Managing an effective character-based education mentor system for Grade 8 boys in South African schools

Abstract

This study explores the importance of implementing a character-based education mentor system for Grade 8 boys in South African schools. It is an established fact that teenagers generally face unique challenges during their early teenage years, and many of these challenges can hinder their ability to succeed academically and emotionally. The aim of this study is to consider how an effective character-based education mentor system of Grade 8 boys should be managed in South African schools. Furthermore, to investigate methods educators as mentors can utilise to aid character–based management strategies, establishing those which had the best response from the learners in order to make them as effective as possible. The ultimate objective being to develop these Grade 8 boys into good men. This case study could be regarded as primarily descriptive and exploratory in nature, incorporating the basic characteristics associated with quantitative research and empirical data, which is in essence predominantly deductive and positivistic. A character-based education mentor system aims to address these challenges by providing a solid foundation for character development, improving academic performance and helping boys to develop important life skills. This system is based on the core values of respect, responsibility and self-discipline, whilst incorporating techniques to instil these values, such as mentor group discussions, one-on-one mentoring, and role-modelling by mentors and senior learners. From the available research educators play an important role in shaping learners understanding of good character. The learners’ understanding of what character is and what is important is mirrored by the educators – there is alignment between educators and learners, and they end up emphasising it even more than staff – resulting in a transfer of values/value proposition from staff to learners. The findings provide recommendations for developing and implementing an effective character-based education mentor system and highlights the benefits for both learners and educators in South African schools. It is essential that the SGB, senior management, staff, parents and ultimately the boys, all work together in this character–based mentor system (the Good Man Journey), as they collectively strive to develop these Grade 8 boys into the best possible good men.

Hierdie studie ondersoek die belangrikheid van die implementering van 'n karakter-gebaseerde opvoedingsmentor stelsel vir Graad 8 seuns in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. Dit is 'n gevestigde feit dat tieners oor die algemeen unieke uitdagings in hul vroeë tienerjare in die gesig staar, en baie van hierdie uitdagings kan hul vermoe om akademiese en emosionele sukses te behaal, belemmer. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te oorweeg hoe 'n effektiewe karakter-gebaseerde opvoedingsmentor stelsel vir Graad 8-seuns in Suid-Afrikaanse skole bestuur moet word. Verder om te ondersoek watter metodes opvoeders as mentore kan gebruik om karakter-gebaseerde bestuursstrategieë te bevorder en daardie wat die beste terugvoer van die leerders het, te vestig om hulle so doeltreffend moontlik te maak. Die uiteindelike doel is om hierdie Graad 8 seuns tot goeie mans te ontwikkel. Hierdie gevallestudie kan beskou word as primêr beskrywend en verkennend van aard, wat die basiese eienskappe wat geassosieer word met kwantitatiewe navorsing en empiriese data, wat in essensie oorwegend deduktief en positivisties is, bevat. 'n Karakter-gebaseerde opvoedingsmentor stelsel mik daarop om hierdie uitdagings aan te spreek deur 'n stewige grondslag vir karakterontwikkeling te bied, akademiese prestasie te verbeter en seuns te help belangrike lewensvaardighede te ontwikkel. Hierdie stelsel is gegrond op die kernwaardes van respek, verantwoordelikheid en selfdissipline, terwyl dit tegnieke insluit om hierdie waardes in te lê, soos mentor groepbesprekings, een-op-een mentorering en rolmodelleering deur mentore en senior leerders. Uit die beskikbare navorsing blyk dit dat opvoeders 'n belangrike rol speel in die vorming van leerders se begrip van goeie karakter. Die leerders se begrip van wat karakter is en wat belangrik is, word weerspieël deur die opvoeders - daar is ooreenstemming tussen opvoeders en leerders, en hulle beklemtoon dit selfs meer as personeel - wat daartoe lei dat daar 'n oordrag van waardes / waardeproposisie van personeel na leerders plaasvind. Die bevindinge bied aanbevelings vir die ontwikkeling en implementering van 'n effektiewe karakter-gebaseerde opvoedingsmentor stelsel, en beklemtoon die voordele vir beide leerders en opvoeders in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. Dit is noodsaaklik dat die SGB, senior bestuur, personeel, ouers en uiteindelik die seuns, saamwerk in hierdie karakter-gebaseerde mentor stelsel (The Good Man Journey), aangesien hulle gesamentlik daarna streef om hierdie Graad 8-seuns tot die beste moontlike goeie mans te ontwikkel.

Lolu cwaningo luveza ukubaluleka kokufakwa kohlelo lokufundisa ngokuyalelwa kubafundi benga lesi-8 ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Africa. Kuyiqiniso elingephikiswe ukuthi Abafundi babhekana nezinselelo ezingafani ekukhuleni kwabo besebancane, iningi lalezi zinselelo zingaphazamisa amandla okuphumelela kwabo ezifundweni kanye nokuphila kwabo. Inhloso yocwaningo ukubheka umphumela wokufundiswa ngobunjalo ngokweluswa kwabafana bebanga lesi-8 ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Africa. Okungaphezu kwalokho ukubheka indlela abafundisi abangazisebenzisa ukusiza lolu hlelo lokufunda ngokweluswa, ukusungula izindlela ezingaba nomphumela omuhle kubafundi. Inhlosongqangi kube kuwukwakha abafana bebanga lesi-8 ukuba abantu abalungile. Lolu cwaningo luthathwa njengencazelo nomzamo wokuqala kohlelo ohlanganisa isimo sobunjalo kuhlangene nophenyo oluhlangene kanye nomphumela wocwaningo, okuwukuthi okuhlukene nokuthembisayo kuphela. Lesi sifundo sobuntu ngokulekelwa abafundisi senzelwe ukubhekana nalezi zinselele ngokunikeza isisekelo esiqinile dokukhula kubuwena, ukukhulisa ukuzimisela ekufundeni nokuhlomisa abafana ngezikhali zokubhekana nempilo. Uhlelo lubhekene nokubaluleka kwenhlonipho, ukuzimela kanye nokuhleleka ngokwakho, ukuhlanginisa nobuciko bokufaka ubuhle , okufana nokubonisana emaqenjini, ukusizana ngamunye, nokuhola ngobuqotho kwabafundisi kanye nabafana abadala ezikoleni. Ngokophenyo olukhona abafundisi badlala indima enkulu ekusizeni abafundi ukuthi bakuqonde kahle ukuba sesimweni esihle. Abafundi bayaqonda ukuthi kuyini ukuba olungile kanti okubalulekile okuvezwa abafundisi, kunokusebenzisana phakathi kwabafundisi nabafundi, Futhi bagcina sebekugcizelela ngaphezu kwabasebenzi, lokhu okudlulisa ubuhle, ubuhle obusuka kubafundisi kuya kubafundi. Ucwaningo luphakamisa izincomo zokukhulisa nokwenziwa kohlelo lokufundisa olumayelana nobunjalo obuyimpumelelo ngokohlelo lokululekwa, futhi igqamisa lokhu okuzuzwa umfundisi kanye nomfundi ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Africa. Kubalulekile ukuthi isigungu esilawula isikole(SGB), yilabo abaphezulu ekulawuleni isikole, abafundisi, abazali kanye nabo abafundi, bonke basebenze ngokubambisana kulolu hlelo lokufunda okunokululekwa ( uhambo oluhle lwendoda elungile), ngokubambisana basebenze kanzima ukusiza abafundi bebanga lesi-8 ukuze babe amadoda alungile.