This article examines the characteristics of self-directed learning as they apply to the Award in Mentoring (AIM), a school-based professional development program with teachers as adult learners. A short introduction to self-directed learning is presented followed by a look at the design of AIM and how AIM addresses some self-directed learning pitfalls. A practitioner profile of an AIM recipient is presented to exemplify how AIM is a self-directed learning program, and positive outcomes are noted. The article concludes by considering how AIM, a teacher professional development program, addresses the "spirit" of self-directed learning.