Dr.

Catherine Compton-Lilly
Tuesday, October 28th
11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Erickson Room: 133F


The Development of Habitus Over Time:
A Ten-Year Case Study of a Young Writer

Peter, an African American writer in a low-income community, is followed across a ten-year period
as he progresses from first grade through high school. Drawing on writing samples and related data,
Compton-Lilly explores his development of habitus (Bourdieu, 1971) as a writer. This paper considers the
various dispositions that contribute to Peter eventually claiming an identity as a writer. However, while
Peter develops habitus as a writer, structural and institutional constraints limit his ability to capitalize on
these abilities. The findings of this study challenge notions that unproblematically associate particular
abilities and skills with success in school and beyond.


Catherine Compton-Lilly is an Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction at
the University of Wisconsin Madison. She teaches courses in literacy studies and works
with professional development schools in Madison. Among the books she has edited or
authored are: Reading Families: The Literate Lives of Urban Children (Teachers College
Press, 2003), Rereading Families (Teachers College Press, 2007), and Reading Time: The
literate lives of urban secondary students and their families (Teachers College Press, 2012).
In these books she describes her experiences in following eight of her former first grade
students through middle school. She is currently writing about the high school experiences
of these same students. Her interests include examining how time operates as a contextual
factor in childrens lives as they progress through school and construct their identities as
students and readers. In an ongoing study, she is working with a team of graduate students
to follow fifteen children from immigrant families from primary school through high
school. She is also currently the editor-in-chief of Networks: An Online Journal for
Teacher Research.

2014-2015 Literacy Colloquy Presentation