Browsing by Author "Gaillard-Thurston, Claire."
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Item The emotional geographies of learning mathematics : narratives of twelve learners at KwaDukuza Primary School on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal.(2015) Hajaree, Shamilla.; Gaillard-Thurston, Claire.The focus of this study was to investigate the contextual factors that impact on mathematics learning and how school children negotiate these factors in order to facilitate their learning. At a time in South Africa when all stakeholders associated with the Department of Education are engaging in activities and endeavours designed to facilitate academic excellence, especially in mathematics, it is appropriate to explore a dimension that brings to light the life experiences of school children. It was with this intention that this research sought to examine the emotional geographies of children who are learning mathematics. The framework of this study was built around the concept of children’s emotional geographies, which provided the foundation for this research. In order to understand the views and experiences of the child participants in this study, a qualitative research approach was employed to gather rich, descriptive data. As a narrative inquiry, the study allowed children to tell their stories. The study was conducted at a primary school in a town on the north coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the participants were twelve learners aged between nine and thirteen, in grades four, five and six. Guided critical conversations with the child participants formed the structure of the data gathering process. The findings reveal that children come from a milieu of social and cultural backgrounds, each with a unique interpretation of the new curriculum. The child participants were able to come up with innovative strategies to navigate their way around factors such as language barriers, overcrowded classrooms and disruptive co-learners.Item Exploring Classism experiences of children in South African schools: a narrative inquiry.(2018) Cele, Siyanda Mluleki Kenneth.; Gaillard-Thurston, Claire.Discrimination in society has shifted from racial discrimination to being class related discrimination due to our different socio-economic backgrounds, especially in schools. All forms of oppression have been abolished since 1994 as South Africa moved into a new democratic dispensation. However, classism is one of the forms of oppression that are commonplace in schools and is still gaining interest. Most of the research has focused on college students and very little research has addressed the experiences of classism of high school students. Hence, the present study provides an overview of the classism experiences of children in South African schools in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, with specific attention paid to learners from poverty-stricken backgrounds. The purpose of the study was not to make generalisations, but rather to explore the classism experiences of children in South African schools, proceeding to exploring the impact of classism on learners’ participation in their school’s activities. The study lastly determined the factors that promote the manifestation of classism in schools. The rationale for conducting this study is rooted in my personal experiences and observations as a school teacher in a secondary school in Durban. The study was influenced by the Theory of Intersectionality by Crenshaw (1989). A qualitative approach was used in this study. Moreover, this study was conducted using the critical paradigm as a lens for the research. A narrative inquiry design was utilised as it was appropriate since it allowed the participants to narrate their experiences of classism in their schools. The data were collected using the critical conversations method. Nine participants were purposively selected from three different schools in Durban, and in each school, three participants were selected. The findings of the study emphasise the fact that children from impoverished backgrounds are the victims of classism in schools. It is evident from the findings that children’s experiences of classism negatively impact their participation in their schools’ activities. Finally, the study concludes by suggesting that government, school stakeholders and society at large play a vital role in eliminating class discrimination in South African schools.Item Exploring disciplinary measures in two Zimbabwean secondary schools: an investigation into a restorative justice approach.(2021) Chiromo, Lytion.; Gaillard-Thurston, Claire.This qualitative case study explored the implementation of restorative justice in response to students’ indiscipline in two Zimbabwean secondary schools. The study was bounded in two secondary school cases: a non-government (private) and government (public). The data were generated with purposively sampled teachers, administrators, students, and parents. A new framework, homegrown in Zimbabwe, that articulates the cultural values of Zimbabweans, emerged from the analysis of how restorative justice is implemented in the two cases. The findings derived from multiple sources of data revealed multiple understandings of restorative justice and students’ indiscipline and that the two schools implemented several restorative justice models to mitigate students’ indiscipline. The findings for this study offers insight into students’ indiscipline in Zimbabwean secondary schools and restorative justice approaches. This study contributes mainly to the limited literature on the implementation of restorative justice in the Zimbabwean education system. The research has the potential to assist in reducing violent tendencies that has overridden nations in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region - but mostly Zimbabwe. More broadly, the thesis also helps by providing new ways of understanding and disciplining young children, restoratively.Item Perceptions of violence among learners at a coeducational secondary school in Durban.(2003) Gaillard-Thurston, Claire.; Morrell, Robert Graham.This study concerns the perceptions of school-based violence amongst grade nine male and female learners in a working class high school in Durban. The school's racial dynamics has seen a change from a largely Coloured population to a majority Black school population. As an educator in the school and as a member of the community in which it is located, I am aware of several instances of violence within the school and the locale. I am also aware of several incidents that have been noted by community members whereby male and female learners have retaliated violently against those male and female educators who remain reliant on physically violent methods of classroom management. Former school-based policies aimed at curbing violence within this school have proved to be unsuccessful. In drafting these policies, not only have the school's management team failed to consider learner-perceptions regarding their experiences of violence - they have also failed to recognize the gender dimensions of violence. This study attempts to fill this gap. Research data was gathered by means of a semi- structured questionnaire in the form of essays in which my research sample were requested to reflect on their recent experiences of school-based violence. The data suggests that violence is a common occurrence at the school and impacts negatively on all learners. However, there are differences in the effects of violence on male learners as compared to the female learners. Some of the violence affirmed a violent hegemonic masculinity while girls also committed violence against other girls and boys. No effective strategies exist to counter the prevalence of violence in the school. This study shows why it is necessary to focus on the gendered nature of violence in schooling.Item "Raw" girls? A gender study at an urban co-educational high school.(2012) Gaillard-Thurston, Claire.; Singh, Shakila.Abstract not available.