A framework for optimising mathematics teaching environments in Thaba Nchu secondary schools
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Date
2019-06
Authors
Hamilton, Joleen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
My educational perspective is based on my background and training. Being a teacher for more than 13 years had a direct influence on my perspectives and, when my own children started school, my whole perspective changed, as my focus shifted from being the teacher of other children, to being the teacher of my own children. For a number of years, I was part of a school partnership programme, where I mentored mathematics teachers in Thaba Nchu township secondary schools. Mentoring the Thaba Nchu mathematics teachers changed my educational perspective once again. These teachers implemented a unique way of teaching, and face a variety of obstacles and challenges. They struggle with problematic situations that teachers in cities take the absence of for granted. Township schools are contextually different from urban schools in many respects, including its geographical features, practices, learners’ support systems at home, and socio-economic status. Despite the challenges that township secondary school mathematics teachers face, they still go the extra mile. Many of them teach seven days a week, they assist learners with regular informal assessments, and they prepare properly for lessons. With the aforementioned in mind, an in-depth literature review indicated that the focus of research in this field has been mainly on the learners and the learning environment, and how the latter can be improved. Teachers are seldom given the opportunity to reflect on the challenges they encounter, or to make suggestions for overcoming these challenges. There is, furthermore, a desperate need in education for better communication and for establishing relationships between teachers, learners and their parents. Unfortunately, one of the realities is that some parents never visit their children’s schools, are undereducated themselves, with Grade 8 or lower school certificates, or are simply not interested in their children’s academic achievements, or the lack thereof. The primary research question of this study was, “What would constitute a framework for the establishment of improved Thaba Nchu secondary school mathematics teaching environments?” To answer this question, an autoethnographic, qualitative research design was used. Observations, field notes, interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data. In aiming to answer the primary research question, the study focused on four major parts. The first part was to determine what literature reports about the experiences of mathematics teachers and their teaching environments. Considering that it was an autoethnographic study, the next part focused on my own background. I used my perspectives as reference framework to understand the experiences of the teachers who participated in the study. Another part of the study focused on how teachers at Thaba Nchu secondary schools experience their teaching environments. To collect data about these attitudes and perspectives, interviews were used. The interviews were transcribed and coded to identify the challenges and positive aspects of the participants’ teaching environments. The data from the interviews were used to develop individualised questionnaires that focused on the fourth part of the study, namely, giving participants an opportunity to make recommendations for improving their teaching environment. The recommendations were ideas about how to address challenges in the Thaba Nchu secondary schools’ mathematics teaching environments, as well as suggestions for ways to nurture the positive aspects of the teaching environments. The questionnaires were transcribed and coded to develop and present a framework based on participants’ recommendations to optimise the mathematics teaching environments of Thaba Nchu secondary schools and, thereby, answering the primary research question. The framework aims, furthermore, to assist mathematics teachers from other township schools in similar situations and environments, to address the challenges they face, and to nurture the positive aspects they experience in their teaching environments. The framework consists of six main themes, namely, resources, parent/guardianrelated aspects, classroom-related aspects, learner-related aspects, teacher-related aspects and school-related aspects. The framework consists of independent parts, which means that each part can be addressed on its own. If all the themes are addressed, optimised teaching environments could be within reach of Thaba Nchu secondary school mathematics teachers.
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (Curriculum Studies))--University of the Free State, 2019, Mathematics, Teaching, Thaba Nchu, Teacher experience, Secondary school