Lucy Calkins is the Founding Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and the Richard Robinson Professor in Children's Literature at Teachers College, Columbia University where she co-directs the Literacy Specialist Program.
Calkins is the author or co-author of several score of books, including especially the series, Units of Study in Teaching Information, Narrative and Opinion Writing, k-8, and the just released sister series, Units of Study in Teaching Reading, k-5. Hundreds of thousands of teachers from across the world have used these books to undergird a rigorous and joyful curriculum in reading and writing.
The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project has a staff of 80. Many of the most influential literacy educators in the world are current or former members of this team, and Calkins regards her leadership of this extraordinary team of people as her most important contribution. Together, Lucy and her colleagues have led week long summer intensive institutes for over 200,000 teachers and school leaders. Each year, the team provides long lasting, field based professional development in well over 1000 schools across the world, including urban, suburban, rural and international schools. Some of this work is done through a sister organization, Reading and Writing Project LLC, which Calkins also directs. That work leaves a lasting and immediately obvious impact,and for that reason, the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project has for decades been regarded as one of the premier providers of professional development in literacy in the world.