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Within the same schools, different educators had vastly differing understandings of Life Orientation. Life Orientation appeared to be fragmented and not understood holistically.
Within the context of this study, while the learning area, Life Orientation addresses non-academic abilities such as knowledge, attitudes and behaviours necessary for successful living and learning it is argued that it fails to address the influence of the school setting in achieving these outcomes. The de- contextual, nature of the subject area as well as the fragmentation of individualised psycho-social areas such as AIDS, Substance Abuse, Human rights, Values, and Morals in to a single, subject area is seen as counterproductive to promoting an holistic approach to adolescent development.
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Services should be adopted if schools are to make effective use of such psychological services. In keeping with the theory of whole school development, the Department of Education (1997) has stated that holistic institutional development approaches are needed to ensure that supportive and inclusive learning environments are fostered in all centres of learning. Health promotion is concerned with the development of all aspects of wellbeing and quality of life for all, not only those with difficulties (Donald, Lazarus and Lolwana (2002).
In South Africa, research on Whole School Development and provision of Psychological services is limited. In addressing specific issues such as tobacco use, substance abuse, sexual health most school based interventions have typically used health education strategies. Given that schools provide a universal access point to young people at a time when behaviours and emotional problems with far-reaching effects on health are emerging such approaches are understandable. However, the evidence to date has been that it can prevent the onset of risk behaviours though there is less evidence for changing existing behaviours (Patton et al., 2006).
One response to the disappointing findings is located within the Ottawa Charter and draws on the principle of a more comprehensive and systemic “whole of school”
approach (WHO, 1986). The Charter outlines five areas for Health promotion:
developing personal skills, creating supportive environments, reorientation of health services, strengthening community action and advocacy. These five areas have implications for the quality of social relationships within the school setting and affect health related behaviour, emotional well-being, and social development of students.
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The Ottawa charter thus identified a more comprehensive, multisystemic approach to promoting mental health and well-being.
Westraad (2011), in “Changing Schools in Challenging Contexts, documents the experience of piloting a “Whole School approach” within the South African Education system. The Learning Schools Initiative was conceptualised from an attempt to draw the GMSAF’s (General Motors South Africa Foundation) individual education projects into a holistic framework. Westraad (2011) indicates that while the foundation acknowledges the strength of individual projects that targeted specific groups of principals, educators or learners across schools, the benefits of working at a more systemic level, within schools, was also highlighted. The project was piloted between 2003-2005 in two South African schools and elicited lessons about whole school development and evaluation in the South African Education context
Westraad’s (2011) initial formative evaluation revealed that secondary schools and secondary school teachers are more focused on curriculum delivery (especially when curriculum changes are in process) and do not have much time to be involved in whole school development initiatives. He indicates that many schools do not have a clear idea of what a ‘good’ school should look like or what essential polices or systems should be in place. Further, poor leadership or bad relationships between staff members can be the downfall of any school development initiative. Schools, according to Westraad, (2011) need to have a motivational vision (or statement of intent) and to embrace it within a culture of professionalism, support, problem-solving and continuous improvement. School development should be incorporated into the culture of the school and not be an ‘add on’ separate process.
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Westraad (2011) indicates key mechanisms identified during the course of the implementation of the pilot study. Firstly, developing a positive and a supportive organisational culture was highlighted in either supporting or undermining school improvement. She indicates that since schools are social organisations where so much of what happens involves relationships at a number of levels and that in essence, the way people interact with one another, how they solve disagreements and conflict all work towards creating a positive educational context. She further indicates that a set of sound values together with a motivational and current school vision and mission statement are essential in laying the foundation for a positive school culture.
Secondly, Westraad, (2011) affirms the proposition that little meaningful development can ever take place in schools that lack effective leadership. Fullan, (2001) accordingly indicates that a lack of effective leadership in schools not only influences development and change, but also includes all aspects of school effectiveness.
Westraad (2011) that education is a social phenomenon that involves individuals and relationships at all levels throughout the system. Davidoff et al.,(1994) also highlight the position of human agency and state that a school’s capacity for development depends upon the capacity of its staff members, both in terms of their individual capacity as well as the ways in which they work together. Her research also indicates that at the heart of quality education is what happens at the classroom level between educators and learners. She points out that if the ultimate outcome of education – learner performance – is to be improved, and then all school development needs to
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have improving the quality of teaching and learning as its ultimate goal (Westraad, 2011) . Hopkins (2001) also advocates that, given the different levels of performance of different schools, this may not be the first point of intervention in all schools and further that interventions need to be structured around improving the quality of teaching and learning as the end goal.
Westraad’s (2011) study also revealed that education in all its forms requires a high level of accountability and support that needs to be evident throughout the system.
She indicates that the experience of the Learning Schools initiative was that the pilot schools required support from an external agency to initiate the process of whole school development and that all of the schools responded well to the attention of an outside agency (Westraad, 2011). In essence it appeared that they needed someone non-threatening to look in from the outside, take an interest in what they were doing, provide guidance and expertise where required and praise them as deserved (Westraad, 2011).
2.8 Perceptions of school connectedness amongst South African high school