Part A
1. Challenges Faced by South African Public School Teachers in Disciplining Learners:
Diminished Rights, Disempowerment, and Ineffective Parental Involvement.
2. The article focuses on the challenges faced by South African public school teachers
regarding disciplining learners. It addresses the conflict between the traditional
principle of in loco parentis, which grants teachers the authority to discipline learners,
and new legislation promoting children's rights and protection from violence or
degrading treatment. The context is set in South Africa, where incidents of learner
misbehaviour and violence against teachers have raised concerns about the safety,
effectiveness, and morale of teachers in maintaining discipline. The problem
statement highlights several issues: diminished teachers' rights to discipline learners,
learners' lack of respect, morals, and values, teacher safety and personal protection
concerns, teachers' sense of disempowerment, poor classroom management and
teaching strategies, and ineffective parental involvement. These issues reflect the
challenges teachers face in maintaining discipline and creating a safe and conducive
learning environment. The article aims to explore teachers' views on the right to
discipline learners and shed light on the factors affecting their ability to enforce
discipline effectively.
3. The article employed a convenience sample of eight South African public school
teachers. The selection process is not explicitly detailed, but it is mentioned that the
sample consisted of four females and four males. The researchers likely chose
participants based on their availability and willingness to participate in the study. The
teachers' teaching experience ranged from 0-10 years, 11-20 years, and 21 years
and above, providing a diverse range of perspectives.
4. Research Question: How do South African public school teachers perceive their right
to discipline learners in light of new legislation promoting children's rights?
5. Sub-Question: What are the specific challenges faced by teachers in maintaining
discipline, ensuring learner respect, and fostering a safe and caring environment?
Research Goal and Objective:
Research Goal: To explore and understand South African public school teachers'
perspectives on disciplining learners and the challenges they face in enforcing
discipline effectively.
Objective: To identify and analyse the factors contributing to the diminished rights of
teachers, teacher disempowerment, and ineffective parental involvement in
disciplining learners in South African public schools.
6. South African public school teachers' views on the right to discipline learners
Introduction and Background:
Discipline in the classroom and its importance
● Role of the teacher in maintaining a classroom environment conducive to
learning and teaching
● Concept of in loco parentis and teachers' role as parents in the classroom
● Challenges to the concept of in loco parentis due to attacks on teachers by
learners
, ● Legal framework protecting children's rights and implications for teachers'
disciplinary authority
● Emphasis on promoting respect, tolerance, and responsibility in schools
Theoretical Framework:
● Postmodernism:
● Transition from modernist view of education to postmodernism and its impact
on discipline and values
● Conflicting views on discipline and human rights in the postmodern context
● Teachers' confusion and fear of infringing on learners' human rights
● Perception that postmodern environment contributes to learner misbehaviour
Research Question:
Exploration of teachers' views on the right to discipline learners in South African public
schools
Research Methodology:
● Interpretative, qualitative research design
● Importance of understanding teachers' subjective perspectives and
experiences
● Convenience sample of eight South African public school teachers with
varying levels of teaching experience
● Data collection through focus group sessions and qualitative interviews
● Ethical considerations and assurance of trustworthiness of data
Findings:
Theme 1: Learners' lack of respect, morals, and values
● Teachers' observations of disrespectful behaviour and lack of discipline
among learners
● Frustration with learners' disregard for school rules and authority
● Concerns about parents' failure to instil values and morals in children
Theme 2: Teacher safety and personal protection
● Teachers feeling unsafe and vulnerable to physical and verbal attacks from
learners
● Perception of inadequate measures to ensure teacher safety
● Fear of retaliation when attempting to discipline learners
Theme 3: Teacher sense of disempowerment
● Teachers' feelings of disempowerment and frustration in disciplining learners
● Impact of legislation and human rights discourse on teachers' authority
● Negative effects on teachers' well-being and job satisfaction
1. Challenges Faced by South African Public School Teachers in Disciplining Learners:
Diminished Rights, Disempowerment, and Ineffective Parental Involvement.
2. The article focuses on the challenges faced by South African public school teachers
regarding disciplining learners. It addresses the conflict between the traditional
principle of in loco parentis, which grants teachers the authority to discipline learners,
and new legislation promoting children's rights and protection from violence or
degrading treatment. The context is set in South Africa, where incidents of learner
misbehaviour and violence against teachers have raised concerns about the safety,
effectiveness, and morale of teachers in maintaining discipline. The problem
statement highlights several issues: diminished teachers' rights to discipline learners,
learners' lack of respect, morals, and values, teacher safety and personal protection
concerns, teachers' sense of disempowerment, poor classroom management and
teaching strategies, and ineffective parental involvement. These issues reflect the
challenges teachers face in maintaining discipline and creating a safe and conducive
learning environment. The article aims to explore teachers' views on the right to
discipline learners and shed light on the factors affecting their ability to enforce
discipline effectively.
3. The article employed a convenience sample of eight South African public school
teachers. The selection process is not explicitly detailed, but it is mentioned that the
sample consisted of four females and four males. The researchers likely chose
participants based on their availability and willingness to participate in the study. The
teachers' teaching experience ranged from 0-10 years, 11-20 years, and 21 years
and above, providing a diverse range of perspectives.
4. Research Question: How do South African public school teachers perceive their right
to discipline learners in light of new legislation promoting children's rights?
5. Sub-Question: What are the specific challenges faced by teachers in maintaining
discipline, ensuring learner respect, and fostering a safe and caring environment?
Research Goal and Objective:
Research Goal: To explore and understand South African public school teachers'
perspectives on disciplining learners and the challenges they face in enforcing
discipline effectively.
Objective: To identify and analyse the factors contributing to the diminished rights of
teachers, teacher disempowerment, and ineffective parental involvement in
disciplining learners in South African public schools.
6. South African public school teachers' views on the right to discipline learners
Introduction and Background:
Discipline in the classroom and its importance
● Role of the teacher in maintaining a classroom environment conducive to
learning and teaching
● Concept of in loco parentis and teachers' role as parents in the classroom
● Challenges to the concept of in loco parentis due to attacks on teachers by
learners
, ● Legal framework protecting children's rights and implications for teachers'
disciplinary authority
● Emphasis on promoting respect, tolerance, and responsibility in schools
Theoretical Framework:
● Postmodernism:
● Transition from modernist view of education to postmodernism and its impact
on discipline and values
● Conflicting views on discipline and human rights in the postmodern context
● Teachers' confusion and fear of infringing on learners' human rights
● Perception that postmodern environment contributes to learner misbehaviour
Research Question:
Exploration of teachers' views on the right to discipline learners in South African public
schools
Research Methodology:
● Interpretative, qualitative research design
● Importance of understanding teachers' subjective perspectives and
experiences
● Convenience sample of eight South African public school teachers with
varying levels of teaching experience
● Data collection through focus group sessions and qualitative interviews
● Ethical considerations and assurance of trustworthiness of data
Findings:
Theme 1: Learners' lack of respect, morals, and values
● Teachers' observations of disrespectful behaviour and lack of discipline
among learners
● Frustration with learners' disregard for school rules and authority
● Concerns about parents' failure to instil values and morals in children
Theme 2: Teacher safety and personal protection
● Teachers feeling unsafe and vulnerable to physical and verbal attacks from
learners
● Perception of inadequate measures to ensure teacher safety
● Fear of retaliation when attempting to discipline learners
Theme 3: Teacher sense of disempowerment
● Teachers' feelings of disempowerment and frustration in disciplining learners
● Impact of legislation and human rights discourse on teachers' authority
● Negative effects on teachers' well-being and job satisfaction
