ABSTRACT
All nine first graders were seated on a colorful rug while one dark-haired girl, Hifza (all names are pseudonyms), stood up front and read the story that she had been working on during Writer’s Workshop that day. She read clearly and proudly as she recounted a small moment of her life through her writing (original spelling and punctuation maintained):
I went to the Zoo. I saw a Lion. The Lion was DoinG tricks. It was running fast. The Lion got hungry. It ate meat. The Lion was in the cage. I was Happy. My frens and my famle came with me.
Then I saw a Tiger. I Like The Tiger. it was By a tree. It was BY a tree. in The tree The tiger was eating. it was faL it was running Then it fall asleep. Then I went to see the ELphent.
I Saw a ELPHent. it was Big. I saw The ELPHent wok to The BatH. It tok a Bath in The watr. A Rinon was opnig. it wus fun. I wont to go to the Zoo aGen.
Hifza, personal writing, October, 2011 She finished and looked out at the other students eagerly, doubt in her eyes as she did not know how they would react. I had listened attentively and, wanting to express my appreciation for the girl’s writing, began clapping quietly. In my cultural tradition, clapping is an expression of appreciation or approval. I figured that all of the students and the teacher would follow what would seem to me to be a rather insignificant cultural ritual. The classroom teacher, instead, asked the class, “What do we say to praise?” And she proceeded to declare, “Takbeer!” (God is Greater). Nine little first grade voices collectively responded, “Allah Akbar!” (Allah is the Greatest).