This book redefines teaching as a profession with pronounced service and moral dimensions, then shows how this new paradigm can be instilled in both teacher education programs and teaching practice. The book argues that teaching practice requires much more than knowledge and technical competence. It calls for reflection and inquiry, a dedication to democratic principles, and a strong commitment to educational renewal and change. The book reveals how teacher education can be structured to emphasize the moral and service responsibilities of the profession, especially by forging close ties with local schools and communities, to produce caring and effective teachers. It is a comprehensive account of what goes into the substance and process of preparing professional educators, from selection to induction into teaching. The story that unfolds in the collaboration of the University of Connecticut and several schools is one of redesigning virtually every component into something very different from what existed before without stopping the traffic of future teachers from crossing the bridge to practice. The six chapters include: (1) "Teaching as a Profession in a Democracy: Creating a New Picture," (2) "Cultivating Reflective Practice and Inquiry," (3) "Becoming a Teacher: The Moral Dimensions," (4) "Creating Educative Communities," (5) "The Teacher's Responsibility to Diverse Learners," and (6) "Enabling Teachers to Assume Leadership Roles." (SM)