The purpose of this research is to analyze the practices of teachers considered to be reference in the city of Duque de Caxias, RJ. To that aim, I have observed and interviewed four teachers, one from each of the four districts in the city, who were pre-selected by the local coordinators. More specifically, the methodology I used was three-fold: (1) a semistructured interview with the teachers; (2) conversation sessions with 4 students from each reference teacher; and (3) 5-month long class observations, totalling 8 to 9 observations in each classroom. Data were analyzed with the computer software Atlas Ti, through which categories and subcategories were formed. Results indicate that two of the four teachers develop systematic literacy practices through frequent activities that help children understand the alphabetic system. Two teachers work with the written language in a more unsystematic way, giving priority to reading activities and text production. One of those frequently used the textbook, which did not offer subsidies for a reflection on the teaching of alphabetic writing. In three of the four groups, results showed the presence of a diverse pedagogy, planned mainly from teachers daily evaluations, in an attempt to account for the heterogeneity of knowledge. Based on those results, I conclude that public policy concerning investments on teacher s continuing education is important to ensure that teachers understand the need to make students reflect upon the alphabetic system and, at the same time, to make them more literate. In addition, they must understand the heterogeneity in the classroom not as a problem, but as favorable to learning. We conclude that the quality of public education that we expect to achieve demands such investments.