This guide answers three basic questions on how to develop a professional community of learners: (1) What type of polices, structures, and procedures will help staff to connect with and learn from one another? (2) What incentives help schools to undertake community-wide learning? and (3) How can schools transform themselves into professional learning communities? The guide outlines the characteristics of professional learning communities, suggests some clear targets for teachers who participate in these communities, outlines the underlying principles for achieving this type of teacher learning, and discusses the work of school leaders who are creating such learning communities. The text explores how learning communities are fostered when groups of educators within a building share a common purpose for learning. This shared purpose can then lead to a type of learning that builds upon common experiences and is committed to an ongoing analysis of the actions and underlying causes behind those outcomes. The paper focuses on teacher learning in school settings, ways to clarify goals when developing a professional community, building incentives for teacher learning/skill development, principles that promote learning, factors affecting learning-to-learn skills, and advice for administrators on how to reengineer incentives. Four appendices offer further suggestions for encouraging professional development. (RJM)