This article explores two beginning Canadian teachers' experiences of professional development in literacy education. Differences and parallel tensions between the Canadian teachers' and my own experiences as a teacher and teacher educator in Pakistan were identified through narrative inquiry. The significance of this article is found in the expression of seven necessary conditions for successful professional development: appreciation and awareness of teachers' internal quest for learning; teachers' involvement in their own professional development; promotion of active, critical reflection; sharing multiple perspectives in collective conversation; providing time for internal reflection; a democratic context for professional development; and supporting teachers' efforts to develop their professional knowledge base.