Advocating the creation of a school climate that allows staff to determine the match between their current practice and standards of excellence, this booklet describes a process and attendant conditions for conducting self-study, one such process that shows promise. Based on experience, the booklet offers several lessons about the self-study process for teachers in the early grades. The first category of lessons in the booklet focus on the common bonds that teachers of young children appear to share and what this suggests about the self-study process. The second category in the booklet revolves around the six critical areas of support needed to promote a professional and reflective climate: (1) offering real reasons to participate; (2) building trust slowly through meaningful work; (3) providing administrative support; (4) providing ongoing support for peer facilitators; (5) tapping into outside resources; and (6) building in reflection time. The booklet highlights these lessons, offering practical advice about the process to those who wish to engage in a guided self-study. Annotated lists of five additional readings and five self-study documents are attached. (RS)