In this "Voices from the Field" article, we (two teacher-educators/-researchers) describe our negotiation of teaching practices in an online writing course for pre-service teachers. Our overarching purpose is to disrupt dominant discourses of writing and to illuminate critical perspectives. Specifically, we highlight intentional shifts to our initiating texts to better align with tenets of critical literacy. We experienced various tensions that led us to redesign the course. In closing, we pose lingering questions that critical teacher educators may ask while engaging in the iterative process of learning and growing through practice.