Research into teacher identity can generate insights into how teachers contribute and respond to change. Researchers face the challenge of representing findings that are useful at the policy level but do not essentialise the collective identity of a diverse occupational group. This article represents the findings of a study of primary school teachers in Tanzania in a way that recognises continuity over time. The relationship between practice and identity is explored and implications are drawn for the introduction of educational innovation. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)