A growing body of educational research in TESOL has looked at the many roles that English language teachers serve within their institutions, including the prominent role of nurturer/caretaker (e.g., de Guerrero & Villamil, 2000; Farrell, 2011; Fritzen, 2011). Yet very little research has considered how the role of the EL teacher changes--or should change--over a student's educational trajectory. In this essay, we draw on conversations with secondary students and teachers to highlight the importance of a multifaceted, dynamic conception of EL teacher roles, particularly regarding their advocacy work with and for students. We emphasize three themes that are central to this conception of advocacy: aspiration, collaboration, and transparency. We conclude by discussing how this conception of advocacy as "ethical care" (Hos, 2014) plays out during intake, advising, curriculum development, and other pedagogical decision making.