Teacher Strategies for Maintaining Teacher Identity in the Colleague Group: From the Point of View of Identity Work.

In teacher research, teacher strategies for maintaining teacher identity against occupational difficulties that affect fluctuation in identity have become an important theme. In this paper, from a review of previous research, I have focused on teacher strategies for maintaining teacher identity in the colleague group. Previous studies have discussed the teacher strategies for maintaining teacher identity in the colleague group focusing on the homogeneity of colleague groups and conformity. In contrast to such studies, this paper is intended to clarify the subjective aspects of strategies that attempt to maintain teacher identity that is different from conformity. In the analysis from the point of view of identity work, using interview data from junior high school teachers, role conflict in the colleague group and strategies for maintaining teaching identity by narratives has been examined. In this case, two teacher roles, ''bonding teacher'' and ''disciplining teacher,'' have been observed and the role conflict of teachers has occurred with requests for a different teacher role under the guidance of the school system. In contrast to this role conflict, teachers attempted to maintain their teacher identity by three forms of identity work, "distancing", "adjustment" and "re-definition." These findings suggest the need to focus on the aspects of teachers as active agencies, such as negotiating their own teacher identity by referring to an ideal teacher role rather than the passive aspects of simple socialization to the teacher role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]