents were more in tune to the
improving grammar and spelling in their child’s writing.

Teacher Observations
Over the last two years, Miss Eldridge noticed that student ability and attitude have
increased during writers’ workshops. The greatest increases she noticed were stamina, talking
about their writing, and the volume of writing. Students were expected to write for 40 - 60
minutes. Most students had strong writing stamina for the whole time. Few students needed
redirection once they were distracted. As students worked on their writing, Miss Eldridge
conferred with students. While conferring, Miss Eldridge asked students what they were working
on and instead of telling her that they were “working on writing,” students were able to name the
specific strategy they were working on to raise the level of their writing. Finally, students'
writing volume had increased during the school year. In the fall, students were writing a
paragraph or two during the 40 - 60 minutes. In the spring, students were writing several pages.
Additionally, students would edit previous entries and rewrite sections over and over until they
were happy with the level they raised their writing to.
On-Demand Writing Scores from Illuminate
Student writing scores are entered into Illuminate using a rubric created by the Lucy
Calkins curriculum. The rubric determines if a student is below grade level, on grade level, or
above grade level. The rubric was designed with end of the year writing expectations. In the fall,
19 out of 20 students were below grade level. One student was on grade level. In the spring,
seven students were below grade level, twelve students were on grade level, and one student was
above grade level. In utilizing a matched pairs correlated t-test with a 0.05 level of significance,
the parameter was defined as the mean difference between the Writing Pathways score in
October to March. Since the mean in October was 16.4 compared to a mean in March of 25.4,
the study examined the possibility of an increase in the difference and the data produced a t-
statistic of 5.084 and a p-value of 0.000033. Although the sample was not a simple-random
sample, the normal condition was met, as well as the independence condition, however one
should proceed with caution with the results. Nevertheless, this means there is a 0.000033
probability of producing the results of the study, assuming that there is no difference between the
October and March scores. Therefore, the students demonstrated significant growth from pretest
to posttest. Consequently, the student writing experience, which included the Lucy Calkins
Curriculum as a framework, produced an increase in the students’ ability to write.
Discussion of the Results
The student and parent surveys indicated a high regard for ability in writing as the
students progressed from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. Several students noted
that the instruction provided them with opportunities to raise their level of writing. Moreover,
the parents indicated that the feedback and direction provided by the teacher using the Lucy
Calkins curriculum had a huge impact on the students’ writing. In addition, the teacher indicated
through her observations that student stamina, volume, and ability to talk about their writing
increased as well. Furthermore, the results of the on-demand essays indicated that the students’
ability did increase after exposure to the Lucy Calkins curriculum. All of the students
demonstrated growth from their fall essay to their spring essay. Furthermore, 13 of the students
demonstrated so much growth that their score was classified into a new category.
Beyond their increase in their ability levels, survey results and teacher observations also
indicated that students responded positively regarding their attitudes about their writing. High
percentages of students responded positively to writing different parts of an essay, getting started
on an essay, and raising their level of writing, and parents agree. This optimistic attitude helped
the students write for other purposes like persuading, informing in other content areas, and for
personal narratives. In fact, more than half of the students marked that they enjoyed writing,
however most are not choosing to do it in their spare time. In addition, most students do not see
themselves writing for their career such as an author or a journalist. Their parents concurred
with all of these statements too. Furthermore, the teacher’s observations about the students
wanting to improve their writing through conferencing, peer feedback, and edits suggested that
the students enjoyed the process for writing, which means they did have a good attitude about it.
Overall, data suggested that student attitude and ability increased with exposure to the
Lucy Calkins curriculum. Moreover, ability level, as measured by the on-demand writing scores,
was statistically significant. However, more responses would be needed to determine if there
was a statistically significant increase in student attitude towards writing. Furthermore, it is also
challenging to conclude if the curriculum itself is the reason for the statistically significant
increase in ability and apparent increase regarding attitude about writing. The curriculum did
provide the framework for developing stamina and volume, and it also provided a focus on the
process of the writing over the product of the writing, yet the stamina and volume could have
naturally developed as students matured. Moreover, it would be interesting to examine the
results of the data with a group of students who had a different teacher. Many of the comments
made by both parents and students highly praised the work of the teacher, so it would be
interesting to look at data from another group of students who were exposed to the curriculum,
but who had a different teacher.

Chapter 5
Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusion
The data compiled from surveys, on-demand writing, and teacher observations indicated
that Costello Elementary fifth-grade students in Miss Eldridge’s class, who were exposed to the
Lucy Calkins curriculum, were positively impacted by the framework in several different
aspects. From the survey, parents and students both responded overwhelmingly positive to the
idea that the students were able to focus on and improve their writing. Furthermore, the groups
also concurred that students were able to write different types of essays, use proper mechanics,
and give and receive feedback regarding their writing. However, student enjoyment for writing
was not as favorable. Some feedback from the open-ended part of the survey indicated that
providing more choice might have made the experience more enjoyable. The on-demand essay
data that was collected in this study showed a statistically significant increase in student ability
in the writing process. Furthermore, the teacher collected evidence of student gains in stamina
and volume so much so that students went from writing a few paragraphs to writing a few pages
in the same amount of time. Plus, the students worked to refine their work until they were
satisfied with the product.
Recommendations
These findings enhanced our understanding about how the Lucy Calkins Curriculum can
impact a student’s writing experience. We recommend the TSD continues to utilize the
curriculum, however we believe more can be gleaned about how student learning is impacted by
the curriculum by diving deeper into the information. Our first recommendation is to expand the
footprint of the study to other fifth-grade classrooms around the TSD. Doing so will increase our
sample size and ultimately provide more data to answer the research question. Furthermore, the
larger pool will increase survey responses so that a statistical inference can be used to determine
if attitudes towards writing have changed as a result of exposure to the curriculum. The
expansion of the study will also include more teacher feedback regarding student stamina and
volume with writing as well as feedback to the curriculum as a whole. To provide further
evidence regarding ability level, it is recommended that the TSD examine standardized test
scores in ELA prior to the implementation of the Lucy Calkins curriculum compared to current
scores. Once this data has been collected, it is recommended that the TSD continue to collect
data to develop a longitudinal study to track both ability and attitude as students advance in grade
level.
Implications for Future Research
When looking at the data and learning that has happened as a result of the study, it is
effortless to think about other matters the Lucy Calkins curriculum might be able to answer.
First off, one of the mantras of the framework from Lucy Calkins herself is, “Teach the writer,
not the writing!” The framework provides so many different techniques that it would be
interesting to study whether a particular skill used has a greater impact on the writing experience.
Another aspect that might be investigated could involve evaluating how the curriculum impacts
students of different ability levels. Researchers might study students who typically score lower
in writing compared to those who are average and above average to see if the curriculum impacts
them differently. They might even expand further to investigate students with special needs,
students with 504’s, or students who are English learners. Further research could also be done to
increase understanding about how students perceive themselves as writers over time when
exposed to the Lucy Calkins curriculum. Finally, it would be interesting for researchers to
identify similar school systems, one of which uses Lucy Calkins and compare ability, attitude,
and teacher feedback to another school which does not utilize the curriculum. Identifying
different aspects of Lucy Calkins, how it might impact for the better, and the positive sway it
could have on the bigger picture provides a lens for future research possibilities.
References
Calkins, L., and Ehrenworth, M.. “Growing Extraordinary Writers: Leadership Decisions to
Raise the Level of Writing Across a School and a District.” Reading Teacher 70.1
(2016): 7–18. Web.
Cicalese, J. (2009). “The Implications of Writers’ Workshop in Fifth Grade,” The Corinthian;
Vol. 10, Article 3.
Feinberg, B. (2007). “The Lucy Calkins project: Parsing a self-proclaimed literacy guru.”
Education Next.
Guay, F., Chanal J., Ratelle, C., March, H., Larose, S., Boivin, M., (2010). Intrinsic, identified,
and controlled types of motivation for school subjects in young elementary school
children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 711-735.
Heinemann. (2019). About Lucy Calkins and Co-Authors. Biographies. Retrieved December 9,
2019, from http://www.unitsofstudy.com/authors.
Kear, D., Coffman, G., McKenna, M., Ambrosio, A., (2000, September). The reading teacher;
Measuring attitude toward writing: A new tool for teachers; 54, 1; Research Library Core
10.
Price, D. (2012). Documentaries: Motivating the tech generation to research and write. Gifted
Education International, 28(1) 107-111.
Teachers College Reading And Writing Project. (2014). Professional Development in Schools.
Retrieved from https://readingandwritingproject.org/services/professional-
development/writing
Teachers College Reading And Writing Project. (n.d.). Units of Study Research Base. Retrieved
March 25, 2020, from http://www.unitsofstudy.com/resourcecenter/resource?id=416
Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don’t teach the
new survival skills our children need - and what we can do about it. New York, NY:
Basic.
Appendix A - Administrative Consent Form
April 23, 2019
Dr. Tammy DiPonio, Principal

Costello Elementary
1333 Hamman
Troy, MI 48085
Dear Dr. DiPonio,
We are part of an educational specialist cohort from Oakland University conducting action research on
student attitudes and abilities toward writing. Our research question is: Does student attitude and ability
increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins curriculum?
We are seeking permission to survey both parents and students in Miss Eldridge’s 5th grade classroom.
Our focus group will be Miss Eldridge’s 5th grade students. We would like to conduct our surveys in
April 2019. Prior to conducting the survey we will be getting consent from parents and students. Their
participation will be voluntary and all information will remain anonymous. There is no risk in taking this
survey. Refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits and subjects may discontinue
participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.
When the research is complete, the findings will be made public but no student information will be
identifiable as the survey is being completed anonymously. The information from our research will
benefit future students and staff as we plan on improving our delivery of the Lucy Calkins curriculum.
We would appreciate your approval for this project. Please indicate your permission on the form below
and return it to Julie Eldridge. If you have specific questions regarding this research project please contact
Julie Eldridge at extension 3704, Brian Zawislak at extension 2732, or Lindson Feun, Ph.D., Faculty
Sponsor, Oakland University, 248-623-9233.
Sincerely,
Julie Eldridge Brian Zawislak

I give permission for the cohort group from Oakland University to conduct a survey of students and
parents in Miss Eldridge’s 5th grade class in the spring of 2019.
_________________________________________ _______________
Administrator Signature Date
Appendix B - Parent Permission for Student Survey
April 30, 2019
Dear Parent,
the attitudes and abilities of students in writing. Our research question is: Does student attitude and
ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins curriculum?
Your child’s feedback is very valuable to us. We will be asking fifth grade students in Miss Eldridge’s
class at Costello Elementary School to complete a survey. Your student’s participation is completely
voluntary. No names will be request on the survey. There is no risk to your student in taking the survey. It
will not impact his/her grade. You or your child can withdraw the consent to participate at any time. Any
additional data will be collected and analyzed for the study only. In order for you child to participate in
this survey we need the permission slip at the bottom of this letter returned no later than May 3, 2019.
The information used from this survey will benefit future students as we plan for improving our delivery
of teaching in the fifth-grade class.
When the research project is complete, the findings will be made available to the public but no student
will be identifiable as the surveys are done anonymously. Please contact Julie Eldridge, Teacher, Costello
Elementary (248) 823-3704, Brian Zawislak, Assistant Principal, Troy High School at (248) 823-2732
with questions regarding the research or consent. Or you may contact Lindson Feun, Ph. D., Faculty
Sponsor, Oakland University, (248) 623-9233. For questions regarding the rights of human subjects in
research you may contact Dr. Christine Hansen, Chair, Oakland University Institutional Review Board,
(348) 370-2552.
Sincerely,
_______ Yes, my child may participate in the writing attitude and ability action research survey.
_______ No, my child cannot participate in the writing attitude and ability action research survey.
Parent/Guardian Student: _____________________________________ Date: ___________
**Please keep one copy of the consent and have your student return the signed form to Miss
Eldridge
Appendix C - Student Consent Form
April 30, 2019
Dear Student,
the attitudes and abilities of students in writing. Our research question is: Does student attitude and
ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins curriculum?
We are seeking your consent to have you fill out an anonymous survey about your attitude and ability in
writing. The survey will be available to you on May 3, 2019. All data from the survey will remain
anonymous. Participation is voluntary and you can withdraw your consent at any time without risk or
penalty. There is no risk to you if you choose to take this survey or choose not to take the survey. This
will not impact your grade. If you agree to participate, please sign the consent form below. If you choose
not to participate please recycle this form. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
I, _______________________________________, (print your name) understand and consent to taking a

survey regarding my attitude and ability in writing. Again, taking the survey is voluntary and the survey
will remain anonymous.
Please contact Julie Eldridge, Teacher, Costello Elementary (248) 823-3704, Brian Zawislak, Assistant
Principal, Troy High School at (248) 823-2732 with questions regarding the research or consent. Or you
may contact Lindson Feun, Ph. D., Faculty Sponsor, Oakland University, (248) 623-9233. For questions
regarding the rights of human subjects in research, you may contact Dr. Christine Hansen, Chair, Oakland
University Institutional Review Board, (248) 370-2552.
Signature of Student: _____________________________________ Date: ___________
**Please keep one copy of the consent and have your student return the signed form to Miss
Eldridge
Appendix D - Student Survey (The following survey was administered through Microsoft Forms)
Student Survey on Writing
Costello Elementary
This survey is to help us understand your feelings towards writing and your ability to write. The
information that you provide is confidential, so please do NOT include names in your responses. When
answering these questions, please keep in mind your writing experience in fifth grade. Thanks for your
honest responses.
1. I am a: Male Female
2. Currently, I am writing: Above grade level On grade level Below grade level
3. Which race do you identify with? Caucasian Asian/Pacific Islander African American
Latino/Hispanic Chaldean Arabic Multi-racial
For the questions 4 - 23, SA = Strongly Agree, A = Agree, N = Neutral, D = Disagree, and SD = Strongly
Disagree.
4. I can get started right away. SA A N D SD

5. I can raise the level of my writing. SA A N D SD
6. I can write the beginning of an essay. SA A N D SD
7. I can write the middle of an essay. SA A N D SD
8. I can write the conclusion of an essay. SA A N D SD
9. I can write a persuasive essay to change a reader’s opinion. SA A N D SD
10. I can write about something I did in science. SA A N D SD
11. I can write about something I did in social studies. SA A N D SD
12. I can write about something that happened in my life. SA A N D SD
13. I use punctuation properly. SA A N D SD
14. I revise my writing for spelling errors. SA A N D SD
15. I appreciate teacher feedback about my writing. SA A N D SD
16. I appreciate classmate feedback about my writing. SA A N D SD
17. I enjoy writing. SA A N D SD
18. I want to write more in school. SA A N D SD
19. I like to share my writing with others. SA A N D SD
20. I choose to write in my spare time. SA A N D SD
21. I think of myself as an author. SA A N D SD
22. I want to be a journalist. SA A N D SD
23. I would rather write an essay than do my math homework. SA A N D SD
24. What did you like best about your writing experience at Costello Elementary?
25. How can your writing experience be improved?

Appendix E - Student Survey Results

Appendix F - Parent Survey (The following survey was administered through Microsoft Forms)
Parent Survey on Writing
Costello Elementary
This survey is to help us understand your feelings towards writing and your ability to write. The
information that you provide is confidential, so please do NOT include names in your responses. When
answering these questions, please keep in mind your writing experience in fifth grade. Thanks for your
honest responses.
1. Your child’s gender: Male Female

2. Generally, your child’s academic achievement in writing is: Above On Below grade level
3. Which race do you identify with? Caucasian Asian/Pacific Islander African American
Latino/Hispanic Chaldean Arabic Multi-racial
For the questions 4 - 23, SA = Strongly Agree, A = Agree, N = Neutral, D = Disagree, and SD = Strongly
Disagree.
4. My child can focus on their writing. SA A N D SD

5. My child is able to raise the level of their writing. SA A N D SD
6. My child can write the beginning of an essay. SA A N D SD
7. My child can write the middle of an essay. SA A N D SD
8. My child can write the conclusion of an essay. SA A N D SD
9. My child can write a persuasive essay to change a reader’s opinion. SA A N D SD
10. My child can write about something I did in science. SA A N D SD
11. My child can write about something I did in social studies. SA A N D SD
12. My child can write about something that happened in my life. SA A N D SD
13. My child uses punctuation properly. SA A N D SD
14. My child revises their writing for spelling errors. SA A N D SD
15. My child appreciates teacher feedback about their writing. SA A N D SD
16. My child appreciates classmate feedback about their writing. SA A N D SD
17. My child enjoys writing. SA A N D SD
18. My child would like to write more in school. SA A N D SD
19. My child likes to share my writing with others. SA A N D SD
20. My child chooses to write in their spare time. SA A N D SD
21. My child thinks of themselves as an author. SA A N D SD
22. My child wants to be a journalist. SA A N D SD
23. My child would rather write an essay than do math homework. SA A N D SD
24. What did you like best about your writing experience at Costello Elementary?
25. How can your child’s writing experience be improved?

Appendix G - Parent Survey Results

Appendix H – Fall On-Demand Writing Scores
October 2018 On-Demand

Writing Scores
Student Name % Correct Grade Level
Student 1 25% Below
Student 2 43.18% Below
Student 4 50% Below
Student 5 52.27% On
Student 6 50% Below
Student 7 50% Below
Student 10 50% Below
Student 11 0% Attempted
Appendix I – Spring On-Demand Writing Scores
March 2019 On-Demand

Writing Scores
Student Name % Correct Grade Level
Student 2 76.14% Above
Student 3 25% Below
Student 5 68.18% On
Student 6 75% On
Student 7 75% On
Student 8 63.64% On
Student 12 61.36% On
Student 13 75% On
Student 14 75% On
Student 15 75% On
Student 16 75% On
Student 18 59.09% On
Student 19 75% On
Student 20 75% On

Action Research Paper LC Eldridge and Zawislak

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Running head: ACTION RESEARCH ON THE LUCY CALKINS WRITING CURRICULUM.

Julie Eldridge & Brian Zawislak

Lindson Feun, Ph.D.

April 14, 2020

readers and writers.

distribution of diversity remained unchanged, however the population of English Language

students; 11 males and 9 females.

ability increase after exposure to Lucy Calkins writing curriculum?

Assumptions and Limitations

observations are unbiased.

Calkins Writer’s Workshop model.

As mentioned earlier, technology is advancing and, as noted by Kear, et al (2000) in their

by identification towards writing than boys” (p. 730-731).

increased stakes for students creating a documentary. Students become motivated to

(Price, 2012, p. 109).

and revisiting parts as needed.

kindergarten through eighth grade:

many professional books, she is a Robinson Professor of Children’s Literature at Teachers

classrooms around the world. To say Calkins is an expert on literacy is an understatement.

Study limit student engagement of reading and writing.

prominent. Furthermore, on standardized assessments, students were more proficient in ideas,

organization, style, and conventions.

observations about the students’ writing experience.

instruction and charted growth over time.

attitudes regarding the Lucy Calkins writing curriculum.

if a student is below grade level, on grade level, or above grade level.

Student and Parent Survey Results

their level of writing.

Statements 9 – 12 pertained to the students’ perception of writing different types of

something they did in science.

not revise their writing for spelling errors.

Statements 15 and 16 looked at students’ perception about feedback regarding their

improving grammar and spelling in their child’s writing.

On-Demand Writing Scores from Illuminate

Curriculum as a framework, produced an increase in the students’ ability to write.

Discussion of the Results

naturally developed as students matured. Moreover, it would be interesting to examine the

but who had a different teacher.

Conclusions and Recommendations

satisfied with the product.

Implications for Future Research

(2016): 7–18. Web.

Vol. 10, Article 3.

children. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 711-735.

2019, from http://www.unitsofstudy.com/authors.

Education International, 28(1) 107-111.

Retrieved from https://readingandwritingproject.org/services/professional-

March 25, 2020, from http://www.unitsofstudy.com/resourcecenter/resource?id=416

Appendix A - Administrative Consent Form

April 23, 2019

Dr. Tammy DiPonio, Principal

Dear Dr. DiPonio,

Julie Eldridge Brian Zawislak

Appendix B - Parent Permission for Student Survey

April 30, 2019

Julie Eldridge Brian Zawislak

Parent/Guardian Student: _____________________________________ Date: ___________

Appendix C - Student Consent Form

April 30, 2019

Julie Eldridge Brian Zawislak

I, _______________________________________, (print your name) understand and consent to taking a

Signature of Student: _____________________________________ Date: ___________

4. I can get started right away. SA A N D SD

Parent/Guardian Student: ___________________________ Date: _

Signature of Student: ___________________________ Date: _