This study examines how two history teacher candidates, Monica and James, learned to teach historical thinking and reading in a discipline-specific teacher education program. Data include pretests and postests, interviews, observations, and university course assignments. Qualitative data analysis reveals that although both teachers excelled in the program and in their field placements, they graduated with different strengths. Whereas James focuses on developing students' historical understandings, Monica focuses on reading comprehension and student engagement. Monica's attention to students' developmental needs and personal interests helps her structure and scaffold students' work. James' strong disciplinary understandings provide him a framework for analyzing students' work and developing discipline-specific curriculum. Upon graduation, each teacher demonstrates different aspects of the knowledge base of teaching. (Contains 6 tables and 9 notes.)