This article explores how media teachers’ self-images, positionings and interpretative rep-ertoires inform educational practices in media education. Media education is viewed as a critical element of 21st century learning. However, we have very little knowledge of the im-plementers of this critical element, the media teachers. Based on a thematic literature review of historical positions of the Nordic media teacher, and supported by national survey data on the media teachers’ backgrounds, motivations and practices (n=383), the subject is explored through focus groups and individual interviews with media teachers at two case schools in upper secondary media education in Norway. The findings suggest that there are different and conflicting understandings about being media teachers, resulting in different educational practices with wider implications for the future implementation of media education.