Teamwork divides the work and multiplies the effort. Seems odd, doesn't it, for a teacher of English to begin a message to her English/language arts colleagues using math terminology? Perhaps. But the truth of this maxim struck me this summer. It was while driving with my husband, rather than flying, to northern California from San Diego that I realized how geographically large and topographically rugged our Council districts are and that it must be difficult for CATE members to attend events planned by their local boards. No matter how enticing the program, no matter how famous the speakers, sitting locked in the rolling parking lots of our urban freeways, feeling isolated on our rural highways, or driving not by sight but by faith through the pea soup fog that comes in on little cat's feet, can pose a daunting task at the end of a full day or exhausting week on the job.

On that trip I mused about ways to schedule and maintain regular gatherings between annual conventions and with those who are unable to attend them. You see, it's the frequent coming together that keeps us alight with enthusiasm for our daily challenges. I tried to think of inexpensive, practical ways to do better for more what we do so well for a few. California English, cateweb.org, and CATEnet all are great sources of information and means of communication. But, none is a substitute for being in the physical presence of inspiring colleagues. The question, then became, "How can we add more meetings without multiplying the work of a few?" Then, I remembered the warmth and camaraderie of my grandmother's neighborhood quilting bees and the intellectual stimulation of community book clubs. When my children were young and we were saving for our first house, I sold plastic ware in the homes of party hostesses. Could features of those small gatherings work for CATE?

What about dividing into smaller units rather than subtracting events from our council calendars? Think about volunteering to host a small CATE group in your district or region at a time convenient for those involved. Keep plans simple and focused. Start and end on time. Have simple refreshments - something wet and something dry. Rotate meeting times and locations. Make it a potluck - not of food, but of ideas. Ask each person to come with an idea, strategy, or article that can be shared in 5-7 minutes - handouts optional. If the gathering is small, stay in one group; if large, sub-divide to give each person time to speak and be heard. Reassemble, and while having refreshments, make plans for the next meeting. Adjourn after an hour or two. Where can you meet? Consider a private room at a local eatery, the lounge at your school or district office; your home, the community room in your condo, apartment or neighborhood housing development. Do you have other ideas? E-mail them to us and we can post them on our website to share other members.

Our CATE board at its last meeting, also discussed strategic plans to help us better serve our membership: to COMMUNICATE, LEGISLATE, INITIATE, EDUCATE, AND DISSEMINATE. We want to get information to you in a timely way; to identify, study, and act on legislative issues important to English/language arts teachers; to promote initial and continuing teacher education; to develop and understand ways to improve classroom practices; and to inform and work with members of the lay public on interests and issues germane to teaching in our state.

Obviously, the entire membership will have to invest time to reach these goals. So let's commit to reserving a percentage of our time to meet together regularly and to share the wealth of our experiences in the communities where we live. Surely our investment will result in increased dividends for ourselves and for the students we serve here - in this sprawling state of California.

Anna J. Roseboro