Teacher educators and teacher education scholars can play a critical role in challenging how society views the work of teachers and their role in society. To improve the morale of current teachers and attract teachers who see their work as intellectual and driven by educational justice, teachers' work and the structures that support them need to be reimagined to position teachers as public intellectuals who further the idea of education as a public good. This issue of "TEQ" brings together 4 papers, all of which contribute to understanding the beliefs of educators and how these impact on the quality of their teaching. In response to these papers, this article opens up a wider discussion on teacher agency and the possibility of enhancing and re-professionalizing teaching.