Elementos esenciales

All learners acknowledged the positive role educators played within the educational setting. Their role was crucial in ensuring learners remained focused and motivated in their progressed year. Sipho referred to educators as influential and supportive when he said,

By the way they treated me basically by their influence, the way they talk to me it’s like they my mother they tell me that if you do this you can actually get what you want you know this is like the only time you ever get what you want then I would understand that this person is acting more than just a teacher, she actually wants me to achieve more than what I’ve achieved. (M, Grade 10)

Senzo’s description mirrored that of Sipho’s in relation to the support provided by educators highlighted in the quote below:

They did everything they could. It’s like an ongoing process like no matter what I won’t give up on the person. That’s what I mean. Because if I’m honest by Grade 9 the cup should have been full. When a person says I did everything I could it was apparent in the sense that it was throughout the whole high school career. There was never a point at which I felt they have abandoned me, never. (M, Gr 12)

Educators played, what learners described as a “motherly” role. The use of the words “more than just a teacher” suggested that educators went above and beyond learner expectations whilst ensuring the classroom was a supportive and enabling environment.

One participant attributed the role of the educator in her progressed year as being the “most important role” (Sarah, F, Gr 12) whilst another recalled an educator making telephonic contact when absent and encouraging him to return to school, “They would actually make a call if I

am not at school, they would call and actually support me…” (Sam, M, Gr 12). Whilst learners described educators as supportive they acknowledged that they had to take ‘tough’ stances highlighted in the following statement, “ … the teachers show you love even though they can be tough at times but it’s all out of love so I would say it’s a nice school to attend.” (Sarah, F, Gr 12) with another learner stating, “… she [the educator] became very upset with me because at some point she thought I wasn’t living up to the potential I had – that was her anger” (Senzo, M, Gr 12).

The role of educators as stipulated in the progression policy is to implement support measures/interventions to address learning barriers for progressed learners (DBE 2015a). Whilst the learners’ predominant view was that educators were supportive, educators expressed frustration at progressed learners not having met promotion requirements. Educators felt that learners adopted a negative attitude to their progressed year. One educator reported that progressed learners displayed an “I don’t care attitude” (Mrs Yolo, F, HOD). If a learner had been absent the onus was on the educator to ensure the learner caught up stating that, “… when they are back you are the one that has to go and follow up and say but you are back at school today – why did you not come to me”. Another educator echoed this view indicating, “Getting to the next grade and doing nothing or little.” and “… in some cases we have had learners that are progressed who should not have been progressed but could pass on their own if they just put in the work” (Mrs Yolo, F, GH).

Educators expected progressed learners to increase their level of effort expended on schoolwork, to illustrate their commitment to academic improvement in their progressed year. One educator pointed out that progressed learners had not proceeded to the next grade on “merit” and therefore “should have to work extra harder than most kids” (Mr Siya, M, HOD). Another educator concurred with this level of expectation stating that progressed learners should “do more” but suggested that perhaps the learner’s attitude was that they “felt they didn’t need to do anything” (Mr Benjamin, M, HOD). Educators felt that progressed learners needed to show initiative to engage with educators to “want to know what is it that I missed that you can help me with so I make sure that I can stay consistent in this year that I have been afforded” (Mr Benjamin, M, HOD). Educators expected progressed learners “to work hard, I expect them to be at school and show effort at all times” (Mrs Carter, F, GH).

Most of the educators described their relationship with progressed learners negatively. One educator participant described their view of supporting progressed learners as “frustrating” (Mrs Yolo, F, HOD) whilst another implied a level of frustration with the perceived lack of effort. “Yes they getting weekend support but in the week that doesn’t mean you must not do the basics because if you do what every other normal child is doing you will also be very close to passing…” (Mr Siya, M, HOD). These sentiments affirm the general view of educators that the level of effort of progressed learners was sub-optimal and insufficient to achieve an adequate academic outcome at the conclusion of the progressed year.

4.2.3.2 Role of family

Family was identified as playing a crucial role in ensuring learners were successful in their progressed year. The expected role of family was seldom academic, but rather to play a supportive role and show interest in their child’s academic progress.

Learners’ experiences of family support were mixed. In two situations where learners were not living with parents – with one learner living in a tertiary student commune whilst the other was living with a religious leader - they viewed telephonic contact from parents as supportive. “My mom called me during my final exams to wake me up in the morning to make sure I go to school to write my exam” (Senzo, M, Gr 12) and “She always calls me almost every day to check up on me and see how I’m doing and if I’m able to do the work at school and on how the education is.” (Sam, M, Gr 12).

Learners did generally feel that parents could play a more substantive supportive role with study participants expressing discontent with the lack of involvement as indicated by Sarah when she commented on the poor monitoring of homework and lack of communication with the school, “The thing is, the thing that really bothers me is that they never really take time to check our homework, check this and that whether we doing good in school, they don’t actually come and visit our schools …”(Sarah, F. Gr 12).

Learners expressed a desire for parents to communicate with the school to get an understanding of the challenges they faced but also in an effort to play a more meaningful role in assisting them throughout the year. Learners felt that their family had insufficient contact with the school