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Seeking to understand whether career-changers experience the idealism referenced in new teacher literature, two teacher educators conducted a qualitative inquiry employing interview, descriptive writing, and focus group methods. Findings from 13 participants indicate their ideal teachers are caring and student-centered in a grounded, not romanticized, way, are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and organized yet flexible. Participants found actual teaching more time-consuming, demanding, and complex than anticipated and students' unexpected needs and misbehavior challenging. Past teachers influenced their ideal teacher images and becoming a teacher expanded them. The researchers discuss the findings in light of literature and implications for future practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]