In this document, the author examines the failure of teacher preparation institutes to produce effective graduates and presents suggestions designed to improve both the standard of education taught in these institutions and the quality of preservice and postgraduate students. Subsections are devoted to the futility of the theory vs. practice controversy, the inappropriateness of substituting inservice training for preservice education, the complexity of preparing for the teaching profession, the necessity for differentiating between those teacher competencies that should be demonstrated through selection and those that can be trained, the productiveness of preservice, undergraduate-level teacher selection, the need for delineating competencies that are generalizable rather than problem-specific, and evaluation methods for determining whether these competencies have been met. Ten assumptions that should be considered in the development of teacher education programs balancing theory and practice are listed, dealing with the questions of (1) self-selection, (2) the problem-solving approach, (3) the extent of undergraduate education depth, (4) the relationship of learning theory to instructional practice, (5) the complexity of the teacher education process, (6) teacher educator qualifications, (7) certification standards for a master's teacher certificate, (8) differentiated staffing patterns, (9) inservice training objectives, and (10) professional development for professional recognition. (MB)