Identity grafting: Pedagogical identities underpinning teaching practices across five Chinese cities

ABSTRACT

This paper examines teaching practices prevailing across five cities (Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei) for the underpinning pedagogical identities that inform practice (identity grafting). The study adopts innovative approaches via OECD teacher surveys to identify relationships between pedagogical identities (highly effective, outcome-centred, discipline-centred, diversity-centred and lowly effective) and teaching effectiveness in implementing pedagogically informed practice (instructional: learning-focused and assessments; classroom management: motivational, discipline and diversity). An original concept of identity grafting is employed to highlight which pedagogical identities best support teaching effectiveness (blending, integrating, reversing and repressing). Cluster analysis rigorously compares teachers’ pedagogical identities, teaching effectiveness and identity grafts in all five cities. Shanghai and Singapore have the largest segments of highly effective teachers within the local teacher population. However, Singapore likewise has the largest segment of lowly effective teachers among the cities, and Shanghai teachers are overall less likely to value diversity management than teachers in other cities. Across the cities, teachers who implement diverse practices by blending or integrating, and, to some extent, reversing pedagogical identities, have more effectiveness than those who repress their identities. The results provide globally significant insights into targeted professional development for different teacher segments within and between contexts.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher pedagogical identity
• identity grafting
• teaching effectiveness
• reconciling diverse pedagogical values
• Chinese contexts

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the generous support of the editorial team (especially Ken Jones), reviewers, colleagues (especially Ming Ming Chiu), student helpers (Ryan Chan, Noah Cui, Yannis Hung, and Fion Law), and funders to my efforts in building and improving the theory of identity grafting. I’m glad to play a part in sharing globally meaningful insights that will help identify teachers’ needs for professional development across school systems within and beyond Chinese school systems. Given the prolific and solid works already in circulation, it has been a challenging journey developing original, innovative, and rigorous work that would resonate with an international audience.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the The Education University of Hong Kong [1-31-0A429]; Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee [18603923,C8002-22Y].