The field of teacher education is abuzz with a quest for innovation, with public and private stakeholders seeking ways to improve teacher efficacy, support equity, and address the countless challenges of education in the 21st century. Technology often dominates these conversations. From online learning to virtual reality, "innovation" is often defined in digital scientific terms. Lost in the tech-saturated conversation is a different type of innovation--one grounded in authentic problem-solving from within the local community. In this approach (often referred to as place-based education [PBE]), teachers learn to engage youth in tackling the social and environmental challenges they will (and already) face--from climate change to inequality to interpersonal relationships. With its focus on integrating academic achievement and student agency toward collective well-being, PBE seamlessly advances the competencies students need as scholars, citizens, and neighbors. This article will unfold the basic principles of community-based teacher education and offer examples from three different countries: Jamaica, Nigeria, and the United States.