A case study was conducted in which a teacher followed the progress of a first grade boy over the course of a semester, collecting samples of his written work and observing his interaction with peers. The teacher came to understand how the boy expressed his uniqueness in his writing, and how important it is for all students to be allowed to use their knowledge and express their ideas, interests, and style in a natural setting. If these conditions are present, children become good writers because writing makes sense to them. Several of the boy's writing samples are provided. (ARH)