We are all “Just Girls”

“Just Girls” opens up and explores the world of pre-teen females in the 6th and 7th grades and describes the different forms of literacies they endure and create for themselves. This book not only describes what is considered “typical adolescent behavior” but also pushed against the common interpretation of said behavior. The middle school years are full of turmoil, change, and establishing independence, but they are also plagued by the desire to please everyone, whether that be parents, teachers, or friends. Although these young ladies describe themselves as “just girls” they all seem to want to place a boundary between themselves and the outside world, therefore creating a barrier that allows them to develop new and exciting literacies within their lives and group of friends.

For our book we have focused on how our own situations have shaped our literacies throughout school in an attempt to see if the research still applies. What we have found is that yes, it does apply but is in need of adaptation to fit the more modern world. The three of us in the group all have recollections of certain literacy events in school, such as sports, yearbooks, and I believe school dances even came up in one conversation. However, even though the event itself hasn’t changed much in the years, the way students perceive it has changed and even varies between different classes and school systems. If this study were to be expanded and re-done with modern pre-teens and different types of friend groupings as well as school systems we believe the data would be more convincing, accurate, and would developed the ability to be readily applied in teaching strategies. Overall this study has a very strong basis but needs to be expanded to fit the great diversity we have in our school systems today.