This training guide provides guidelines and sample strategies for using the 1989 publication, "The Multigrade Resource Handbook," in a variety of professional settings ranging from teacher training programs to school and district inservice. This guide has been developed primarily for preservice teacher educators working with prospective rural teachers and for educators responsible for carrying out staff development activities. Part I of this guide provides background information on rural school change and staff development and possible uses of the resource handbook in teacher development. Part II describes specific strategies used with educators interested in multigrade instruction. In this part, which is organized to correspond to the chapters in the Multigrade Resource Handbook, the contents of each chapter are briefly reviewed and sample lessons and activities are included. To encourage a reciprocal exchange of participant experience and craft knowledge, the core activities in this training guide are based on cooperative learning structures. An appendix section contains worksheets, forms, and transparency masters to be used in the training sessions. (ALL)