Perspectives of parents and teachers on cultural identity formation in early childhood : the case of a kindergarten in Shenzhen, China

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the cultural identity formation (CIF) of children, aged 4-5, in an international kindergarten program offering English immersion in the city of Shenzhen, China. I examine the perspectives of parents and kindergarten teachers and analyze their agency in shaping the children’s cultural identity. Given that most children’s CIF literature focuses on adolescents, the present study on this younger age group needed to be different in two ways. First, to understand children’s CIF, it conceptualizes an analytical lens to describe the parents’ and kindergarten teachers’ agency in shaping the children’s CIF; then, it uses a model of identity education to analyze the sociocultural implications of the teachers’ roles. It specifically addresses the CIF process of young children in the context of modern China using a sample from a kindergarten English immersion program in Shenzhen, China. Methodologically, this case study investigated one site, using two sets of interviews with parents and teachers and document analysis to understand their agency in shaping the children’s CIF. The results show that parents are active agents in their children’s identity formation, working through an iterative process. The parents’ agency begins with recognizing their concerns, and what identity they wish for their children, then leads to establishing concrete goals to be reached. Afterward, the parents reflect on their successes, asking themselves if the child’s identity is forming as desired. The teachers’ work in shaping CIF is revealed in the balance between the international program and the core curriculum. The principal areas where both parents and teachers influenced the children’s CIF concerned language decisions, cultural traditions, exposure to other cultures, and social interactions at home and school. Findings revealed that parents and teachers tended to make conscious choices to mirror their identities when cultivating the children’s CIF, although with a more global emphasis. The parents and teachers valued global understanding and realized it is an ability to be respectful and aware of other cultures and other languages. The present work further supports the importance of switching some of the traditional focus on CIF from an adolescent perspective to include younger children and broader societal factors, and in the case of the current study, the family and school. The study notes that further research is recommended to explore how teachers and parents share collaborative agency.