Since the 1990s, there has been some considerable discussion in England and in other countries of boys’ underachievement and of male teachers serving as ‘role models’. Drawing on two separate research projects, this article explores the diverse ways in which individual teachers negotiate discourses of role modelling, while also considering the performative nature of these discourses and some of their effects. While discourses of role modelling have become more subdued in the recent years, the article shows that they retain some currency among teachers and highlights the need for ongoing research in this area to inform policy-makers’ and practitioners’ work.