Grade 9 Natural Science teachers' experiences of curriculum implementation in selected secondary schools in Ekurhuleni

Abstract

Teachers’ teaching experiences form an integral part of actual teaching and learning. These experiences allow teachers to develop effective strategies for enhancing learners’ development throughout the learning process. This qualitative case study explored the teaching experiences of six purposively selected teachers at identified schools in the Ekurhuleni District. The study, which was guided by Schoenfeld’s theory of teacher decision-making, adopted the interpretivist perspective. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation, before being transcribed and thereafter arranged into codes and themes using thematic data analysis. The findings revealed that the participating teachers faced challenges which included curriculum overload and difficulties with planning lessons. The participants acknowledged the support received at the school level and from subject advisors but specified that it was minimal. They also advocated for support from the district, as that would enhance their knowledge of teaching and learning the subject of Natural Sciences in particular. Another challenge that some participants reportedly faced was a lack of practical work, since many laboratory spaces are being used as classrooms. The majority of the participating teachers posited that the time allocated for them to teach was insufficient to cover the syllabus, therefore they felt despondent and tended to teach procedurally, bring in a hurry to finish the content. It is recommended that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) ensure that teachers are trained in the relevant content knowledge for their qualifications. The involvement of subject advisors, school management and parents must be prioritized, as these parties all play a significant role in supporting teachers. This study further recommends that the training workshops offered by the DBE focus on improving the guidance given to teachers. In conclusion, teachers who teach Natural Sciences should practice reflective teaching when making decisions, to enable them to explore more effective strategies for use in the teaching of their subject.

Boiphihlelo ba ho ruta ba matitjhere bo etsa karolo ya bohlokwa ya ho ruta le ho ithuta ha nnete. Boiphihlelo bona bo dumella matitjhere ho theha maano a sebetsang bakeng sa ho ntlafatsa ntshetsopele ya baithuti nakong yohle ya ho ithuta. Phuputso ena ya boleng e hlahlobile boiphihlelo ba ho ruta ba matitjhere a tsheletseng a kgethuweng ka sepheo se itseng dikolong tse kgethilweng tsa Setereke sa Ekurhuleni. Phuputso, e tataisitsweng ke kgopolo ya Schoenfeld ya ho etsa diqeto ha matitjhere, e amohetse pono ya theori ya bofetoledi. Dintlha di ile tsa bokellwa ka dipuisano tse hlophisitsweng le ho shebella, pele di ngolwa mme kamora moo di ile tsa hlophiswa ka dikhoutu le dihlooho ho sebediswa tlhahlobo ya manollo ya dintlha ya dihlooho. Diphumano di senotse hore matitjhere a nkileng karolo a tobane le diqholotso tse kenyelletsang kharikhulamo e dikateng di ngata le mathata a ho rala dithuto. Bankakarolo ba ananetse tshehetso eo ba e fumanang sekolong le ho baeletsi ba dithuto, empa ba bolela hore e nyane. Ba boetse ba bolela hore ba hloka tshehetso ho tswa ho setereke, kaha seo se ka matlafatsa tsebo ya bona ya ho ruta le ho ithuta thuto ya Saense ya Tlhaho ka ho kgetholoha. Qholotso e nngwe eo bankakarolo ba tlalehileng ba tobane le yona e ne e le kgaello ya mosebetsi wa boikwetliso, kaha dibaka tse ngata tsa dilaboratori di sebediswa e le diphaposi tsa ho rutela. Bongata ba matitjhere a neng a nkile karolo bo ne bo re nako e fanweng bakeng sa ho ruta e ne e sa lekana ho ruta mananeo ohle a thuto, ka hona ba ne ba ikutlwa ba nyahame mme ba atisa ho ruta ka mokgwa wa tsamaiso, ba potlaketse ho ruta dikateng kaofela. Ho kgothaletswa hore Lefapha la Thuto ya Motheo (DBE) le netefatse hore matitjhere a kwetliswa ka tsebo e amehang ya dikateng bakeng sa mangolo a bona a thuto. Ho ba le seabo ha baeletsi ba dithuto, tsamaiso ya sekolo le batswadi ho tlameha ho behwa ka sehloohong, kaha mahlakore ana kaofela a bapala karolo e kgolo ho tshehetseng matitjhere. Phuputso ena e boetse e kgothaletsa hore dithupelo tse fanwang ke DBE di shebane le ho ntlafatsa tataiso e fuwang matitjhere. Ho qetella, matitjhere a rutang Saense ya Tlhaho a lokela ho sebedisa mokgwa wa ho ruta wa ho nahana ha a etsa diqeto, e le ho ba nolofalletsa ho batlisisa mekgwa e sebetsang haholwanyane eo ba ka e sebedisang ha ba ruta thuto ya bona

Isipiliyoni sokufundisa kothisha siyingxenye ebalulekile yokufundisa nokufunda kwangempela. Lezi zipiliyoni zivumela othisha ukuthi bakhe amasu asebenzayo okuthuthukisa intuthuko yabafundi kulo lonke uhlelo lokufunda. Lolu cwaningo ngokuchaza lubheka ulwazi lokufundisa kothisha abayisithupha abakhethwe ngenhloso ezikoleni ezihlonziwe esifundeni sase-Ekurhuleni. Ucwaningo, obeluholwa ngumbono ka-Schoenfeld wokuthatha izinqumo zothisha, lwamukela umbono ogxile ebantwini. Imininingwane yaqoqwa ngezingxoxiswano ezihleleke kancane kanye nokubhekwa, ngaphambi kokuba ilotshwe bese ihlelwa yaba amakhodi nezindikimba kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziya imininingwane yengqikithi. Okutholakele kuveze ukuthi othisha abahlanganyele babhekane nezinselelo ezihlanganisa ukugcwala kohlelo lwezifundo nobunzima ekuhleleni izifundo. Abahlanganyeli bakwamukele ukwesekwa abakutholile ezingeni lesikole kanye nakubeluleki bezifundo, kodwa bacacisa ukuthi kuncane kakhulu. Baphinde bagqugquzele ukusekelwa yisifunda, ngoba lokho kuzothuthukisa ulwazi lwabo lokufundisa nokufunda ikakhulukazi isifundo seSayensi yezeMvelo. Enye inselelo okubikwa ukuthi abanye abahlanganyeli babhekane nayo ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi eyenziwayo, njengoba izindawo eziningi ezihlomele ukuhlolwa kwesayensi zisetshenziswa njengamakilasi. Iningi lothisha abahlanganyele lathi isikhathi esabelwe bona sokufundisa sasinganele ukuthi baqedele isilabhasi, ngakho-ke bazizwa bedangele futhi behloselwe ukufundisa ngokwenqubo, bajahe ukuqeda okuqukethwe. Kuphakanyiswa ukuthi uMnyango Wezemfundo Eyisisekelo (i-DBE) uqinisekise ukuthi othisha bayaqeqeshwa olwazini olufanele lokuqukethwe ukuze baphothule izifundo zabo. Ukuzibandakanya kwabeluleki bezifundo, abaphathi besikole nabazali kufanele kubekwe eqhulwini, njengoba lezi zinhlangano zonke zineqhaza elikhulu ekwesekeni othisha. Lolu cwaningo luphinde luphakamise ukuthi izinkundla zokucobelelana ngolwazi ezihlinzekwa yi-DBE zigxile ekwenzeni ngcono iziqondiso ezinikezwa othisha. Sengiphetha, othisha abafundisa iSayensi yezeMvelo kufanele bazijwayeze ukufundisa ngokucabangisisa kahle lapho bethatha izinqumo, ukuze bakwazi ukuhlola amasu aphumelela kakhudlwana abangawasebenzisa ekufundiseni isifundo sabo.