2.1 INTRODUCTION 13
2.2.2 Culture of teaching and planning 19
According to Van der Westhuizen (1995:137) planning is the reflection on the objectives of the organization, the resources as well as the activities involved, and drawing up the most suitable plan for effectively achieving such objectives. Planning is a reflection of a basic manner, policy rules, procedures, strategies, methods, skills and expertise by the teacher to achieve and realize educational aims and objectives through people and resources (Madaus, Kelleghan & Schwab, 1989:320). According to Sykes (1986:647) a
good culture of teaching is sustainable if planning involves setting out information in an orderly fashion and the decision–making process of selecting the best methods to achieve the objective.
Major elements of planning for an effective culture of teaching according to Hargreaves &
Fullen (1992:37) are:
The long and medium–term planning which involves making broad outlines of curriculum plans and setting dates or periods of time for completing different aspects of the work. This planning involves considering how learners should work.
It also considers how it is evaluated and how records are kept.
The short-term planning that involves defining short-term aims and objectives, thinking in detail about how work will be presented.
The purposes of short-term plans necessary for a culture of teaching as specified by Davies and Ellison (2003:82-83) are:
specifying outcomes;
involving stakeholders;
prioritizing tasks and focusing;
allocating responsibilities;
allocating resources;
facilitating change;
communicating;
monitoring;
annual reviewing and evaluating;
external accountability, and
recognition.
Consideration of planning in schools affected by crime needs to include an aspect of continuity. Sykes (1986:187) points out that consideration of continuity involves not only thought about how children beginning school have continuity between their home experience and their school, but should involve practical implementation as well.
The following are the aspects of continuity in planning considered for effective teaching as identified by Badenhorst (1995:23):
The degree to which learners are encouraged to be independent.
Learner participation in decision-making.
The use of learner self-assessment.
The range of teaching methods and resources used.
The criteria and standards employed for the presentation and content of work.
The expectation and approaches to assessment.
Arends (2000:43-44) identifies the following consequences of planning that enhance a culture of teaching:
Planning has a focusing effect on learners and their learning.
Planning can also have the unintended consequence of causing teachers to be insensitive to learner needs and ideas.
Careful planning by teachers can lead to smoothly running classrooms with well behaving learners.
Naidu, Joubert, Mestry, Mosoge and Ngcobo (2008:187) suggest the following observable characteristics of an effective culture of teaching:
Learners show knowledge and understanding, skills and attitudes intended by the curriculum and measured by performance in tests and behaviour.
Learners exhibit behaviour which indicates a positive attitude towards themselves as learners.
Learners show behaviour which indicates a positive attitude towards teachers and peers.
Learners exhibit behaviour which indicates a positive attitude towards the curriculum and the school.
Learners do not have behaviour problems in class.
Learners are actively engaged in learning academically relevant material while the class is in session.
Oliva and Pawlas (2001:131) maintain that effectiveness is not only a matter of working in accepted ways but also a matter of personality and personal style. Law and Glover (2000:147) identify the following as characteristics of the effective teacher who would develop a culture of teaching and discourage criminal behaviour amongst learners:
The teacher should possess desirable personal traits.
Employs effective teaching methods.
Creates a classroom atmosphere conducive to teaching.
Should be a master of a repertoire of competencies.
Professional decision maker who has not only mastered needed competencies but learned when to apply them and how to orchestrate them.
An effective culture of teaching is characterized by a school whose activities are well thought-out, planned and implemented purposefully. Griessel, Louw and Swart (1995:63) assert that teaching can only be successful if it proceeds in an orderly and systematic manner which will not confuse the learner. Haphazard and unplanned methods lead to the disruption of the relationship which should exist between learner and teacher, with the result that the learner experiences the school as threatening instead of a secure space (Ainscow & Tweddle, 1989:51).
Thorough planning and preparation implies that care is taken to avoid inflexibility as this leads to a disregard of the teacher‟s initiative and personality when no room is allowed for different approaches. The sensible utilization of a variety of methods in rotation and supplementing each other, is useful in stimulating learner‟s behaviour and interest (Clark, 1995:120). A culture of teaching is always characterized by an organizational progression. Thorough planning is essential as far as the school time-table, division of work, the curriculum and learning content, classroom practice and extramural activities are concerned (Griessel, Louw & Swart, 1995:62).
Kyriacou (1993:200) concludes that effective teaching is bound up with sound relationships with learners, which includes the strategies used to minimize and deal with learner misbehaviour. The notion of mutual respect and rapport between teacher and learners serves to illustrate the important interplay between the cognitive and affective aspects of learning experiences. In fostering a culture of teaching in schools there is a need to recognize challenges now facing teachers and learners. Such challenges include crime which is rife in many schools (Kyriacou, 1993:201).