5. DISCUSSION
5.4. RESEARCH QUESTION 3: FACTORS THAT SUPPORT TEACHERS’INFORMAL LEARNING
working context is the most suitable site for competences to be acquired, (Kwakman, 2003;
Putnam and Borko, 2000 and Henze, 2009). Generally, the teachers in the study felt that their particular school supports teachers’ informal learning. They spoke about how management encourages teachers to engage in development programmes within their departments. Teachers also referred to the role of their peers in their development. The following factors support teachers learning informally at the school:
135 5.4.1. SUBJECT COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The school encourages subject committees to host programmes where teachers learn from each other. Teachers are encouraged to work as a team and often get the opportunity to share knowledge, imbibe knowledge from others and tackle challenges collectively. Many spoke of how teams in subject committee meetings work towards chartering the way forward in handling the syllabus. This fosters a sense of collegiality, thus a healthy learning environment for teachers.
5.4.2. INTERNAL SCHOOL-BASED WORKSHOPS
Subject committees try to address issues of professional development by planning internal workshops. Teachers in the team provide guidance on issues of both the curriculum and classroom management. Particularly the novice teachers found these workshops useful. It also provides opportunities for teachers to draw on each others knowledge.
One experienced teacher however, felt that this was not sufficient. She said that it was burdensome as teacher workloads were demanding enough, but a novice teacher in the same department found these workshops extremely beneficial to her development and suggested that they should happen more frequently and that other departments should also host similar workshops that all members of staff could attend. She recommended that each department could address a different issue and hold workshops in that regard. If one department has a turn in a term, the school would have had four workshops, facilitated by teachers. Thus, novice teachers are highlighting the merits of planned social learning opportunities in school. It also shows that they prefer collaborative learning. Further, they highlight the fact that teacher education is not sufficient in preparing teachers for the classroom and that the gap is filled by on site learning. This is similar to Knight’s (2002) view that learning is situated and has ‘non formal qualities.’
5.4.3. STAFF MEETINGS
Teachers felt that the school is supportive in that it allows for teachers to develop by engaging in regular meetings where new policies are unpacked and discussed. A novice teacher said that while staff meetings are a site of learning for her by exposing her to important details regarding her job, she often felt that she needed clarity and guidance in
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terms of what was expected of her regarding the issues highlighted. This guidance and clarity usually comes from her HOD after the staff meetings. On the other hand an
experienced teacher found that she valued staff meetings as it offered her an opportunity to express her concerns regarding issues in the school and she was grateful that management, in such interactions also makes provision for teachers’ viewpoints. The collaboration that happens here helps to extend teacher knowledge.
5.4.4. A SUPPORTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
As mentioned above the management team of the case study school is supportive in that it takes cognisance of staff input. Further, management encourages teachers to network with teachers from other schools for support in areas of the curriculum they find challenging.
Teachers said that often HoDs also consult with other schools for clarity and support for teachers.
Most teachers in the study mentioned the effectiveness of a recent discipline workshop held at the school. This workshop was the initiative of management in the hope of addressing the key discipline issues recurrent in the school. The novice teachers said that apart from
exposing them to different classroom management strategies, it was consoling to realise that experienced teachers experienced similar problems in their classrooms. Teachers found the idea of dealing with this issue collectively encouraging because it made them all take ownership of the problem and brainstorm ideas as well as criticise why their existing structures did not work effectively.
All teachers found such workshops useful to their development. They also mentioned the efforts of sub committees, HoDs, DSGs and peers in aiding their development. These efforts are part of the school’s management plan to aid teacher development and examples of mostly planned programmes where teachers learn informally.
5.4.5. SUB COMMITTEES
The school has established various sub committees to ensure that policies set by the school are executed fairly and transparently. Some of these committees include: Fincom (Finance), Discipline, Safety and Security committee, Admissions committee, Sport committee,
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Maintenance committee. These committees are formed by teachers, management and members of the governing body.
Teachers are encouraged to serve on sub committees where they can learn to develop leadership and organisational skills. Further, it gives teachers insight into how policies are drawn up, what factors impact on their working context, how the working context can be improved etc.
These committees also give teachers the opportunity to learn how a school functions and they gain a louder voice in taking pertinent decisions that impact on the ethos of the school.
A novice teacher felt that being part of sub committees not only extended her knowledge but also helped her integrate into the school. She said that it contributed to her confidence being built as being part of these committees helped to establish her as a bona fide member of the school and feel accountable for upholding the school’s modus operandi.
5.4.6. CLUSTERING OF SUBJECT CLASSROOMS
The teachers in the school are located such that they are able to liaise with each other easily. The school is divided into subject blocks, thus all teachers of a particular subject are in the same vicinity. This facilitates teachers consulting with each other on teaching issues.
All teachers indicated that they frequently liaise with their peers.
It was evident that these teachers’ learning was situated in their working context, proving that teaching has a practical bias therefore the execution of their jobs contributes to their development, (Knight, 2002).