Reading texts of historical educators and being informed about their works and lives can be inspiring and exemplary for future teachers. In this article, I explore the learning processes that occur when student teachers study the classics, using frameworks from different disciplines, including social learning theory, drama theory, Aristotelian ethics, cognitive dissonance theory, and a theory of historical imagination. The results show that the study of educators from the past can have a beneficial impact on professional virtues when the encounter is in depth and when the student can actively choose an educator who captures his or her imagination.