Elementary Teachers of Writing: Personal Writing Beliefs and Their Impact on Teaching Writing

The purpose of this study was to determine teachers’ beliefs of themselves as writers and the impact of these beliefs on their teaching of writing. Case studies of seven teachers of writing on two elementary campuses in a suburban school district were the sample. A combination of interviews, journals, personal teaching metaphors, observations, and field notes were collected using qualitative case study methodology. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data. As conceptual categories emerged from the analysis, the evidence was sorted in to themes. The results showed a discrepancy between teacher beliefs and practice. The data also revealed a lack of confidence among teachers regarding their ability to teach writing effectively while preparing students for high-stakes, standardized tests.