Written Communication Jul 1994

“I Want to Be Good; I Just Don't Get It”

KATHERINE SCHULTZ

Abstract

Based on a year-long ethnographic study, this article presents a case study of a fourth-grade student, Kenya, who learned to participate in the literacy community of her classroom—in her terms “to be good”—by writing letters. It was through these letters, which began as daily written interactions about (mis)behavior, that Kenya gained confidence and skill as a writer. The genre of letters allowed Kenya to construct her identity as a writer in the classroom community, at the same time that she retained her identity as a member of a group of four, frequently defiant African American girls. In this classroom, teachers used writing to forge collaborative relationships with students—relationships that often were built around struggle and conflict—to encourage students' growth as writers. This study has implications for a new pedagogy of writing, one that provides a rich and challenging curriculum for all students, even those who might in other circumstances be considered “remedial,” and one which alters our conceptions of the roles of and relationships between teachers and students in a writing classroom.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1994-07-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088394011003004
Open Access
Closed
Topics
writing pedagogy qualitative research affect and writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

Cites in this index (4)

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    Research in the Teaching of English
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    The Functions of Writing in an Elementary Classroom
    Research in the Teaching of English
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CrossRef global citation count: 5 View in citation network →

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