Summarizing past research, Smith (1995) indicates that the majority of faculty members "'view teaching as their primary role,' want to do a good job, and work hard at improving their effectiveness." Yet most faculty members are not educated to be teachers. At best, they have received a course in pedagogy specific to their discipline as a requirement of their professional or doctoral degree program. At worst, which unfortunately is frequently the case, they have been trained only in their disciplines--as scientists and anthropologists and accountants--and are thrown into classrooms to rely only on their experience as students to inform their practice as teachers. As such, students are often bored by uninspired teaching or disenchanted by badly taught material. This article discusses the importance of institutional support for the preparation of new and effective faculty members, how new faculty teach (and why they teach that way), and the characteristics that constitute "good teaching."