Demographic data

The demographic data collected included age, number of schools taught throughout their teaching career, total years of teaching experience, number of years at current school and qualifications. Table 4.1 shows that all the participants had an REQV 14 qualification and are considered fully qualified to teach in South African schools (DoE, 2005:47). All the participants were female and three of the four participants can be regarded as highly experienced and thus confident in their teaching role (DoE, 2005:10). Three of the participants have taught at least two schools in their teaching career, with the exception of one participant, who has done supplied teaching in London before starting her teaching career at her current school.

Table 4.1: Demographic data

Participants Age Number of schools taught throughout teaching career Total years of teaching experience Teaching at current school (in years) Qualification(s)

Teacher A Did not respond to question 2 29 26 Bachelor of Science (BSc) Higher Diploma in Education (HDE)

Teacher B 44 6 or 7 21 17/18 Higher Diploma in

Education (HDE) Bachelor of Arts (BA) (Psychology) Bachelor of Arts (BA) Psychology (Honours)

74 (1) London (Supplied Teaching) Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

Teacher D 49 4 26 15 Bachelor of Science

(Education) (BSc.Ed)

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed)

All four participants confirmed that Natural Sciences and Life Sciences are the only learning areas they are teaching, although Teacher D has previously also taught Physical Sciences (grades 10– 12) and Technology (grades 8–9). With the exception of Teacher C, who studied Consumer Studies, all the participants consider themselves specialists in Life Sciences and regard themselves qualified to teach Natural Sciences and Life Sciences within their particular schools.

Table 4.2 displays the number of Grade 9 and 10 classes and average class size each participant is responsible for teaching. In spite of a generally acceptable national learner–teacher ratio, some of the classrooms can be considered over-crowded, especially within the Grade 9 group (DoE, 2005:12). The Grade 10 average class size is fairly small, except for Teacher D’s Grade 10 class with 37 learners.

Table 4.2: Number of Grade 9 and 10 classes and average class size (retrieved from interviews) Participants Grade 9 (Number of classes) Grade 9 Class size (average) Grade 10 (Number of classes) Grade 10 Class size(average) Teacher A 4 (English and

Afrikaans)

37 1 33

75 Teacher C 4 (English and

Afrikaans)

30 1 25

Teacher D 1 (English) 35 1 37

As indicated in Table 4.3, the majority of the participants spend on average more time preparing for Life Sciences than for Natural Sciences. Teacher A indicated that she spends between two and three hours a day on administrative duties alone in addition to the time she spends on preparing for both Natural Sciences and Life Sciences. Both Teacher B and Teacher D spend two hours a day on both administrative duties and preparation for Life Sciences in addition to the one hour each spend on preparing for Natural Sciences. All four participants also indicated that they are involved with extramural activities at their respective schools.

Table 4.3: Amount of time spent on preparation for lessons and administration duties Participants Amount of time spent on preparation for

lessons (hours per day)

Amount of time spent on

administration duties (hours per day)

Natural Sciences Life Sciences

Teacher A ½ hour –1 hour ½ hour – 1 hour 2–3 hours

Teacher B 1 hour 2 hours 2 hours

Teacher C 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour

Teacher D 1 hour 2 hours 2 hours

As indicated in Table 4.4, participants were asked to motivate their response regarding the sufficiency of training received. With the exception of Teacher C, all participants had received training for FET. When asked whether this training was sufficient, all the participants indicated that the training was not sufficient to implement Life Sciences successfully at their schools. They substantiated their answers with the following reasons:

Teacher A: “Could not answer our questions and could not provide us with material/examples. Had to work with other teachers to prepare material and make sense of all the terminology they used. Textbooks did not cover all the information required in the syllabus.”

76

Teacher B: “Our schools need to be equipped properly, especially the labs in order to implement Life Sciences properly. The type of training was elementary; too much admin and very little hands-on training with no regard for overcrowded classes and other day-to- day problems that a Life Sciences teacher faces.”

Teacher C: “… have not received any training in any specific learning area.”

Teacher D: “I did not really benefit in terms of content and training focused on admin rather than content. Many trainers themselves [are] not sufficiently qualified. At our school Life Sciences has always been very successful and we have made it work. We’re an excellent team.”

From teacher comments in Table 4.4, it is apparent that teachers require training that would expand their knowledge and improve their daily practice. Teachers’ training is, however, limited to the cascade model of training, and it has been reported that this form of training does not work well (Reddy et al., 2004).

Table 4.4: FET training received and its sufficiency

Participants Training received (FET) In your opinion, was the training received adequate to prepare you to implement Life Sciences successfully at your school?

Teacher A Yes No

Teacher B Yes No

Teacher C No No

Teacher D Yes No

Table 4.5 depicts the participant’s observations regarding the support received from either the school or the Department of Education. From their observations it is apparent that the participants were divided when it came to the question of their support from the school and the Department of Education. All the participants, except Teacher B, felt that they are supported by their school. Teacher B does however agree with Teacher C and Teacher D that the Department of Education is relatively uninvolved.

77 Table 4.5: Participant support from school and Department of Education

Participants Do you feel that you receive enough support from either the school or the Department of Education to assist you to implement Life Sciences successfully?

Teacher A “The schools try to get us all the help we need. [They] allow us to attend workshops, obtain extra material, etc.”

Teacher B “No, it is an ongoing struggle. At school, the Head of Department for Life Sciences has no qualification in the subject and cannot give support. One would expect the Department of Education to spend more money on support systems for teachers and learners at our schools and less on trivial things.”

Teacher C “[I] get a lot of support at school. Colleagues will regularly assist and [the] school gives money to buy equipment. [The] Department [is] exceedingly uninvolved – no help.”

Teacher D “Within the school we have a dream team. But as a successful Life Sciences department, we are left alone, in my opinion, neglected and all energies and skills focused on the problem schools in the

province.”