The purpose of this study was to investigate how three Chinese teachers developed their teacher identities in a reform context. Drawing upon data from a larger social historical study, the work-life narratives of the three teachers at different stages of their careers were used as case studies to showcase three types of teacher identity development trajectories, namely, learning to be both professional educator and subject teaching expert，learning to be subject teaching expert, and navigating to balance between educator and subject teacher. This study also investigated the factors that influence identity development trajectories of teachers and develops a conceptual framework for understanding teacher identity development in China. The framework shows that Chinese teachers’ exertion of their individual agency is embedded in the institutional context. Meanwhile, interpersonal relationships can work as a buffer to alleviate the tension between the institution and individual teachers. The study also shows the ways in which Chinese teachers’ exert their agency when developing their identities. The findings have significant implications for teacher education in terms of how to develop positive teacher identity over the course of a teacher’s career.

This paper adopts an inductive analytical approach to reviewing the major state policies to reform teacher education in China. Based on the perceived impact on teachers and teacher education, 21 policy documents have been selected for this review. Five themes emerge in the analysis, which include: Expansion of teacher education by institutional diversification; structural changes through upgrading, merging and eliminating institutions and school; innovations on modes of teacher preparation, curricula and teaching practicum; certification and examinations; and strengthening teacher supply for the rural schools. The paper also analyses the contextual and systemic factors that affect the formulation and implementation of reform policies in teacher education and critically reflect the effect of these policies on Chinese teacher education.

Educators worldwide are engaged in efforts to improve teaching and learning through teachers’ collaborations in learning communities and networks. Teacher leadership has played a crucial role in such communities or networks. This study focused on a teacher professional development program in mainland China, the Master Teacher Studio, in which a group of teachers from different schools learn from a master teacher. The study explored how the master teacher enacted leadership strategies to facilitate participants’ professional development and how the community can develop sustainably. Through a qualitative case study analysis, the study summarizes five major strategies, namely, establishing a shared value and specific goals, structuring through rules and collaboration, developing people by scaffolding and allocating resources, bridging internal and external social capital, and sustaining the community through leadership virtues and role modeling. The results show that teacher leaders in Chinese contexts adopt a combination of multiple strategies to achieve a dynamic balance depending on the developmental stage of the community and members’ dynamic needs. Teachers lead the community through an integration of their administrative, professional, and moral leadership. Implications for teacher leadership in communities are further discussed.

This study investigated the mediating effects of professional learning community (PLC) components on the relationship between leadership practices and teacher collective efficacy from the perspective of Chinese principals. Survey data were collected from 878 school principals. The results revealed that leadership practices significantly and positively affected the five PLC components, three of which (shared purpose, collective focus on student learning and reflective dialogue) had significant positive effects on teacher collective efficacy. Shared purpose, collective focus on student learning and reflective dialogue significantly mediated the effects of leadership practices on teacher collective efficacy. The practical implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.