The purpose of this article is to describe how a collaborative partnership between a public school teacher and university teacher-educator positively influenced their thinking about effective literacy practices in schools. The collaboration began when the two attended a state initiative summer literacy project. During the workshop they engaged in personal and collective reflection of their teaching practices and those presented during the training. These informal discussions became the basis for a collaborative partnership in which Vicki, the teacher, would periodically attend Denise's university reading methods course to work with preservice teachers and Denise to teach Vicki's first graders. In connections such as these, learning communities are established that benefit both teachers and university professors. (Contains 1 table.)