A study of practices in the alternatives to corporal punishment strategy being implemented in selected primary schools in Buffalo city metro municipality: implications for school leadership
- Khewu, Noncedo Princess Dorcas
- Authors: Khewu, Noncedo Princess Dorcas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rewards and punishments in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Classroom management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discipline of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16170 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/533 , School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rewards and punishments in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Classroom management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discipline of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Attitudes
- Description: The problem of indiscipline in schools has attracted the growing attention of researchers in South Africa and the world at large. Learner indiscipline has been variously reflected in behaviours which range from serious ones such as drug abuse, assault, theft, rape and murder, to minor ones such as truancy; all of which negatively affect teaching and learning. While there is agreement on the need to address the problem, there is a great deal of contestation around what strategies and practices are appropriate to instil discipline in schools. Within this debate many countries, including South Africa, have decided to move away from punitive approaches such as corporal punishment and replace them with what is called Alternatives to Corporal Punishment (ATCP). The main aim of this study was to interrogate the consistency that prevails between disciplinary practices and principles of alternatives to corporal punishment and the implications of this for school leadership. A mixed method design was used. The study was conducted in two phases: the first was a survey during which trends in disciplinary practices were established; the second was a multiple case study where in-depth interviews were conducted in five primary schools across different contexts which included farm, suburban, township, rural and informal settlement locations. This study has seven main findings. First, it was found that primary schools in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality experienced minor offenses which clustered around levels 1 and 2 of the ATCP classification. Second, although statistically there was a weak negative correlation (r = - 0.11) between location and behaviour which is not significant (p >. 05) or (p = .46), qualitative evidence suggests a relationship between context and disciplinary offences. Third, principals’ roles in instilling discipline were focused mainly on reactive administrative and management functions rather than on giving leadership designed to inspire alternative ways of behaving. Fourth, principals’ and teachers’ belief in the use of alternatives to corporal punishment revealed ambivalence and lack of understanding. Fifth, measures to instil discipline, even though they were said to be based on alternatives to corporal punishment, placed heavy emphasis on inflicting pain and relied on extrinsic control. Sixth, two disciplinary measures designed to inflict pain were found to be weakly associated, but significantly (p < 0.05) with violent behaviour, lending credence to view that in using certain practices to instil discipline there are socialisation consequences. Finally, the use of some measures recommended by alternatives to corporal punishment yielded some unintended socialisation consequences. The study concludes that there was lack of consistency between disciplinary practices in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality primary schools and the principles of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment. The findings suggest that it is difficult to achieve the consistency without a school leadership which understands that the alternatives call for a paradigm shift in measures to instil discipline. For improving discipline in schools, it is recommended that school principals and stakeholders must focus on measures that are meant to cultivate a new school culture guided by values of self-discipline in order to minimise the need for extrinsic punitive control. For further research, a follow up study based on a probability sample, which should include secondary schools, could be undertaken in order that results can be generalised.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Khewu, Noncedo Princess Dorcas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rewards and punishments in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Classroom management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discipline of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16170 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/533 , School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rewards and punishments in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Classroom management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discipline of children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Primary school teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Attitudes
- Description: The problem of indiscipline in schools has attracted the growing attention of researchers in South Africa and the world at large. Learner indiscipline has been variously reflected in behaviours which range from serious ones such as drug abuse, assault, theft, rape and murder, to minor ones such as truancy; all of which negatively affect teaching and learning. While there is agreement on the need to address the problem, there is a great deal of contestation around what strategies and practices are appropriate to instil discipline in schools. Within this debate many countries, including South Africa, have decided to move away from punitive approaches such as corporal punishment and replace them with what is called Alternatives to Corporal Punishment (ATCP). The main aim of this study was to interrogate the consistency that prevails between disciplinary practices and principles of alternatives to corporal punishment and the implications of this for school leadership. A mixed method design was used. The study was conducted in two phases: the first was a survey during which trends in disciplinary practices were established; the second was a multiple case study where in-depth interviews were conducted in five primary schools across different contexts which included farm, suburban, township, rural and informal settlement locations. This study has seven main findings. First, it was found that primary schools in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality experienced minor offenses which clustered around levels 1 and 2 of the ATCP classification. Second, although statistically there was a weak negative correlation (r = - 0.11) between location and behaviour which is not significant (p >. 05) or (p = .46), qualitative evidence suggests a relationship between context and disciplinary offences. Third, principals’ roles in instilling discipline were focused mainly on reactive administrative and management functions rather than on giving leadership designed to inspire alternative ways of behaving. Fourth, principals’ and teachers’ belief in the use of alternatives to corporal punishment revealed ambivalence and lack of understanding. Fifth, measures to instil discipline, even though they were said to be based on alternatives to corporal punishment, placed heavy emphasis on inflicting pain and relied on extrinsic control. Sixth, two disciplinary measures designed to inflict pain were found to be weakly associated, but significantly (p < 0.05) with violent behaviour, lending credence to view that in using certain practices to instil discipline there are socialisation consequences. Finally, the use of some measures recommended by alternatives to corporal punishment yielded some unintended socialisation consequences. The study concludes that there was lack of consistency between disciplinary practices in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality primary schools and the principles of Alternatives to Corporal Punishment. The findings suggest that it is difficult to achieve the consistency without a school leadership which understands that the alternatives call for a paradigm shift in measures to instil discipline. For improving discipline in schools, it is recommended that school principals and stakeholders must focus on measures that are meant to cultivate a new school culture guided by values of self-discipline in order to minimise the need for extrinsic punitive control. For further research, a follow up study based on a probability sample, which should include secondary schools, could be undertaken in order that results can be generalised.
- Full Text:
An assessment of the implementation of learner discipline policies in four high density secondary schools in the Graaff Reinet district, Eastern Cape.
- Authors: Bilatyi, Nkosana Carlon
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School violence -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16218 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1018604 , School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School violence -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study assessed the implementation of learner discipline policies in the Graaff Reinet District in four township Secondary schools. The study arose as a result of the decline of learner discipline in secondary schools. This study is located in the interpretive paradigm and adopted a qualitative research approach in the collection of data. It employed triangulation to collect data and obtained valuable information on the implementation of learner discipline policies. Four township secondary schools in the Graaff Reinet District were purposively selected for the sample in this study. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups of learners and parents Data has revealed that schools were using different strategies to implement learner discipline such as Code of Conduct, Disciplinary hearing, Safety and Security Committee, Educators, Corporal Punishment, Alternative methods to Corporal Punishment and the role parents. Data revealed that there has been no success in implementing learner discipline strategies. There were a number of limitations in implementing policies to maintain learner disciplines which were identified in the study. There were inconsistencies like educators not supervising learners in detention classes, some of the educators were sabotaging the system by not putting into practice the measures and strategies which were put in place to maintain discipline and so forth. The School Management Teams did not capacitate the Representative Council of Learners so as to assist in the monitoring of discipline. The Department of Education is not supportive in the maintenance of discipline in the schools under study in Graaff Reinet District. To address disciplinary problems, the study has the following key recommendations Policies should be crafted by all stakeholders for ownership and there should be collaboration in implementation of those policies.. The Code of Conduct should be issued to all learners at the school at the beginning of the year in the language of preference, with school rules. Learners should know the consequences of transgressing the Code of Conduct. SMTs should adopt different management styles so as to take action against educators who are failing the system of maintaining discipline. Educators should realise that it is their duty to maintain discipline in schools; therefore they should stop complaining about disciplinary problems. Educators should engage the Department of Education to conduct workshops in building capacity of educators to maintain learner discipline. Schools should establish partnerships with other sister Departments such as SAPS, Social Development, Correctional Services, Health to, maintain learner discipline.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Bilatyi, Nkosana Carlon
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School violence -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16218 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1018604 , School discipline -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Corporal punishment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , School violence -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: This study assessed the implementation of learner discipline policies in the Graaff Reinet District in four township Secondary schools. The study arose as a result of the decline of learner discipline in secondary schools. This study is located in the interpretive paradigm and adopted a qualitative research approach in the collection of data. It employed triangulation to collect data and obtained valuable information on the implementation of learner discipline policies. Four township secondary schools in the Graaff Reinet District were purposively selected for the sample in this study. Semi-structured interviews, focus groups of learners and parents Data has revealed that schools were using different strategies to implement learner discipline such as Code of Conduct, Disciplinary hearing, Safety and Security Committee, Educators, Corporal Punishment, Alternative methods to Corporal Punishment and the role parents. Data revealed that there has been no success in implementing learner discipline strategies. There were a number of limitations in implementing policies to maintain learner disciplines which were identified in the study. There were inconsistencies like educators not supervising learners in detention classes, some of the educators were sabotaging the system by not putting into practice the measures and strategies which were put in place to maintain discipline and so forth. The School Management Teams did not capacitate the Representative Council of Learners so as to assist in the monitoring of discipline. The Department of Education is not supportive in the maintenance of discipline in the schools under study in Graaff Reinet District. To address disciplinary problems, the study has the following key recommendations Policies should be crafted by all stakeholders for ownership and there should be collaboration in implementation of those policies.. The Code of Conduct should be issued to all learners at the school at the beginning of the year in the language of preference, with school rules. Learners should know the consequences of transgressing the Code of Conduct. SMTs should adopt different management styles so as to take action against educators who are failing the system of maintaining discipline. Educators should realise that it is their duty to maintain discipline in schools; therefore they should stop complaining about disciplinary problems. Educators should engage the Department of Education to conduct workshops in building capacity of educators to maintain learner discipline. Schools should establish partnerships with other sister Departments such as SAPS, Social Development, Correctional Services, Health to, maintain learner discipline.
- Full Text:
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