The role of the English teacher in Australia is constantly being negotiated and with every ideological development teachers are positioned to question their professional values and practices. Much attention has been afforded to this discussion. The purpose of this paper is to (a) provide an analysis of the evolution of the art of being an English teacher in Australia using a Foucauldian approach and (b) consider how contemporary English teachers are governing themselves in response to neoliberal mandates and accountability regimes.