In this text Stewart suggests examining real classrooms to dertermine what works in elementary literacy teaching in practice. She focuses on her own teacher research and shows how what became "best practice" for her second-grade students grew out of their growth as a learning community.

Teachers, parents, policy makers, and others interested in researching what's best for teaching children literacy skills will find literally thousands of resources purporting to be best practices. Author Margaret Stewart suggests examining real classrooms - teachers and students actively involved in literacy learning - to determine what works in practice. She focuses on her own teacher research and shows how what became "best practice" for her second-grade studnets grew out of their growth as a learning community. Stewart provides this research through scenes of classroom life. The author encourages preservice and inservice teachers to undertake practitioner research and incorporate reflective practice in the classroom. Likewise, parents, policymakers, and others can do their own research on best practices by investigating real classrooms and mentoring a child whom they will be able to observe and grow with over a period of time. This book celebrates children and their work, and invites teachers to search for the best practice for their students.