A study examined shifts that occur in teachers' behaviors and teaching repertoires as they become more strategic teachers, and the types of instruction that lead to the greatest growth in at-risk students' comprehension and reading abilities. A literacy initiative coordinator and a college researcher worked collaboratively with nine teachers to incorporate strategy instruction into a district-wide, third-fifth grade reading program. The 316 students in the program functioned in the lowest 10% of literacy abilities. Data included teacher interviews, field notes, running records, writing samples, and other student performance indicators. Results indicated that (1) teacher attendance at inservice training sessions and reading materials prior to training session correlated with higher student achievement; (2) opportunity to plan what they needed to learn was the second highest correlate to students' success, with teachers demonstrating use of strategic instruction being the highest correlate to the amount of literacy growth created for students; (3) ability of teachers to write their philosophies of instruction did not correlate to their abilities to create literacy achievement for their students; and (4) students significantly increased in several areas of strategic reading and on standardized test scores. Findings suggest that teacher change cannot be measured through one preconceived measure or index of change; teachers profited from a collaborative mode of dialogue consisting of at least 3 perspectives; and some teachers do not necessarily improve over time. (Contains 16 references and 3 tables of data; appendixes provide a list of things a teacher was going to try, a teacher's essay on her instructional philosophy, and 2 survey instruments.) (RS)