This paper presents one sixth-grade teacher's efforts to advance curriculum at a Hawaii elementary school through continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of her learning and teaching program. Deliberate and careful reflections in personal teaching journals, meetings with an educational consultant, school administrators, and teaching colleagues, classroom observations, and student interviews were used as part of an ongoing program designed to promote an inviting, people-oriented classroom community. A child-centered classroom environment has been created in which students are encouraged to negotiate and co-plan a curriculum that includes a variety of interests and a combination of teaching methods. To maintain a high level of motivation, a reward system is used and students and their parents receive frequent positive feedback. Cooperative student-teacher work is used to model good reading and writing habits, and collaborative journal writing to encourage sharing of ideas. (Contains 8 references.) (JLS)