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This chapter situates the study of music teacher education within the larger body of music education and teacher education research. It problematizes the terms teacher training, teacher education, and best practice and introduces the concept of teaching as an “impossible profession.” Goals of teacher education, including reflective practice and adaptive expertise, are discussed. The chapter outlines the challenges that music teacher educators face as they try to prepare preservice teachers for the realities of P-12 school-based music education while instilling in these new colleagues a disposition toward change. It concludes with narratives that examine teachers’ descriptions of classroom relationships throughout the lens of presence in teaching as a way to remind teacher educators of the importance of their work to push the boundaries of music teacher education in order to serve the profession at large.

This literature review defines the field of micropolitics in education, presents empirical studies of micropolitics from both general education and teacher education research, and connects micropolitics research to music teacher education research. Suggestions for music teacher education include: (a) introducing policy in preservice education; (b) future studies of the micropolitical landscape of schools; (c) future studies on the attainment of micropolitcal literacy for new teachers; and (d) continued investigations of school reform, school climate, and school change as they relate to music teacher education.Challenges and conflicts between music teachers and a variety of stakeholders including students, parents, other music teachers, classroom teachers, administrators, and community members have been regularly reported within music education (Barnes,