Please Write: A Self-Study of Using the Pedagogy of Letter Writing

• In Event: Scholars of Studying Teaching Collaborative: A Cross-Disciplinary Initiative to Improve Our Practice as University Instructors

Abstract

Objectives and Theoretical Framework
This research is a faculty self-study exploring the use of letter writing as a pedagogical tool. The sociocultural-based pedagogy was designed as an application of Vygotsky’s theory (1986) to promote student dialogue and validation of teachers’ self-study teacher research projects. Students were asked to document their research process in a series of letters addressed to critical friends, or trusted colleagues to seek support, alternative perspectives, and validation of their research (LaBoskey, 2004; Loughran & Northfield, 1998). The researcher inquired, What role(s) did the letter writing play in shaping students’ understanding of research over time? What did I learn as an instructor about using letter writing in the development of students’ research that would be useful to others?

Methods
Extreme case sampling of two critical friends teams was employed (Stake, 1994). The unit of analysis (Yin, 2009) was to understand how the teams experienced and applied the letter writing in developing their research projects. Each team was composed of three members: two females and one male; all are English teachers; and two females and one male; two science teachers and a female mathematics teacher. Multiple data sources: student interviews, three letters written and sent to a peer, three letter responses sent to a peer, final research papers, an instructor’s log, and cataloguing by the co-researchers which resulted in the following categories: (1) letter writing as audience; (2) letter writing as articulation and perspective taking; (3) letter writing as constructive and caring feedback; (4) letter writing as process; and (5) reframing of practice.

Results
Students, with various levels of consistency, care, accountability, and vulnerability, benefited from letter writing to articulate and document their thoughts. The letters prompted conscious awareness of inner speech and critical reflection and for the first team, from intrapersonal to interpersonal in their playful, yet serious, teaching salon. For Critical Friend Team One that meant engaging in rich cognitively and emotionally supported conversations about their situated practice. For Critical Friend Two, that meant using the letters as private speech where it largely remained and was useful, yet to a lesser extent than through the dialogue that the other team experienced. Providing structured prompts for the letters offered a framework for students’ experiencing the process in spite of some distastes for writing.

Significance
The study highlights the value of tapping into the potential of using audience in teaching research with critical friends cataloguing their interpretations. The study also brings attention to the questions, “How do professors encourage teacher researchers to build a learning community? What does it mean to be an honest, supportive, transparent, and collaborative colleague? How does that help the individual and the teaching profession?” The study unexpectedly brought attention to the value and reciprocity of professors working with graduate research assistants as co-researchers; apprenticing and learning from/with each other. Suggested guidelines for employing the pedagogy of letter writing are offered.

Author

• Anastasia P. Samaras, George Mason University