This paper delineates several of the major problems confronting teacher educators, public school instructors, and school corporations today: changes in public school populations; difficulties in recruiting quality teacher education candidates; and problems in initiating significant changes in teacher education programs. It makes a plea for the creation of more stimulating academic programs at all educational levels. Desirable attributes of these recommended instructional components are described, and their importance to the development of pupil problem-solving and reasoning skills are noted. In addition, a three-phase teacher education program (with prominent academic features) is detailed. The appendices include a course evaluation chart for an elementary education program, a summary of recent changes in institutional teacher education requirements in Indiana, and a set of problem situations that require critical thinking for their solutions, as well as a four-page outline by Robert Ennis entitled "Goals for a Critical Thinking Curriculum." (JD)