This paper presents a proposal for improving the relationship between the communities of research on teaching and teacher education. An examination is made on ways existing research on teaching might be used in curriculum planning for teacher education. Three changes are called for: (1) that researchers and teacher educators understand each other's work more profoundly; (2) that the curriculum planning process in teacher education be clearly delineated; and (3) that the concept of the newly graduated teacher be changed from that of "inexperienced expert" to "well-started novice." This concept, it is pointed out, would characterize beginning teachers as individuals who lack professional experience, but who are actively learning and continuing to develop toward expert status. It is argued that research on teaching could be made more useful in teacher education settings by conceptualizing the research outcomes as consisting not only of findings and implications, but also of concepts, theoretical models, questions, methods of inquiry, and case studies. It is predicted that appropriate use of research on teaching in the service of teacher preparation will not make teacher education easier, but will make it more appropriately complex. (Author/JD)