In this article, which is a response to William Cook and Bruce Joyce, the author acknowledges common ground but sticks to his position that the best way to improve instruction is to develop true learning communities in which teachers together examine and adjust their practices. In his generous response to the Schmoker's February 2004 Kappan article, William Cook agrees that "strategic planning," as the concept has actually been implemented, has undeniably hurt schools and that, in fact, "the situation may be even worse" than Schmoker described.