Education is one of the fundamental rights of children. Parents have the perennial responsibility to see to it that education, as a basic right for children, is met. However, experience and studies show that most children‘s schooling is under threat. Various factors such as family background, the dangerous neighbourhood and communities from which learners come are central in the disturbance of children‘s schooling. These contextual factors correlate with one another and sometimes result in children forfeiting schooling opportunities. Bronfenbrenner‘s (1989) ecosystem theory, among other perspectives, facilitates our understanding of the fact that a learner does not exist in isolation, but in interdependence with a number of other systems in their environment. This is because the functioning of any learner is dependent on the interaction between the various systems within the contexts they find themselves. If the child‘s immediate environmental system, the family, for instance, is faced with hardships, the child‘s development is most likely to be hampered. Young‘s (1990) theory of oppression maintains that the children‘s immediate environmental systems are said to be oppressed by the situations that are beyond their control. This study examines the vulnerable state of children and explores ways in which these vulnerabilities affect their schooling. The strategies employed to gather data involve the adoption of the research methods that are arts-based and are combined with different types of interviewing techniques. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, 2008.

This dissertation provides evidence to suggest that teaching/learning difficulties with geography in Std 3 are largely attributable to textbooks which fail as well constructed discourse and include uninterpretable illustrations. The discourse properties most likely to affect the readability of textbooks intended for ESL/EFL pupils are identified. Selected passages from two widely used Std 3 geography textbooks are analysed in terms of these properties, and are shown to fail extensively as well constructed discourse. Following classroom observation and informal interviews which confirmed the inappropriacy of the texts for Std 3 pupils, the passages were re-written, following the necessary properties of well constructed expository discourse. The readability of these two sets of texts was then tested on a group of nine Std 3 teachers in two structured interviews. The findings reveal that the re-written passages are significantly more readable than the textbook passages. Recommendations that affect education authorities, curriculum designers, syllabus makers, textbook authors, publishers and teacher training colleges are provided

Black boys in American schools are often subjected to crisis narratives that negatively impact teacher-student relationships, limiting teachers from recognizing the intellectual capability of Black boys. A review of American schools paints a portrait of Black males crowded in special education and nearly absent in gifted education. There seems to be a gap in the available research about Black males in education, especially when trying to identify and review the literature surrounding educational opportunities, positive learning environments, and teacher/student relationships for the youngest learners in American schools. Given previous research findings of positive relationships between Black male teachers and Black male students in Grade 3 and higher, this study looked at these relationships within early childhood classrooms, as research suggests that relationships between teachers and students play a meaningful role in young children’s social and emotional development. Utilizing interviews, observations, and through the collection of student-created artifacts, in situated ways this study found that Black male teachers perceived their relationships with Black boys in early childhood classrooms as: • being grounded in providing explicit role models for Black boys; • empowering young Black boys to see their individual potential and future success in life as Black men; • focusing on showcasing affection that is often not expressed towards Black boys in early childhood due to implicit biases, through explicit verbal praise, loving gestures, and body language; and • an understanding that early childhood classrooms should serve as a space for children to learn through their mistakes, as this is a key component in the development of positive feelings towards schooling and learning. The implications for practice point to the importance of recruiting more teachers who view their teacher identities as being intricately connected to role modeling and the empowerment of Black boys. Additionally, because love is foundational to justice, Black boys need teachers who love them—accepting, caring, displaying respect, defending their right to be children, and regarding the education of Black boys as their responsibility. Finally, young Black boys thrive in classrooms where there is the freedom to make mistakes.

Submitted to the Faculty of Education in fufilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department Foundations of Education at the University of Zululand, 2005. / This research has been conducted during the period when South Africa has undergone numerous changes as a result of social, political and economic developments in the country. The aim of the study was to find out the role that can be played by the educators in promoting the African indigenous culture in schools under Umgungundlovu region. Qualitative research in the form of ideograms, as well as unstructured interviews with educators was used to elicit educators1 views concerning how they perceive their roles in the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. Interviews conducted enabled the researcher to gain deeper understanding of an insight into the problem under investigation. Results revealed among other issues that; (i) there is a problem of time for African indigenous cultural activities in schools. (ii) not all educators engage themselves in the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. (iii) the South African curriculum is not doing enough to promote African indigenous culture in schools. (iv) not all parents and School Governing Bodies support the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. (v) there is a conflict between African indigenous culture and Western culture. (vi) there is a lack of experience in managing diversity in schools. (vii) cultural aspects accommodated in schools are not the same. (viii) sometimes people's right to culture is infringed. These findings presuppose that the South African education department needs to review its policy with regard to the promotion of African indigenous culture in schools. Finally the research recommends that: (i) training of educators on African indigenous culture should be done.. (ii) there should be an improvement of the school curriculum. (iii) consultation to acquire knowledge should be done by educators. (iv) there is a need for an increased support by the SGB and parents. (v) there is a need for educators to be the role models of African indigenous culture. (vi) educators should organise cultural days in their schools. (vii) there is a need for maintenance and elaboration of cultural values. (viii) there should be a development of innovative and adaptive abilities of learners. (ix) there should be a promotion of educational tours to places of cultural importance. (x) promotion of indigenous languages should be done. (xi) there is a need for paradigm shift among Africans. (xii) educators should manage cultural diversity in schools. Promotion of African indigenous culture in schools will amongst other things help the learners to know their history i.e. where they come from and ultimately to regain their identity.

The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the socioemotional adjustment of children at school. A sample size of 90 research participants was selected and included black South African grade I school children aged between 6 and 7 years from single parent households in Pretoria Central. Factor analyses and Cronbach's alphas were determined in order to establish the validity and reliability (alpha= 0.89 and 0. 72 respectively) of the measurement instruments. In general, results were inconsistent with previous findings: The three parenting styles had no direct relationship with children's socio-emotional adjustment at school. Except for two links, non- significant relations between parenting styles and six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment were detected. However, maternal age, preschool attendance and gender of the child interacted in different combinations with four of the six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment. Future studies investigating parenting styles should take account of other areas of adjustment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the socioemotional adjustment of children at school. A sample size of 90 research participants was selected and included black South African grade I school children aged between 6 and 7 years from single parent households in Pretoria Central. Factor analyses and Cronbach's alphas were determined in order to establish the validity and reliability (alpha= 0.89 and 0. 72 respectively) of the measurement instruments. In general, results were inconsistent with previous findings: The three parenting styles had no direct relationship with children's socio-emotional adjustment at school. Except for two links, non- significant relations between parenting styles and six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment were detected. However, maternal age, preschool attendance and gender of the child interacted in different combinations with four of the six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment. Future studies investigating parenting styles should take account of other areas of adjustment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)