This auto-ethnographic research emerges from an historical account of my self-understandings, perceptions and intentions, constructed from a journal that was kept of my experiences during the various stages of my development as an art teacher. The study revolves around two pivotal questions: ―How have I come to be the art teacher I am?‖ and ―What are the meanings and definitions that have informed my identity as an art teacher in a multiracial classroom?‖ I draw upon Brian Fay‘s theory of self/false consciousness and show how false consciousness works to liberate the self. It does that through the excavation of different layers of consciousness of self, and offers an understanding of how I came to be and to act in particular situations and moments of crisis. This theoretical position enabled me to understand my struggles as a black, African, male art teacher teaching in a multiracial school. By engaging in an auto-ethnographic approach I am able to reflect on the self through my journals and artworks (paintings, pottery, photographs and poems) and on the impact of critical moments in my life. It provides me with the lens to zoom in and out of my life experiences and understand the meanings (false/borrowed/assimilated) that I took up as a marginalised black African male interested in learning art in a white-dominated world. By adopting a critical stance, this research reveals both personal issues and broader social structures, institutions and processes, and shows how they are intertwined. Firstly, the study offers an analysis of chosen critical moments of my life. Secondly, it presents an understanding of those moments and my part in them. Thirdly, it explores the meanings that I came to adopt in those moments of crisis. Fourthly, it reflects on how this self-searching assisted me to liberate myself from false consciousness as a black African male art teacher. It tries to trace the gradual movement from the prison of my past to my development as a teacher in a South African classroom in a new democratic dispensation. Auto-ethnography provides deeper access to self-understanding, and engaging through this reflective process, I was able to understand and know that educational change can only happen meaningfully if I know and confront my personal and professional meanings and how they have been shaped and continue to inform the choices I make in my classroom daily. As a Black, African, Male, Art Teacher who learnt and lived through the legacy of apartheid, false consciousness was a way of being ‗other‘. The realisation of being ―a coconut‖ (Ferguson: 2006) and the meanings of the art world that went with it, proved liberating. ―Coconut‖ is term referring to a black person who does and acts like a white person. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the perception of Creative Arts educators in the Intermediate Phase with regard to their own competency levels to teach Creative Arts effectively. Creative Arts consists of four art forms, namely Dance, Music, Drama and Visual Arts. The ideal is that all Creative Art educators are competent enough to teach the different art forms effectively. To answer the research question in order to achieve the goal of the study, the researcher made use of a qualitative research design from within an interpretive research paradigm. A case study strategy has also been applied by the researcher in order to obtain data pertaining to the specific aspect of the study, namely Creative Arts educators. Various sources were used to generate the data, namely semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and document analysis. Various precautionary measures were taken to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. During the course of the investigation, ethical issues were in question. However, the researcher followed the necessary guidelines to ensure that all endeavours were ethically acceptable. In the literature study the curriculum review process as well as the inclusion of Arts and Culture and Creative Arts in the curriculum is analysed. The training of Creative Arts educators and the challenges that this subject poses to schools and other mainstream educators are also considered. It was established that mainstream educators are often unable to teach this subject with the required confidence, knowledge and skills. Taking the results of this study into account, it appears that Creative Arts educators are not trained sufficiently in the four art forms, which influences the way in which the subject is taught. Educators who have received training in only one of the art forms tend to emphasise that particular art form only. The results of the study clearly indicate that the educators will only be able to do justice to Creative Arts as a subject if they are trained sufficiently to teach it with the necessary confidence and skill. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die persepsies van Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers in die Intermediêre Fase rakende hul eie bevoegdheidsvlak om Skeppende Kunste doeltreffend te onderrig. Skeppende Kunste bestaan uit vier kunsvorme, naamlik Dans, Drama, Musiek en Visuele Kunste. Die ideaal is dat elke Skeppende Kunste-onderwyser bevoeg genoeg is om elkeen van hierdie kunsvorme doeltreffend aan te bied. Om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord om die doel van die studie te verwesenlik, het die navorser ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie vanuit die interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma onderneem. Die navorser het ook gebruik gemaak van ʼn gevalle-studiestrategie om data oor die spesifieke geval, naamlik Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers, in te samel. Daar is gebruik gemaak van veelvuldige bronne, naamlik semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, vraelyste en dokumentontleding, om data te genereer. Verskillende stappe is gedoen om die geldigheid en betroubaarheid van die data te verseker. Tydens die ondersoek het etiese kwessies na vore getree, en die navorser het die nodige riglyne gevolg om seker te maak alle handelinge is eties. In die literatuurstudie word die kurrikulumhersieningsproses asook die insluiting van Kuns en Kultuur en Skeppende Kunste in die kurrikulum van naderby beskou. Verder word daar gekyk na die opleiding van Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers en die uitdaging wat hierdie vak aan skole en algemene opgeleide onderwysers bied. Daar is bevind dat algemene opgeleide onderwysers dikwels nie bevoeg voel om hierdie vak met die nodige selfvertroue, kennis en vaardighede aan te bied nie. Uit die resultate van die studie blyk dit dat Skeppende Kunste-onderwysers nie voldoende opgelei is in al vier kunsvorme nie, en dat dit wel ʼn invloed het op die manier waarop die vak aangebied word. Die onderwysers is geneig om die kunsvorm waarin hul wel opleiding ontvang het, te beklemtoon. Uit die studie is dit duidelik dat die vak Skeppende Kunste slegs tot sy reg sal kom indien onderwysers wat dit aanbied voldoende opgelei is om die vak met die nodige selfvertroue en bekwaamheid te onderrig.