No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000

There is a growing body of evidence that occupational stress is a problem for a significant number of teachers. Teacher stress has a detrimental effect not only on the physical and mental well-being of teachers, but on their efficiency and productivity in the school setting as well. This study investigated teacher stress within the interactional framework. Its main aim was to determine the nature and extent of stress patterns in a sample of 360 Indian school teachers selected from ten secondary schools in the Greater Durban area. Other closely related aims were to identify the most important task-, situation- and role-based sources of stress among these teachers, their most common reactions to excessive stress, their common modes of coping, as well as their most important sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Furthermore, this study sought to investigate the influence of demographic characteristics on the teachers' experience of stress and coping. For this purpose intra-group comparisons were made involving six subsamples of teachers male - female, married - unmarried, younger - older, less experienced - more experienced, diplomates - graduates, Level One teachers - Heads of Departments. A self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used to obtain the quantitative and qualitative data required for this study. Among the most important findings of the study are the following: 1 . Over one-half of the number of the secondary teachers surveyed (54%) perceived their job as being very stressful. 2. The four most frequent and intense sources of stress were related to the working conditions of teachers rather than to the actual task of teaching. These stressors relate to poor career development prospects and a lack of accomplishment. More specifically, these are, in rank order: (1) the system of awarding merit notches; (2) the system of promotion; (3) the system of evaluation; and (4) a relatively low salary. 3. The four most important sources of role stress are, in rank order : (1) the volume and variety of tasks that teachers are expected to perform and the adverse effect this has on the quality of work they produce because of the limited time at their disposal; (2) being compelled to perform duties that appear to them to have little value; (3) having too heavy a workload; and (4) uncertainty about how superiors evaluate their teaching. 4. At least one-third of the teachers are "at risk" of developing more serious health problems. Finally, the limitations of this study are discussed, and various recommendations are made. It is argued that stress among teachers is a complex phenomenon arising out of the interaction of a whole host of factors and circumstances. Consequently, any attempt at amelioration should be multidimensional in nature and involve a variety of disciplines. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1992.

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.