The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamics of power experienced by teachers with multiple stakeholders namely the learners, parents, the school management team and the Department of Education in the management of learner discipline. The study also investigated teachers’ knowledge of legislation and policy regarding discipline and the perceptions of their authority and power in relationship to learner discipline. The study on teachers’ experience and perceptions of learner (in)discipline was conducted in an hitherto overlooked setting, namely the primary school. Media reports and international surveys on discipline, violence and school safety pinpoint the need for further research on this burning issue that is affecting our society. In this study, all ten senior primary teachers participated. A qualitative approach was used. Data was collected through classroom observation, interviews, written accounts and document analysis. The participants were chosen by purposive sampling. The collection, presentation and analysis of data were guided by the research questions, and by the following concepts: French and Raven’s five bases of power (legitimate, coercive, expert, reward and referent), structural power and the concepts of power over, power with, power to and power from within, all through the lens of education for social justice. The process of social justice requires an outlook of power with rather than power over. Power with is a jointly developed power, that is, the power we achieve by working cooperatively with all concerned. The findings indicate that teachers’ knowledge of legislation on discipline covers the banning of corporal punishment but is vague and divided about the corrective measures and the alternatives to corporal punishment. Teachers’ perceptions of their power to control misbehaviour is one of powerlessness. This is caused by, among other factors, the demands of macro structural forces and external factors beyond their control. Teachers resort to negotiation and bargaining with learners to engage them in learning. In this struggle to manage indiscipline, teachers stand alone deprived of support from parents, school administration and the Department of Education. Hence the dynamics of power experienced by teachers with other stakeholders in the management of discipline is not a transformational form of power or a social justice version of power with. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

Every educational institution depends on people behaving in acceptable ways for its success. Bad behaviour not only hinders and disrupts the educational process but also poses a fundamental threat to the culture and identity of the institution and to those who behave well. This aspect emerged in the report by the Task Team on Education Management Development, initiated by the National Minister of Education in February 1996 entitled Changing Management to Manage Change in Education. In its characterisation of the educational legacy of apartheid, the report highlighted concerns with the breakdown of the culture of teaching and learning in certain schools and acknowledged that poor discipline impacts on the disintegration of learning environments. It further emphasised that good school discipline is an important feature of any effective school. In addition, the importance of sound discipline in the running of effective schools has been acknowledged as one of the recommendations of the South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996, which stipulates that the governing body of each school formulates a Code of Conduct, the purpose of which is to create a well-organised school so that effective learning and teaching take place; to promote self discipline; to encourage good behaviour and to regulate conduct. There is general agreement that while the process of drawing up the requisite Code of Conduct is an important element in the management of discipline, it is no more than a first step. What is required in each school is the establishment of a strategic management plan, extracted from the school's vision of a safe and secure environment for all. Drawing from this vision the emerging development plan, for the management of discipline, will incorporate strategies from a range of players whose roles inter-relate in the maintenance of discipline: e.g. learners, educators, parents, the governing body, the Department of Education, the community and other partners external to the school. This research project proposes a possible strategy for managers of education which focuses on the potentiality that good discipline has for the enhancement of learning environments. / Thesis (M.Ed) - University of Natal, 2000.

The study explores and describes perceptions of learners in a secondary school on how discipline is enforced at Hintsho, with particular attention to gender. Corporal punishment is one of the methods of discipline that is still used at Hintsho. The issue of corporal punishment is a sensitive one since its use is now illegal. In the course of the study the researcher interviewed learners about this and other forms of discipline. Data was collected through interviews with ten Grade eleven learners. Access was enabled by the position of the researcher as a teacher of over ten years’ standing in the school. The study found that some teachers (especially males) still beat learners in order to enforce discipline and keep order. This occurs despite the fact that the school has formally prohibited the use of corporal punishment and has passed a code of conduct to encourage the use of alternative disciplinary forms. Learners confirmed that other forms of discipline and punishment are indeed used. But these are generally corporal punishment in another guise. Hard labour, for example, was identified by learners as a frequent form of punishment. While some learners accepted the various forms of punishment that were used, others opposed both corporal punishment and the other forms of punishment introduced as an alternative, especially the cleaning of toilets. Male teachers proved to be stricter and more severe than females as they were less tolerant and less reasonable. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This small-scale study was designed to investigate post-corporal punishment disciplinary strategies used by level one educators in an ex-HOD secondary school in South Durban. This qualitative study gathered data through the case study approach for the following key questions : 1. What are the challenges being faced by educators in maintaining pupil discipline? 2. What strategies do educators employ to cope with post apartheid reforms such as large, multiracial classes, abolition of corporal punishment and the removal of a guidance counsellor? 3. What are the educators' perceptions of the support they receive from the school and the community, if any, in dealing with pupil indiscipline? As this research examines educators' perceptions on pupil discipline, it naturally lends itself to the qualitative research design. Within the qualitative design the case study provides the opportunity to obtain first hand information which can be used to do an in depth analysis of how educators relate to various factors and processes regarding learner discipline in the school under study. In order to obtain a full picture of discipline in the school under study the investigator obtained data through semi-structured interviews, observations of managers', level one educators' and pupils' behaviour as well as review of documents such as the staff minute books and the educators' discipline records. In response to the numerous post apartheid reforms that schools find themselves experiencing, schools need to develop strategies such as teamwork, collaboration, delegation and open communication. The collective creativity and energy generated as a team is what is needed to face the reforms that schools are constantly being bombarded with. It is these reforms which can adversely affect the discipline of learners if not anticipated timeously by monitoring mechanisms in the school. These monitoring mechanisms such as regular networking can result in improvement to present policies and procedures so that they can align themselves with these post apartheid educational reforms. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

This study examines the attitudes and perceptions of students who are beaten or physically punished at Amaqadi C.P. School. The response of the school to the South African Schools Act no 27 of 1996 ruling against the exercising of corporal punishment of students is assessed. Observations, interviews, questionnaires and the school record books were the research tools used in this thesis. Most students and teachers favour the continued use of corporal punishment. Even the provincial education minister has shown support for its retention. Various reasons are given by the teachers and students for their support of corporal punishment. Evidence suggests that students are beaten because of the lack of alternative ways of discipline and because corporal punishment is still routinely used in the home. There are many reasons for the retention of corporal punishment in this school but most of these rest on parents, teachers and students. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

Poor learner discipline, a problem for both educators and learners at South African public schools, ranges from violence to issues with classroom management. As a result of learner-on- learner violence, learners generally feel that schools are unsafe places to be in (Premdev, 2008). Schools have become challenging contexts for effective teaching and learning to take place in, owing to the presence of bullying, disobedience, drug addiction, vandalism, rape, assault, use of obscene language and disrespect for teachers (Anderson, 2009). With examination results on a downward spiral, De Lange and Mbanjwa (2008) report that poor learner discipline in schools is strongly implicated in learner underachievement. This study, which is an exploration of educators’ and learners’ perceptions of poor learner discipline, is underpinned by research in the construction of masculinities, which submits that masculine identity is a gendered social construction, and as such, is subject to transformation. The research project suggests that whilst schools, by virtue of the ways in which they tend to be organised, condone and perpetuate the formation of hegemonic masculinities in boys, they are also able to effect meaningful change and usher in emancipation to this locale. Some of the key findings include:- • Poor learner discipline in boys reflected their own constructions of dominant male gender identities, formed as a result of their life experiences in a world embedded with notions and practices of patriarchal hegemony; • Poor learner discipline and the ineffective management thereof contributed to a poor teaching and learning environment that disadvantaged all learners; • Female educators relinquish their agency to successfully deal with poor learner discipline when they choose to let male educators handle their disciplinary problems, thereby becoming complicit in entrenching notions of male superiority; • Male educators tend to resort to the use of corporal punishment; • Violence in the home and wider community is reproduced in learners at school. The study discusses approaches that may be employed in achieving a more just and empowering teaching and learning context for educators, as well as learners at schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

This thesis examines the impact of the abolition of corporal punishment on boy behaviour in a rural IsiZulu-medium school in Harding, Kwazulu-Natal. The school is made up of black learners and educators. As far back as we can remember, corporal punishment has been part of a teacher's function. When corporal punishment was abolished by the South African Act of l996, many teachers were aggrieved, as they believed that corporal punishment was the only answer to disciplinary problems. Many educators still believe that corporal punishment should be used to make learners respect them and curb deviant behaviour. Altematives to corporal punishment have been provided as a way of bringing change to schools' disciplinary practices. These alternatives to corporal punishment haven't been popular with parents, educators and learners. There is a call for the restoration of corporal punishment in spite of the negative impact such punishment has on a learner. The South African Government has made it illegal to use corporal punishment as a way of addressing or instilling change. This study examines the effects of the abolition of corporal punishment, and more specifically, looks at whether the abolition has had a positive effect on school discipline, boys' behaviour and, more broadly, on gender relations. Using questionnaires and interviews posed to both educators and learners, the research suggests that boy's behaviour is shaped and influenced to a large extent by the following factors: (a) Home back ground, (b) The society/environment, (c) The history of the education system, (d) School practices and discipline policies and (e) Hegemonic masculinities. The type of punishment that is used also contributes towards shaping boys behaviour. The study finds that the abolition of corporal punishment has had both a positive and a negative impacts on schools' discipline and boy behaviour. The study shows that one of the intended consequences of the abolition of corporal punishment (the improvement of the teacher learner environment) has not been achieved and in fact, may have become worse as a result of the abolition of corporal punishment. Leamers are more undisciplined now than before. Educators fail to exert authority over learners as boys have as increased disregard for the rights of others. There is a high frequency of late comers and the school is functioning poorly. Educators feel that they lack the authority to discipline leamers as they are not allowed to use corporal punishment. Academic performance is low in both internal (grade 8-11) and external (grade 12) classes. There is increased graffiti and vandalism. Learners fail to attend studies and extra lessons and during breaks they are very noisy. Most learners experience difficulty using English as the medium of learning and teaching. Learners seem to have no interest in academic work although the majority of learners participate in extra mural activities. A few of the learners and educators have responded positively to the abolition of corporal punishment. Some of the educators have changed their disciplinary methods and practices. They have resorted to alternative methods of punishment like detention, discussions and getting leamers to perform menial tasks. The use of non violent methods of punishment have yielded a slight change in boy learners. Some of the boys seem to be obedient, they conform to school rules and are responsible and committed to their work. Some learners, who displayed violent behaviour before, have become passive and display acceptable behaviour. This study finds a thin but steady line of change in boys' behaviour and in gender relations in the school. The abolition of corporal punishment appears to create democratic spaces which allow new perceptions and practices of discipline to emerge and these assist in the emergence of new masculinities. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

This study set out to explore how teachers at a primary school in the Phoenix area in Durban manage discipline problems among learners. I employed a qualitative approach to collecting data. This facilitated meaning making from the data by considering the bigger picture and converting the raw empirical information into what is known in qualitative research as ‘thick description’. The two main methods used were observations and face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. A series of semi-structured interviews with probing questions for clarity were used extensively, with each interview lasting approximately 40 minutes. The sample size was five participants. Participants were teachers purposively chosen from the researched school, all of whom resided in the Phoenix district. Data analysis of the responses to the open-ended interview questions were categorised and were inductive in establishing themes through the process of coding. These themes were then organised into increasingly more meaningful units of knowledge. Three broad findings emerged. The first is that many teachers use a heavy handed approach to manage discipline problems among learners. The second is that other teachers used a softer, more ‘gentle’ approach in handling discipline problems. The third is that the school policy does not seem to have the desired effect in terms of assisting teachers to manage discipline problems. While I arrived at these findings from my observations as well as from the interviews with teachers, it should be pointed out that some teachers, who may have subscribed to ‘softer’ forms of discipline, might also occasionally use a ‘tougher’ approach. Furthermore, other teachers who were routinely ‘tough,’ might have a ‘soft side’ (at times). This study recommends that a sound understanding of the learners’ local context and backgrounds will equip teachers to formulate practical ways to manage discipline which will act as a guiding tool in eradicating the problems that originate from having to make decisions in the absence of a firm set of principles. An appropriate discipline system should be established by teachers of their own accord and engineered to suit their personalities and the realities of their learners, the community and the school. / Thesis (M.Ed)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Sociopolitical changes in South Africa have impacted on the education system in ways which have in turn affected the day-to-day running of schools. Changes in education policy such as cuts in state funding and redistribution of teachers have led to large classes and heavy timetables for the teachers at Queensville school. Constitution-invoked le_g;;isnlation such as the abolishment ----cor oral punishment and the disallowance of either principal or governing body from expelling a learner, has placed further pressure on teachers to find alternative ways of maintaining order in the school and classroom. Set against the background of a changing school, within the context of wider educational changes both in South Africa and internationally, this research examines the management..Qtdis..ciplin by exploring the experiences of the teachers of Qu-e-e-n,sville High. Particular focus is given to their opinions and the strategies they have adopted in order to cope. Data was collected over a period of several mon~s through observation, conversations, in1eryiews d.isq.l.~§iQn groups and j3 questionnaire. This was analysed and presentation was made in four sections. Firstly, a description was given of the school. Secondly an examination was made of types and patterns of discipline problems experienced by the teachers, and underlying and exacerbating causes. Thirdly a review was made of discipline management strategies used in the school: both individual and collective. Finally th~ views of the teachers about discipline were recorded. This data formed the basis for discussion of discipline management in South African schools / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 2000.

This study investigated the challenges of managing learner discipline. A case study was conducted in two schools, the secondary and the primary schools in Pinetown District in KwaZulu Natal. The aim of this study was to investigate what challenges educators face in the management of learner discipline. This qualitative study was set in the interpretivist paradigm. The research tools compromise of semi-structured interviews and documents review. The theoretical frameworks that inform this study are behavioural modification model by Skinner, (1992), The Choice theory by Glasser, (1998) and assertive discipline model by Canter, (2007). International and local literature that foregrounds and supports the study were reviewed. Analysis of different contexts was made to inform the challenges of managing learner discipline problems in schools. The findings of this study revealed that teachers from very different schools, primary and secondary, felt that learners were becoming more unruly and less respectful than they used to be in the past. They further stated that the lack of discipline among learners makes it impossible to teach effectively. Educators identified some of the challenges they face such as bullying and intimidation, sexual harassment, drugs and alcohol abuse and carrying of dangerous weapons to schools. Furthermore, the findings revealed that lack of parent involvement in school, home and family background, abuse of various types, balance between learner rights and responsibilities, peer pressure, the role of media and politics were the biggest cause of disciplinary problems. Educators suggested that alternatives measures to corporal punishment were not very effective in curbing learner indiscipline in schools. They found it difficult to choose and implement the correct alternatives to corporal punishment. Some of the recommendations based on the findings are that, at the beginning of the school year, the principal and educators should orientate learners about the code of conduct and school rules. Rules and the consequences of breaking them should be clearly indicated to learners during assembly. Active parental involvement in the lives of their children is crucial for the management of discipline at school. Teachers should acquaint themselves and learn to know learner home backgrounds in order to understand learners they are dealing with. In-service workshops for all teachers across the country to be trained in alternatives to corporal punishment should be organised by the Department of Education. Professional support i.e. psychologists or educational counsellors should be increased to support schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.