Die fokus van hierdie studie is die verkenning van grondslagfase opvoeders se belewings van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding. Positiewe sielkunde is gebruik as die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie navorsing, en ‘n fenomenologiese benadering is gebruik as die metodologiese struktuur van die kwalitatiewe studie. Hierdie studie van opvoeder-leerder verhoudings in die grondslagfase is gerig op die bydrae wat dit kan lewer tot leerders se goeie prestasies, hulle positiewe ontwikkeling, sowel as die opvoeder se eie werksbevrediging. Dit dra ook by tot die welstand van opvoeders, leerders en die skoolgemeenskap. Alhoewel gesonde verhoudings in die skoolgemeenskap van die allergrootste belang is, blyk dit dat die doelbewuste uitbouing van die skoolgemeenskap se verhoudingswelstand as belangrike sosiale hulpbron verwaarloos of afgewater word. Die volgende navorsingsvraag het na vore gekom: Wat is grondslagfase opvoeders se belewings van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding? Die perspektief van die positiewe benadering van sielkunde is gebruik om die meganismes van gesonde verhoudings binne die skoolgemeenskap bloot te lê. Daar is gebruik gemaak van ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode om die fenomeen te verken. Inligting is verkry deur middel van individuele onderhoude en ʼn fokusgroepbespreking as navorsingstegnieke. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik en nege grondslagfase opvoeders verbonde aan ‘n privaatskool in die Gauteng-provinsie van Suid-Afrika was deelnemers aan die navorsing. Die doel van die studie was om grondslagfase opvoeders se belewing van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding te verstaan. Tydens die proses van data-insameling is daar visuele en tekstuele data verkry. Deelnemers het collages gemaak ter beskrywing van hul belewing van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding; daarna is individuele onderhoude en die fokusgroepbespreking gevoer. Klankopnames van die versamelde data is getranskribeer, en ‘n narratiewe analise is gedoen. Bevindinge van hierdie studie is vervat in vier hooftemas: Die rol van emosies en verhoudingswelstand, opvoeders se verhoudingsvaardighede, werksbevrediging, uitdagings en verhoudingswelstand. Hierdie bevindings omvat die gesonde hantering van emosies, doelgerigte bevordering van verhoudingsvaardighede, die belewing van werksbevrediging, en die ervaring van uitdagings wat oorwegend gekoppel is aan welvarende leerders se huiskonteks. Die bevindings is verder verfyn in die subtemas wat die grondslagfase opvoeder se alledaagse belewing van die Opvoeder-leerder verhouding opvoeder-leerder verhouding in diepte beskryf. Die bevindings toon dat die opvoeders se positiewe ervaring van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding gesien kan word as ‘n belegging in die welstand en positiewe funksionering van beide die opvoeder en die leerder. Aanbevelings word gemaak sodat opvoeders verbeterde opvoeder-leerder verhoudings kan beskerm en bevorder deur doelgerig die ondersteuning van multidissiplinêre spanne te ontgin. Opvoeders moet begelei word om die dinamiese krag van interpersoonlike verhoudings op ‘n kreatiewe manier te gebruik ten einde die volhoubare welstand van skoolgemeenskappe as gesonde en bemagtigende ruimtes te verseker. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die fokus van hierdie studie is die verkenning van grondslagfase opvoeders se belewings van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding. Positiewe sielkunde is gebruik as die teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie navorsing, en ‘n fenomenologiese benadering is gebruik as die metodologiese struktuur van die kwalitatiewe studie. Hierdie studie van opvoeder-leerder verhoudings in die grondslagfase is gerig op die bydrae wat dit kan lewer tot leerders se goeie prestasies, hulle positiewe ontwikkeling, sowel as die opvoeder se eie werksbevrediging. Dit dra ook by tot die welstand van opvoeders, leerders en die skoolgemeenskap. Alhoewel gesonde verhoudings in die skoolgemeenskap van die allergrootste belang is, blyk dit dat die doelbewuste uitbouing van die skoolgemeenskap se verhoudingswelstand as belangrike sosiale hulpbron verwaarloos of afgewater word. Die volgende navorsingsvraag het na vore gekom: Wat is grondslagfase opvoeders se belewings van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding? Die perspektief van die positiewe benadering van sielkunde is gebruik om die meganismes van gesonde verhoudings binne die skoolgemeenskap bloot te lê. Daar is gebruik gemaak van ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode om die fenomeen te verken. Inligting is verkry deur middel van individuele onderhoude en ʼn fokusgroepbespreking as navorsingstegnieke. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik en nege grondslagfase opvoeders verbonde aan ‘n privaatskool in die Gauteng-provinsie van Suid-Afrika was deelnemers aan die navorsing. Die doel van die studie was om grondslagfase opvoeders se belewing van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding te verstaan. Tydens die proses van data-insameling is daar visuele en tekstuele data verkry. Deelnemers het collages gemaak ter beskrywing van hul belewing van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding; daarna is individuele onderhoude en die fokusgroepbespreking gevoer. Klankopnames van die versamelde data is getranskribeer, en ‘n narratiewe analise is gedoen. Bevindinge van hierdie studie is vervat in vier hooftemas: Die rol van emosies en verhoudingswelstand, opvoeders se verhoudingsvaardighede, werksbevrediging, uitdagings en verhoudingswelstand. Hierdie bevindings omvat die gesonde hantering van emosies, doelgerigte bevordering van verhoudingsvaardighede, die belewing van werksbevrediging, en die ervaring van uitdagings wat oorwegend gekoppel is aan welvarende leerders se huiskonteks. Die bevindings is verder verfyn in die subtemas wat die grondslagfase opvoeder se alledaagse belewing van die Opvoeder-leerder verhouding opvoeder-leerder verhouding in diepte beskryf. Die bevindings toon dat die opvoeders se positiewe ervaring van die opvoeder-leerder verhouding gesien kan word as ‘n belegging in die welstand en positiewe funksionering van beide die opvoeder en die leerder. Aanbevelings word gemaak sodat opvoeders verbeterde opvoeder-leerder verhoudings kan beskerm en bevorder deur doelgerig die ondersteuning van multidissiplinêre spanne te ontgin. Opvoeders moet begelei word om die dinamiese krag van interpersoonlike verhoudings op ‘n kreatiewe manier te gebruik ten einde die volhoubare welstand van skoolgemeenskappe as gesonde en bemagtigende ruimtes te verseker. / MA (Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

A recent Report Card on Physical Activity and Health in South African Children and Youth 2010 states that at least four major factors place young children at risk: tobacco use, poor diet, lack of physical activity and facing weight challenges, this then including being overweight, underweight, obese or stunted for one’s age. One of the areas for action and intervention mentioned in the report card is training of teachers. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge, skill and competence in school teachers (care givers) when dealing with underweight in school children. A training program (train-the-trainer) was designed by the researcher. Under nutrition (underweight) is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide. 25.33% of respondents in this study showed signs of underweight highlighting the importance of such training in schools. Using the above statistical data the research embarked on the development, implementation and evaluation of a training program for care givers on underweight prevalence in children in South African schools. The intervention research model of Thomas and Rothman was used in the design and development of the training program. A descriptive design with a quasi-experiment one group pre-test-post test was used in this study. A non parametric statistical test was utilized as data was measured on an ordinal scale (Wilcoxon signed rank test). The care giver training program was implemented over nine weeks consisting of one and a half hour sessions held once weekly. All Foundation Phase teachers were involved in the training (18 Care Givers). The program was implemented with grade one learners at a traditional primary school in Pretoria with a mixed demography and age groups varying between 6 and 8 years of age. Hundred and fifty learners participated in the pre and post test wherein a non probability sampling method was used. The study found that the training program for care givers had a statistically significant effect on underweight prevalence in young children. FMEA profiling in this study confirmed that enhancing care giver knowledge, skill and competence contributes significantly to the changes experienced in children’s underweight status. BMI levels changed significantly. The percentage underweight children dropped from 25.33% to 15, 33% over time. It is recommended that this intervention program be implemented and facilitated by teachers (care givers) forming part of a multi-disciplinary education approach in many South African schools. AFRIKAANS : ‘n Onlangse verslag getiteld “Report Card on Physical Activity and Health in South African Children and Youth 2010” dui aan dat daar ten minste vier hooffaktore is wat jong kinders se gesondheid aan gesondheidsrisiko’s blootstel. Die faktore sluit in rook, ongesonde eetstyl en dieet, gebrekkige deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteit en gewigsuitdagings. Gewigsuitdagings waarvoor Suid Afrikaanse jeug te staan kom sluit in oorgewigvoorkoms, ondergewigvoorkoms, obesiteit en of groeibeperking (stunting). Een van die areas wat in die verslag as voorkoming vir hierdie gewigsuitdagings voorgestel word is opleiding aan opvoeders. Die doel van die studie was dan om kennis, vaardigheid en bekwaamheidsvlakke in onderwysers te verbeter wanneer hulle met ondergewig kinders in hulle sorg werk te bewerkstellig d.m.v ‘n indiensopleidingsprogram (Train-the–trainer). Tans dra ondergewigvoorkoms by tot meer as die helfte van alle sterftes onder kinders wêrelwyd. In hierdie studie is bevind dat soveel as 25.33% van die kinders in die studie tekens van ondergewig getoon het. Dit beklemtoon die belangrikheid van ‘n opleidingsprogram aan die opvoeders van hierdie kinders. Statistiese data soos hier bo genoem is deur die navorser aangewend in die ontwikkeling, implementering en evaluering van die opleidingsprogram aan opvoeders van ondergewig kinders in die skool. Die intervensie navorsingsmodel van Thomas and Rothman is gebruik in die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van die opleidingsprogram. ‘n Beskrywende ontwerp met kwasi-eksperimente, een groep voortoets-natoets is in die studie gebruik. Nie parametriese statistiese toetsing is aangewend en data is gemeet aan die hand van ‘n ordinale skaal (Wilcoxon signed rank toets). Die opleidingsprogram aan opvoeders is oor ‘n tydperk van nege weke geïmplimenteer. Elke opleidingsessie was een en ‘n half uur lank en een maal per week aangebied. Alle grondsalgfase opvoeders was in die opleiding betrokke (n=18). Die program is getoets op graad een leerders wat skoolgaan in ‘n tradisionele laerskool in Pretoria met ‘n gemengde demografie en ouderdomsgroepe het gewissel tussen ses en agt jaar oud. Een honderd en vyftig leerders het aan die voor en natoetsing deelgeneem en ‘n nie waarskynlike metode van insluiting is gebruik. Die studie het bevind dat die opleidingsprogram aan opvoeders van ondergewig kinders in die skool ‘n beduidende invloed gehad het op die voorkoms van ondergewig. FMEA profiele gedoen in die studie het bevestig dat die verbetering van opvoeder kennis, vaardigheid en bekwaamheidsvlakke beduidend bygedra het tot die verandering in die ondergewig status van die kinders. LMI tellings het gedaal vanaf 25, 33% tot slegs 15, 33% oor verloop van tyd. Die navorser is van mening dat hierdie voorkomingsprogram in werking gestel behoort te word en deur opvoeders in die skool gefasiliteer word; om sodoende deel te word van ‘n multi-dissiplinêre onderwysbenadering in Suid Afrikaanse skole. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In the recent past South Africa saw an increase in participation in school sport concomitant with an increase in litigation awareness in society. Legal accountability based on damage suffered in the participation in sport has become more common, introducing an additional dimension to risk management by the educator. Learner safety is one of the key aspects in a school. Educator accountability with regard to the safety of learners in school sports is a focus of attention. An effective risk management programme to limit injuries and risks to participants in school sports must be developed. Risk management is the prime instrument by which injuries and the potential exposure of the educator or school to damage and legal accountability can be reduced or prevented. Some aspects of legal risk management are crucial for the educator's duty of care during coaching and the educator's legal duty with regard to the participants' safety. The educator must possess enough legal knowledge to successfully carry out his duty of care. This research will critically assess the safety strategies and the legal risk management of participation in school sports in South Africa. To be able to do this, I determined which common-law and legally accountable determinants can be applicable and what role they will play to ensure the safety of learners in schools. Firstly a literature study in legal risk management in school sports was done. This study found that the educator's responsibilities and obligations are determined by common-law and case law determinants. An empirical investigation was launched. Interviews were conducted with educators involved in sports in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district of the North-West Province. The topic was the current state of affairs in risk management in school sport. The participants' perceptions of legal risk management were discussed and their views analysed, whereupon findings and recommendations were made. The general impression based on the results was that the educators experience huge uncertainty and are seriously uninformed about with regard to delictual liability towards learners under their care. It was found that educators do not have sufficient legal knowledge to comply with the requirements set by law. Therefore the security of the participants (on grounds of their participation) and the educators (on grounds of their legal accountability) is jeopardised. It is recommended that all tertiary institutions develop training programmes to empower educators and student educators with knowledge of legal procedures in education. It is further recommended that the education department as employer together with governing bodies, principals and trade unions support such training programmes- now and in the future. Finally, educators, school management teams and governing bodies should be more risk-aware and more pro-active in preventing sport-related injuries, because of the ignorance regarding guidelines for risk management in sports and standards of security. The complex nature of our society makes knowledge of the legal aspects in education by all role players in education not only desirable, but mandatory. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Many beginner educators leave the profession within the first three years following their appointment. The security of educators, and especially that of the beginner educator is threatened from many angles. Beginner educators experience this threat very intensely and this weakened feeling of security they experience, has important implications for their role as educators. There are, however, many legal determinants that protect educator security and oppose each threat directly. This research falls within the field of Education Law and the security of beginner-educators is studied from this angle. The study focuses on the protection of security as offered by law determinants and the real experience of threats by beginner educators. In the research, law determinants such as the Constitution, education law, labour law and case law, as protectors of security, were studied. Using a qualitative study the experience and perceptions of a selection of participants was analysed. The participants, from different types of schools in a certain geographical area, were identified. During the analysis two aspects emerged that influence security. The first aspect is the beginner educator‟s lack of knowledge of the mechanisms that protect security and the second aspect was beginner educators‟ real experience of threats. Beginner educators‟ lack of security is the result of their lack of knowledge of the mechanisms that protect security. The findings of this research propose that more emphasis is placed on the legal aspects concerning the protection of security of educators during their training and that beginner educators are empowered to face threats of security and overcome it. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This dissertation evaluates the feasibility of extending restorative justice to school disciplinary action in South African schools. It considers developments in education and identifies relevant shortcomings before addressing them. The extension of restorative justice to school disciplinary action establishes a new way of thinking that has, until recently, not been applied to civil law. In Dikoko v Mokhatla (2007 (1) BCLR 1 (CC)) honourable justice Sachs ruled that any remedy applied in civil law must aim for the restitution of relationships, rather than punishment of the guilty party. Children are often on unequal footing compared to adults when it comes to prosecution or punishment and consequently they are exposed to excessive punitive measures, as illustrated by the Dey saga (Le Roux and Others v Dey 2011 (3) SA 274 (CC)). The implementation of restorative justice as an alternative to current school disciplinary action may result in limiting these excessive punishments. Because of the universal nature of the subject a comparison will be made to the successful implementation of restorative justice programs in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The various departments of education in these countries have developed proactive strategies for managing students' behaviour. In New Zealand, schools place particular emphasis on the use of restorative practices, rather than suspension, to ensure the establishment of beneficial learning environments. Furthermore, parents’ and community members' involvement is encouraged by inter alia the National Safe Schools Framework, which has been implemented in Australia since 2003. These countries have long been regarded as leaders in the field of restorative justice. It is of the utmost importance to consider international trends due to the guidance that it can offer school governing bodies in South Africa. The principle of restorative justice has received extensive international support due to various practical tools that have been developed by the above-mentioned countries. Therefore, these tools are considered in order to assist governing bodies in determining the way forward in South African schools. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In the recent past South Africa saw an increase in participation in school sport concomitant with an increase in litigation awareness in society. Legal accountability based on damage suffered in the participation in sport has become more common, introducing an additional dimension to risk management by the educator. Learner safety is one of the key aspects in a school. Educator accountability with regard to the safety of learners in school sports is a focus of attention. An effective risk management programme to limit injuries and risks to participants in school sports must be developed. Risk management is the prime instrument by which injuries and the potential exposure of the educator or school to damage and legal accountability can be reduced or prevented. Some aspects of legal risk management are crucial for the educator's duty of care during coaching and the educator's legal duty with regard to the participants' safety. The educator must possess enough legal knowledge to successfully carry out his duty of care. This research will critically assess the safety strategies and the legal risk management of participation in school sports in South Africa. To be able to do this, I determined which common-law and legally accountable determinants can be applicable and what role they will play to ensure the safety of learners in schools. Firstly a literature study in legal risk management in school sports was done. This study found that the educator's responsibilities and obligations are determined by common-law and case law determinants. An empirical investigation was launched. Interviews were conducted with educators involved in sports in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district of the North-West Province. The topic was the current state of affairs in risk management in school sport. The participants' perceptions of legal risk management were discussed and their views analysed, whereupon findings and recommendations were made. The general impression based on the results was that the educators experience huge uncertainty and are seriously uninformed about with regard to delictual liability towards learners under their care. It was found that educators do not have sufficient legal knowledge to comply with the requirements set by law. Therefore the security of the participants (on grounds of their participation) and the educators (on grounds of their legal accountability) is jeopardised. It is recommended that all tertiary institutions develop training programmes to empower educators and student educators with knowledge of legal procedures in education. It is further recommended that the education department as employer together with governing bodies, principals and trade unions support such training programmes- now and in the future. Finally, educators, school management teams and governing bodies should be more risk-aware and more pro-active in preventing sport-related injuries, because of the ignorance regarding guidelines for risk management in sports and standards of security. The complex nature of our society makes knowledge of the legal aspects in education by all role players in education not only desirable, but mandatory. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Many beginner educators leave the profession within the first three years following their appointment. The security of educators, and especially that of the beginner educator is threatened from many angles. Beginner educators experience this threat very intensely and this weakened feeling of security they experience, has important implications for their role as educators. There are, however, many legal determinants that protect educator security and oppose each threat directly. This research falls within the field of Education Law and the security of beginner-educators is studied from this angle. The study focuses on the protection of security as offered by law determinants and the real experience of threats by beginner educators. In the research, law determinants such as the Constitution, education law, labour law and case law, as protectors of security, were studied. Using a qualitative study the experience and perceptions of a selection of participants was analysed. The participants, from different types of schools in a certain geographical area, were identified. During the analysis two aspects emerged that influence security. The first aspect is the beginner educator‟s lack of knowledge of the mechanisms that protect security and the second aspect was beginner educators‟ real experience of threats. Beginner educators‟ lack of security is the result of their lack of knowledge of the mechanisms that protect security. The findings of this research propose that more emphasis is placed on the legal aspects concerning the protection of security of educators during their training and that beginner educators are empowered to face threats of security and overcome it. / MEd (Education Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of discourses on homeschool educators’ and homeschool learners’ perceptions of homeschooling and the embodiment thereof in their homeschool practices. The literature confirms the importance of an in-depth investigation to study homeschool educators’ and homeschool learners’ experiences, values, norms, perceptions and discourses with regard to teaching and learning as well as the outcomes set by the homeschool educators. The various systems that the homeschool educators and homeschool learners participate in influence one another. Only when the unique context with its underpinning viewpoints, values, perceptions and discourses is understood will it be possible to see whether the outcomes set by the homeschool educator(s) have been attained. Knowledge in this regard can contribute to an increased understanding of the unique and complex homeschool context and the implications for teaching and learning as well as policy development regarding homeschooling. The unique nature of each homeschool practice emphasizes the importance of an in-depth study regarding the context, which can be seen as a form of subculture, which should be investigated closely in order to gain a deeper and richer understanding of this form of education. The discourses that the homeschool educators and homeschool learners subscribe to are part of this subjective frame. Understanding the discourses can contribute to a better understanding which will enable professionals to provide adequate support to homeschools in a well grounded and responsible manner. A multiple case-study of four homeschools was conducted, each involving the educators, fathers and learners in unstructured interviews and responses on a single projection plate, and including three observation sessions of day-to-day homeschooling activities. The aim of the interviews was to learn about the homeschools from the participants’ perspective. The projection plate was administered to tap into the participants’ personal meanings, thus enhancing the truth value of the research. The observation sessions were intended to yield insight into participants’ behaviour. Finally, a reflective interview was conducted with the homeschool educator for clarification and verification of specific matters. The data analysis entailed a selective discourse analysis of the interview data to the model of discursive psychology, identifying the participants’ primary and secondary discourses, and analysing and discussing a selection of their discursive statements. The projection plates were interpreted and compared to the interview data. The observation data were reviewed to examine the homeschool educators’ and homeschool learners’ behaviours and establish the degree of congruency among their interviews, projections and behaviours. Results and findings were interpreted within the framework provided by the bio-ecological model of Bronfenbrenner. Findings: The discourses that the homeschool educators subscribe to originate from the macrosystemic level and directly influence their perceptions and practices in homeschooling. Therefore, each homeschool is unique; each homeschool practice and many of the perceptions can only be understood and explained through closer investigation of the discourses subscribed to in the microsystem of the family. The discourses form the context of the homeschool and homeschool practices are embedded in this context. The reasons for homeschooling and all aspects that form part of the day-to-day functioning of the homeschool are driven by the discourses. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted