The purpose of this study was to examine how undergraduate music education students identify, through a reflective writing exercise, the major characteristics of successful and unsuccessful teachers. We asked two research questions: (1) How did preservice music teachers describe successful and unsuccessful teachers (2) How did perceptions differ based on academic class and/or age? Using a written protocol, we collected data from 134 participants within three institutions and coded the data using figured worlds as a lens. The participants depicted successful teachers with rich description and highlighted interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects. The participants described unsuccessful teachers succinctly; characteristics that emerged included a lack of care and knowledge of students, inflexible teaching methods, and inconsistent standards. Implications for teacher education are proposed.