This presentation retraces some of the often forgotten history, dating back to 1860s, of Aotearoa/New Zealand that formed aspects of our education structures. Of particular interest is the relationship between educational innovation and change that came about through the active involvement of teachers as policy champions as they pursued their goal of a professional project, that of building an education system for a nation. These long established but evolving processes form part of the professional identity of teachers across all levels--early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary and higher education, with implications for both current and future policy changes. Some aspects have become marginalised, ignored or simply forgotten. This talk foregrounds some of those areas bringing them back in alongside or parallel with the mainstream, to be highlighted in this Herbison address. [This article represents an edited transcript of the Herbison address given by Dr. Joce Jesson at the 2015 NZARE conference in Whakatane.]