Masters Degrees (School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (School of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Education) by Subject "behaviour"

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    The influence of transformational leadership on teacher professionalism of Grade 6 teachers in the Xhariep district
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Mona, Sandra Nontuthuzelo; Hamilton, J.
    The focus of education today is on providing high-quality education that can change the socioeconomic circumstances of South Africans living in poverty. Teachers have a responsibility to look after the emotional, physical, and mental health of their students. School principals play a vital role in supporting these tasks. One of their responsibilities is to be effective leaders who can influence how teachers behave in their schools. This study investigated how transformational leadership can impact the professionalism of Grade 6 teachers in the Xhariep District. According to the literature, principals can have a significant impact on how teachers behave professionally because they are transformational leaders. The study was guided by the discussion and analysis of the transformational leadership model, which helped to identify the factors that influence Grade 6 teachers' professionalism. The study used a qualitative approach to the research problem located within the interpretivism paradigm. Three primary schools were selected as the research sites, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The data from six Grade 6 Natural Sciences & Technology teachers (two from each primary school) and three principals from each primary school were analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that principals can influence teachers' professionalism through effective leadership practices, which can lead to high-quality teaching and learning. The study also found that teacher professionalism is a complex issue that is influenced by both teacher-internal factors and school-external factors. The study provides recommendations on how schools can help teachers become more professional and create environments with adequate teaching resources to deliver high-quality instruction.