The state of teacher-learner relations in a culturally diverse grade 10 classroom in Gauteng Province : a social wellness perspective

Abstract

The study set out to investigate the state of teacher-learner relationships in a culturally diverse Grade 10 classroom from a social wellness perspective. The views of teachers and learners who were purposively sampled as study participants were explored on issues relating to the phenomena under study. A triple integrative theoretical lens comprising three theories, namely, Ubuntu theory, the self-system theory and the social wellness theory were used to guide this study. These theories collectively view the social system as influencing individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and relationships with others, and as determining individuals’ development of the total self and identity, ultimately. The study is qualitative in nature and hence employed the interpretivist paradigm as well as the case study design. The case was a multicultural secondary school located in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data were collected from participants using an open-ended questionnaire and structured interviews. Data collected through the open-ended questionnaire were analysed using Creswell’s (2009) sequential steps for data analysis, while data from structured interviews were analysed through Tesch’s (1990) steps of data analysis. Analysed data was interpreted from the participants’ viewpoint and discussed in relation to related literature. Several themes were identified from the analysed data and these answer the research questions. Generally, the findings reveal that in the case school, the teacher-learner relationship is positive, and that the cultural diversity in the school is recognised, acknowledged, valued, and embraced. Basically, the case school embraces the values of Ubuntu. The researcher managed to generate a new theory called the ‘Self with Others Wellness Theory, derived from the study’s findings which embraces the African values of Ubuntu. Therefore, the study contributes and adds to existing theory, and is valuable for guiding and informing policy. The study also therefore adds value to the practice of education and other disciplines to which it is applicable.

Ucwaningo lolu luqonde ukuhlaziya isimo sobudlelwano bothisha nabafundi bebanga leshumi abanamasiko ahlukile egumbini labo lokufundela esifundazweni saseGauteng. Imibono yothisha neyabafundi ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni bekhethwe ngokwenhloso iye yahlolwa, yaphenyisiswa ngokuphathelene nobudlelwano babo basegumbini lokufundela. Uhlaka oluhlangene lwemibono olunemibono emithathu lusetshenzisiwe kwaba yilo oluqondisa lolucwaningo. Loluhlaka lwemibono ehlangene lugoqela umbono woBuntu, uhlelo lokuzenzela kanye nempilo yenhlalo. Imibono le yomithathu ithi inkolelo yabantu, isimo sabo sengqondo nemizwa yabo kuthuthukiswa luhlelo lwezenhlalo. Ephenyweni lolu kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lokuqonda yingakhonje kuye kwasetshenziswa futhi neparadigm yomhumushi kunye nomklamo wesifundo sesigameko. Isigameko sesifundo yisikole samabanga aphezulu esinabafundi nothisha abanamasiko ahlukile esifundazweni saseGauteng, eMzansi Africa. Imininingo yophenyo yathathwa kwababambiqhaza ocwaningweni kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile kunye nezingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile. Indlela ka Creswell (2009) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo yasetshanziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile; ikanti imininingo yocwaningo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile yona yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa indlela ka Tesch (1990) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo. Imininingo yocwaningo ehlaziyiwe yaxoxwa yabuye yachazwa ngendlela ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni abayibona ngayo, yasisekelwa yimibhalo yabacwaningi bangaphambilini. Imibono embalwa yavela kumininingo yophenyo ehlaziyiwe, kanti lemibono izimpendulo kwimibuzo yocwaningo loluphenyo oluqonde ukuyiphendula. Jikelelenje, kutholakala ukuthi ubudlelwano phakathi kothisha nabafundi egumbini lokufundela esikoleni sesigameko buhle, nokuthi futhi ukwehluka kwamasiko kulesikole kuyabonakala, kuyavunywa, kuyamukelwa ikanti njalo kuyabalulekiswa. Kuye kwavelake futhi kuloluphenyo ukuthi isikole sesigameko siyabubalulekisa Ubuntu. Umcwaningi wenelisile ukwakha umbono esebenzisa impumela yalolucwaningo wawubiza ngokuthi yi ‘African Self with others wellness theory’, okuchaza ukuthi mina nabanye kumele siphilisane njalo sihlalisane kahle. Lokhu kuyingxenye yobuntu. Lolucwaningo luyelwengeza imibono ekhona ngakhoke lubalulekile futhi luyakwazi ukwazisa inqubomgomo. Lolucwaningoke luyawuphakamisa umkhuba wezemfundo kunye neminye iminyango ehambisana nawo.

Peyakanyo ya dipoelo tša dinyakišišo tše tša thutho e tšweleditšwe go nyakišiša seemo sa phedišano magareng ga morutwana le morutiši ka phaphušing ya bolesome yeo e swerego bana bao ba tšwago ditšong tše di fapanego, gagologolo go lebedišišwa phedišano go ya ka maitswaro a botho. Mebono ya barutwana le barutiši e šomišitšwe bjalo ka mohlala go bakgatha tema mo dinyakišišong tše, go lekodišišwa ditabanatabana tšeo di sepelelanago le peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo. Setšweletšwa sa go bonagatša sa mmono seo se hlagišago ke megopolo e meraro yeo e kopanego, se šomišitšwe go hlahla peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e le ge gothwe ke mogopolo wa botho, mokgwa wo motho a ipotšago ka gona le boemo ba tšhumišo ya botho bathong. Megopolo ye e tšweletša mokgwa wo re phelago ka gona, go na le seabe mo go fekeetšeng mokgwa wa motho, maitshwaro a motho, maikutlo a motho le go phedišana le ba bangwe e bile go bonagatša tswelopele ya motho gore ke mang ge se a feleletše ka bo yena go fihla bofelong. Peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e tšweletšwa gabotse ke tlhago, e šomišitše mekgwana ya go hlalosa ka setlwaedi e le ka mokgwa wo mongwalo wo o kgabišitšwego ka gona. Tirelo ya mongwalo wo e diretšwe mo sekolong sa bana ba batšwago ditšong tše fapanego, gona Provenseng ya Gauteng, Afrika borwa. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba e humanwe gotšwa dipoledišanong tše beyakantšweng le mekgwana yeo e šomišiwago go botšišana ka go lokologa mo bakgathatemeng. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go wona mokgwa wa go botšišana ka go lokologa, dilekodišitšwe e le ge go berekišitšwe mokgwa wa tekodišišo ya kgato ka kgato ka go latelelana ya go lekodišiša ya Creswell (2009), mola kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go poledišano tšeo di beyakantšwego di lekudišišitšwe ka mokgwa wa tekudišišo ya dikgato ya Tesch (1990). Tekodišišo ya ditaba e be e lebeletše gagolo mebono ya bakgathatatema gammogo le go boledišana ga bona mo mongwalong wo. Tlhogo ya ditaba e bile ya lemogiwa gotšwa go ditekedišišo tšeo di dirilwego e le ge di araba dipotšišo mo dinyakišišong tše. Ka kakaretšo go humanegile gore maitshwaro a morutiši le morutwana ke a mabotse ka maatla e bile le ditšo tše fapanego di ya kgona go lemogiwa, di amogelegile, di dumeletšwe, e bile di ya hlomphiwa le go ratiwa. Gabotse mongwalo wo o kgantšha maemo a godimo a botho bathong. Monyakišiši wa tša dipuku o kgonne go tšweletša mogopolo o moswa wo o bitšwago gore ‘’Motho ke Motho ka Batho’’ e le ge o etšwa dinyakišišong tše humanegilego tša go kgantšha botho ba Mafrika bathong. Peakanyo ya mongwalo woo e ba le seabe le go oketša megopolo yeo e bego e le gona, e bile e bohlokwa go šomišwa go hlahla le go beya melao yeo go ka phelwago ka yona. Peakanyo ya mongwalo wo e oketša mokgwa woo thuto le mekgwa ye mengwe e mebotse e tšwelelago ka gona.