University education departments and teacher educators are not presently providing the innovative reform-minded milieu necessary to develop vital, deeply committed social studies teachers. Education degree programs are remarkably similiar in course requirements and format, emphasizing traditional lecture oriented courses and student teaching. Obstacles prohibiting the reform of education curricula include the ivory tower attitude of teacher educators, the growing distrust of practicing teachers toward teacher educators not involved in the day-to-day operations of the school, the intransigeance of the university to reform itself, and the resistance of youth to new approaches in education designed to change their present outlooks. Possible reforms to the current system include more direct involvement of education students in the public school system prior to their graduation. This innovation in turn requires greater involvement of teacher educators in the public school system. The teacher educator, committed to developing more innovative teachers, must spend more time in the field developing programs and school milieus conducive to creative teacher training and preparation. (Author/DE)