This research examines the critical friendship of two doctoral students charged with teaching a methods course in elementary social studies. The primary result of this critical friendship was the overall pedagogical, affective, and intellectual support the friendship provided. The authors argue that their critical friendship is evidence that novice teacher educators can engage collaboratively in meaningful work to uncover the complexities of teacher education within the confines of academic and professional schedules that often pull doctoral students and new faculty in a number of competing directions. They argue that the results of this self-study point directly to the support needed for novice teacher educators to become effective teacher educators.