Based on an analysis of occupational competence in teaching and teacher education, this article draws together a set of dilemmas that face the field, arguing that an occupational analysis is needed to complement the more common institutional analysis of teacher education. Then, this analysis is used to evaluate the prospects of the reforms that currently are dominant in the policy discourse of teacher education. The article concludes with thoughts on some promising directions for the improvement of the field of teacher education. (Contains 11 notes.)