Fairly long entry alert: but feedback from anyone who has the time would be greatly appreciated.Suggestions/words of wisdom/expressions of encouragement and good cheer?I know we all need to get pushed from the nest sooner or later, and suspect that all the little birdies are somewhat loathe to leave the nest-service food and the congenial warmth at the same time they are developing curiosity about trying this flying thing. Although we're hardly fledglings in any other way, that's kind of where Anna Falcouner and I are this year in our role of trying to go out much more on our own with teacher inquiry professional learning communities in our district. Our county curriculum people worked with Sabrina to launch a semi-independent county-wide plan: facilitators in each school (several in a couple of schools), with each facilitator having the potential to work with up to 5 teachers, launching our own kickoff night, and our own showcase in the spring. To that end, Anna and I worked very hard last summer to plan a two-day workshop to lead the potential facilitators through Dr. Dana's book, to allow for questions and discussion, to practice a protocol, and to send them off to recruit in their schools. It has worked much better in some schools than others, but it looks at this time as if we might have up to 50 presenters early in May. We just had a three-hour follow-up meeting with the facilitators this last Wednesday during which time we gave them some of the idea-stimulating and product-honing activities from the manuscript of Nancy's new book. If anyone has the time, I'd be happy to send a list of the sections she graciously allowed us to excerpt. The meeting went pretty well: the new facilitators were glad to get the definitions and activities, and recognized their potential usefulness. It's an exceptionally bright group of people that we are lucky enough to be working with. They had numerous questions, but some of the participants were relieved to realize that all of us are really in learning mode together, and that right answers were not what we were about. While everyone who completes a project will get some money to spend for his/her classroom, and each person who presents will be paid our normal stipend ($100) for the showcase day, the participants cannot really be motivated by money, because it's just not that much to go into the personal pocket. We would appreciate:ideas for reducing jittersactivities from the manuscript that worked well with your inquirersany practical suggestions you can addthe abovementioned words of wisdomWe want to make inquiry a very normal and useful option for professional development in our system. Success this year can mean big long term pay-offs for the kids. What we're terrified of is the possibility that, if we aren't successful, the reputation of inquiry in our district will be clouded and its potential lost. We are birdies with butterflies in our stomachs, flapping our wings like crazy. Thanks so much--from both Anna and me.