IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME) e-ISSN: 2320–7388,p-ISSN: 2320–737X Volume 6, Issue 6 Ver. III (Nov. - Dec. 2016), PP 74-77 www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/7388-0606037477 www.iosrjournals.org 74 | Page Finding Connections: The Nexus between Teacher Professional Identity and Some Aspects of Teacher Quality in Republic of Serbia Predrag Živković Faculty of Education in Jagodina, University of Kragujevac, Serbia Abstract: This study was designed to assess the correlation between teachers professional identity and some aspects of teachers quality in Republic of Serbia. The research goal was to determine the structure of professional identity of teachers and connection with indicators of the teacher quality (N=221).The obtained results show statistically significant correlation between the elements of professional identity of teachers and the indicators of the quality of teachers. The research results confirmed the general hypothesis of our research: it is possible to determine the interpretable and plausible factorial structure of professional identity and teacher quality and there is a statistical significant and positive correlation between professional identity of teachers and teacher quality. Keywords: professional identity of teacher, teachers quality, correlation, professionalization. I. Introduction The interest in analyzing teaching quality and professional identity of teachers is not a new field of research, but it is still very present in research works (Danielson, 1996; Darling-Hammond, 1997; Fullan, 2000; Benham Tye and O'Brien, 2002; Nelson, 2002; Stronge, 2002; Invargson & Rowe, 2007). A good teacher should have a strong sense of professionalism and professional identity (Sachs, 1999; Fullan, 2000; Darling Hammond, 1997; Hooley, 2005). “Teachers‟ identities are deeply implicated in their teaching” (Nieto 2003:16) and therefore it should to be acknowledged and nurtured. The development of professional identity refers to the process of individual maturation within the initial professional education. These processes can be considered as the experience which helps the practitioners in connecting theory with practice. The interconnectedness of professional identity and teachers quality is proved in the research works which use the identical structural elements (teacher as a subject matter expert, didactical expert and pedagogical expert) for identifying professional identity and teachers quality (Ingvarson and Rowe, 2007; Beijaard, 2000). This three-factor model is established by Beijard and is inspired by Bromme's research on teachers identity (Bromme, 1991), but also by different research works and meta-theoretical analysis of the importance of self- assessment for professional expertise (Bennet and Carre, 1993; Shulman, 1987; Calderhead, 1996; Hoyle and John, 1995), of the importance of a teacher as educator in loco parentis (Fenstermacher, 1992; Oser, 1992; Beijaard, 1995) and the importance of teachers didactical skills and competences in making students take control (Zeichner, 1983; Bennett and Carre, 1993; McIntyre et al., 1996). II. Method This research is focused on the analysis of the existing model of assessing teaching quality and the basic elements (structure factors) of professional identity of teachers. By using linear correlation analysis we intended to determine the statistical connection between factors of professional identity and indicators of teacher quality. The research goal is to determine the structure of professional identity of teachers and connection with indicators of the teacher quality. The general hypothesis is the following: It is possible to identify interpretable factor structure of teacher professional identity and the quality of teaching. There is a statistically significant and positive correlation between self-assessed professional identity obtained through a self-assessment and the indicators of teacher quality. We examined professional identity of teachers using the characteristics of professional identity defined in research by Beijaard (Beijaard, 2000): teacher as a subject matter expert, the teacher as a didactical expert and the teacher as a pedagogical expert. In the above mentioned research, teachers expressed their opinion on these three elements for the development of the professional identity (a total of 100 points divided on to the three elements, and a five-level rating scale with the following rating: 1 - very important and 5 - not important at all).