Managing gender diverse and non-binary classrooms: the perspectives of township secondary school educators in Clermont.

Abstract

In recent years, gender diversity has become increasingly visible in education spaces, challenging traditional classroom management practices and raising questions on inclusivity and justice in South Africa. Therefore, it is undeniable that the landscape of modern education is constantly changing to meet learners' diverse needs and identities, with gender diversity becoming more widely recognised in classrooms. Most literature covers the experiences of gender diverse and non-binary learners and how educators lack training in dealing with such learners. However, there is a paucity of research focusing on the perspectives of educators regarding their role in managing gender-diverse and non-binary classrooms, specifically in township schools where multiple constraints are impacting the schooling environment. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring educators’ roles in managing gender-diverse and non-binary classrooms in a selected township school. The study was grounded by a conceptual framework that draws from three lenses: transformational leadership theory, social justice theory, and the management concept of leadership. This research adopted a qualitative research approach and was underpinned by the interpretive paradigm. Moreover, the case study design was used to study a single case for the selected school. Six participants, who were life orientation educators, were purposefully selected in this study, and the data were generated using semi-structured one-on-one interviews and were analysed thematically. Consequently, the participants found that while they are familiar with gender diversity and non-binary concepts at a surface level, they lack a more profound understanding of these topics. Participants also revealed that they tried to employ different strategies to manage genderdiverse and non-binary classrooms but faced multiple challenges, such as bullying from nonbinary learners, cultural and religious beliefs, work overload, and misgendering learners. The participants further recommended support to manage gender-diverse and non-binary classrooms better, such as continuous training, policy reform and implementation, giving learners a voice, and raising awareness. These findings emphasise the need for change and the understanding that educators have a significant role in promoting inclusivity in their classrooms. Nonetheless, the study’s limitation was that it cannot be generalised to a wider population, as it had a small sample and focused on a single school.