The view that the professional preparation of elementary and secondary teachers is inadequate is widespread and probably justified. Responsibility for this inadequacy rests with many, but we shall focus on the role of academicians. University academicians, though they have kept their educator-colleagues at a disrespectful distance, have allowed educators' students to attend academicians' classes. The result has been that future teachers have shared the mediocre education accorded most undergraduates, and they have had bad examples of teaching set before them. With some exceptions, participation in educational endeavors by the universities has been peripheral. We need to drastically alter the relationship between the universities, on the one hand, and teacher education and the schools on the other. The major requirements are: 1) an organization of knowledge that provides insight into discipline relationships; 2) institutional changes that encourage participation by academics in educational efforts; 3) a change in faculty attitudes and interests; and, 4) new concepts, methods and arrangements for teaching subject matter to teachers. (Three innovative plans for educating teachers are described.) (Author/JLB)