One of the most important responsibilities of academic leaders is to encourage and provide continuing professional development opportunities for themselves, faculty, and staff. Retreats are very effective vehicles for professional growth, providing an opportunity to discuss their experiences and different issues. For over 25 years, the most effective and popular format for retreats has been the Great Teachers Seminar (GTS). The purpose of a GTS is to celebrate good teaching, allow teachers the opportunity to venture beyond the limits of their specialization, promote teacher introspection, practice rational analysis of instructional problems, and stimulate the exchange of ideas. The seminar is based on the premises that teachers learn best from other teachers, creativity is enhanced by mixing teachers from diverse fields, collective wisdom far surpasses individual expertise, and simplification is the key to successful teaching. While there are many variations on the GTS model, the following three main adaptations can be identified: (1) teaching celebrations, serving specific and more homogeneous groups of faculty; (2) all-college workshops, involving faculty, administrators, classified staff, and students to celebrate things that are working at the college and solve mutual challenges; and (3) meetings for such specific groups as department chairs, academic leaders, or staff. (TGI)