The work of schools and the work of universities are deeply interconnected; nowhere is this interconnection stronger than in the work of teacher education. Universities are challenged to produce more teachers and better teachers so that young people will have a vibrant and meaningful future. In these challenging times, universities must step up to find new ways to connect with and support public schools, and one of the strongest approaches is the recruitment and preparation of outstanding teachers who will promote the optimal development of all pupils. What kind of teacher education will lead one to this good place? As a first step, educators must know their communities. Secondly, they must engage their teacher candidates in their communities. In urban settings in which the demographics of the schools do not necessarily match the demographics of the teacher candidate corps, such engagement can lead to a critical reexamination of assumptions about urban youth, the nature of schooling, and the role of the teacher. Thus, a new civic minor in urban education is being developed to promote civic engagement in teacher education programs in urban contexts. The new civic minor will equip future teachers with a deeper understanding of the strengths and capabilities of urban children, the contexts of urban schools, and the opportunities to do great work in urban settings.