Elementary Teachers of Writing: Paths, Passions, and Practices
This mixed-methods study examined the personal and professional experiences of early elementary teachers related to writing, seeking relationships between their experiences and instructional practices. Data included a survey of 61 kindergarten, first, and second-grade teachers and two focus group interviews in a large urban district in the Midwest. Three major themes emerged from the data concerning the writing instructional practices: (a) the importance of peer collaboration on instructional practices and professional learning, (b) the consistent use of a common writing curriculum, and (c) the application of a Writer’s Workshop approach. The findings suggest that because writing is not a consistent instructional focus in schools across the United States, teachers may need to use their autonomy to make it a priority in their classrooms. To do this, they will need strong curricular materials providing embedded professional learning to facilitate the much needed shift in instructional emphasis toward increased writing instruction.
writing instruction, teacher attitudes, primary grades teaching, writing curriculum, peer collaboration, primary writing, writer's workshop, teacher survey, focus group, Elementary Education
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