In light of the above, the study was undertaken, specifically aimed at exploring the experiences of educators who teach sexuality education in Life Orientation to students in grades 6 and 7 in a selected school. The findings from this study revealed that educators' experiences in teaching sexuality education in Life Orientation are indeed influenced by their cultures, religious affiliations, belief systems and values.
Educator D: Grade 7-Topic: Factors influencing sexuality 122-124
APPENDICES
The overarching goal of sex education in school is to help young people firmly anchor their knowledge as mature and healthy adults. Given the social context associated with the diverse student population in classrooms, teaching sex education has become a nightmare for them, especially when some topics infringe on their cultural or personal beliefs and value systems.
Research focus
Study Aims
Objectives of the study
Rationale of the study
Although there is a large database of literature on sexuality education that focuses on issues of the implementation of sexuality education in schools (Brinks, 1994; . Harilal, 1993; Page, 1991) and the attitudes and perceptions of teachers (Goliath, 2002; Louw, 2000); Sithole, 1998), however, there is very limited research specifically focused on primary school educators teaching sexuality education in Life Orientation. I seek to understand what these experiences are, what they entail, and how they impact the daily classroom interactions during sexuality education lessons.
Review of related literature
The Council on Sexuality Education and Information of the United States (2001, p. 2) further claims that sexuality education programs and its quality included in the curriculum, the level and the way these programs are presented in schools are up to local management in the whole Board. However, Shaik (2004) asserts that those who advocate the introduction of sexuality education in schools are of the opinion that sexuality education aims to make young people value and see themselves as worthy individuals in their own right.
Theoretical framework
The bioecological model in this particular study provided the lens through which to view the nature and personal experiences of educators teaching sex education in classrooms, and how families and schools embedded in the community could impact these experiences. While their female counterparts are encouraged to focus on subjects like agriculture as it is believed that their place is in the kitchen and are groomed from a very young age to look after the well-being of all by providing food.
Conceptual framework
The Personal and Social Well-Being discusses topics such as, Development of the self, Social responsibility and Health and environmental responsibility (Department for Basic Education 2011, p.11). Personal and social well-being is the study of the self in relation to the environment and society.
Key research questions
Helleve, Flisher, Onya, Kaaya, Mukoma, Swai, and Klepp (2009) note that sexuality education is not value-free, but is charged with meaning, and a teacher may feel that parts or the entire content of a program are in conflict with his values. and norms, those of students or parents, or values and norms in the community at large.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN
Hennink, Hutter, and Bailey (2011, p. 15) argue that “the interpretive approach recognizes that “people's perceptions and experiences are subjective and therefore there may be multiple perspectives on reality”. Accordingly, the interpretive paradigm emphasizes “interpretation and observation in understanding the social world,” which is integral to qualitative research” (Snape & Spencer, 2003, p. 7).
Sampling
The study therefore gave the participants the opportunity to express their individual experiences as sex educators in their own words. The sample or participants of this particular study were selected not only because they complemented the characteristics of the research methodology and design adopted in this study, but also because of their willingness to share their personal experiences as sexuality educators in 6th grade classrooms. and 7th grade.
Data collection
Personal interviews
As a qualitative data collection technique, observation was used to gain deeper insight into the observed phenomenon. Observation was used to triangulate what the participants said in the interviews with what was observed.
Document analysis
Transcripts were returned to the participants for their review and to confirm the accuracy of the recordings. In order to do this, you often observe people, activities or events from a distance so that you are not part of the situation you are observing' (Hennink, Hutter & Bailey, 2011, p.185).
Written narratives
Data collected from personal interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim, playing back the exact words of the participants, and were later played back to clarify and understand what was said. Categories and themes that emerged from the data were generated using an open coding process.
Validation procedures
Lincoln and Guba (1985) in Krefting (1991, p. 215) assert that "truth value determines whether the researcher has shown confidence in the truth of the findings about the participants and the context in which the research is undertaken." However, the data gave me a clear picture of the differences, similarities and experiences between educators who teach sexuality education in these two contexts.
Ethical issues
Neutrality in this study was obtained from the teachers as they confirmed the findings from the data I analyzed and to check for any misinterpretations of their responses. I received permission to conduct the research from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Edgewood Campus) [APPENDIX D], the school's governing body and the principal [APPENDIX B].
Study limitations
I used the principle of autonomy, which required me to obtain voluntary and informed consent from the participants to use them in the study, and gave them the freedom to withdraw from the study if they wished. The inability to collect data from the fifth participant negatively impacted the study because I intended to obtain as much diverse information as possible and would have shed more light on their unique experiences.
Conclusion
Also, the study took place at the same time as school activities that could not be rescheduled as this could have negatively affected the school year plan.
Course of the study
Sexuality education
Gonzales-Acquaro (2009, p.1) defines 'sex education as a lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes, beliefs and values. For example, most of the literature shows that 'sex education in schools has remained a subject of much controversy.
Life Skills
Furthermore, the dualistic nature of sex education consists of an actual presentation of the subject and of the counseling that is presented to the students as an additional service. In the General Education and Training band, 'sexuality education is a component of the subject of Life Orientation' (Vergnani & Frank, 1998, p.28).
Sexuality education in schools
Milton (2003) argues that sex education addresses anti-ignorance and anti-homophobic principles, and that teachers should implement such stances so that programs meet students' needs. Shaik (2004, p.9) states 'that those who advocate the introduction of sex education in schools believe that sex education aims to make young people self-aware, that is to increase their self-esteem and awareness of themselves. .
Sexuality education and the educator
The inadequate training that teachers receive does not equip them with the necessary strategies needed to teach sexuality education (Chisholm, 1996). Similarly, teaching sexuality education requires more than an understanding of curriculum content and the ability to communicate it to students (Kehily, 2002; Schaalma, Abraham, Gilmore, & Kok, 2004; Biddle & Forrest, 1997).
Benefits of sexuality education for learners
Implications for the educator
Many educators consider parents legitimate and justified in teaching their children sex education and ethics. Vergnani and Frank (1998, p.19) warn that 'you have to really want to teach about sex and sexuality to be a good sex educator.
How sexuality education is taught and can be taught?
Current challenges around the implementation of sexuality education
Parents
Teaching methods
Pollard (1992) writes that interactions within the socio-cultural context between teachers and students, parents and professional peers occur through the "interactive" social structure of the classroom, through the "organizational structure" of the school and system, and through the "integrating cultural context" that represents social structure and hegemony that connects the perspectives of individual teachers and groups of teachers with the immediate local community of the school and with the ideologies, practices and material conditions of the society that surrounds it. Cornblet (1998, p. 1) argues that “every social interaction of teaching is a function of the biographical context, not only of the teacher, but also of those with whom he interacts.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Educators within the Bio-ecological model
Educators unconsciously convey their own values to students through the practices that unconsciously reflect their beliefs. They draw on their own sets of ideologies and beliefs that they themselves hold and invoke constantly'.
Culture within the Bio - ecological model
Educators need to experience the thinking process themselves in order to guide children through the process. According to Reproductive Health Matter (1995), educators need to consider cultural diversity in sexuality education.
Belief systems within the Bio-ecological model
These beliefs are firmly entrenched in cultural practices and their existence is evident in the customs and rituals of all societies' (Department of Education, 2002, p.20). It is not only in everyday use, but also in the textbooks used in schools.'
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Sexual education in the subject Life Orientation in 7th grade falls under Development of the self in society (Department for Basic Education 2011, p. 10). Sexuality education was thus firmly anchored as a subject in Life Orientation, offered up to the general education and training level in schools (Ministry of Education, 2002).
Conclusion
Introduction
The qualitative research approach
This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, and try to make sense of or interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural environment, and try to make sense and interpret phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them.
Selection of the school
Sampling
A pilot was conducted in one of the neighboring schools, which had the same characteristics as the research site, but was not involved in the study. Three intermediate (grade 6) and senior (grade 7) life skills and life orientation teachers were selected for testing the research instruments.
Data collection instruments
- Personal interviews
- Observation
- Document analysis
- Written narratives
These authors emphasize that in personal interviews, interviewers are in full control of the interview situation. All questions are answered and someone else does not provide answers on behalf of the respondent.
Analysis of data
- Trustworthiness
- Truth-value
- Consistency
- Neutrality
- Applicability
Jouchelovich and Bauer (2000) believe that communities, social groups and subcultures tell stories with words and meanings specific to their experiences and way of life. The terminology reflects how a given community sees the world and its common, authentic shared stories are preserved. The second perspective suggests “the individualistic nature of the circumstances and this means that findings cannot be generalized” (Krefting, 1991, p. 216).
Ethical issues
In this study, pilot testing of research instruments was conducted in the neighboring school, which had the same characteristics as the research site. Babbie and Mouton (2001, p.522) warn that 'the researcher must guard against any harm caused to participants'.
Limitations of the study
Conclusion
The data technique appropriate for the interpretive paradigm and the qualitative research method appropriate for my study was the inductive process. The inductive process allows us to start with some data and compare it to another unit of data and look for connecting patterns between the data (Merriam, 2002).
Responses from interviews
Theme 3: Teaching in a multi-cultural classroom
Educator A said: “The sad thing about this is that policy makers never gave us the means to address these issues, they simply threw us into the deep end and expected us to swim to our own rescue. The educators' expressions of powerlessness indicate that teaching sexuality is a challenge for them as they have to fight against societal values at the expense of their individual values and beliefs.
Theme 4: Disempowerment of educators
Unrealistic demands and expectations of parents and the community further disable educators and interfere with their effective teaching of sexuality education to the detriment of their professional autonomy. In general, many teachers face the challenge of teaching sexuality education due to the lack of such validation from the teaching staff and the community.
Responses from classroom observations
Educator C: Grade 6 – Topic: Gays and lesbians
An interesting response from a boy in the middle group was “Madam, it is so convenient, yes. A girl from the first group said, "We think, ma'am, that 'those people' worship some other things, I'm afraid to say them, but they start with 'S.'
Educator B: Grade 7- Topic: Reproduction
The educator's main resources were the textbook, the writing board and worksheet that the educator prepared for the class. After a short pause, the educator responded by saying that the class should not worry about it any further.
Educator A: Grade 6 - Topic: Puberty
As students reported their discussions to the class, the instructor wrote their responses on the board. The educator then handed out a worksheet with the body changes and the factors that caused the changes and asked them to match these with their own answers.
Document analysis
- Work schedules
- Nature of activities
- Discussions (Pair and group)
- Resources
Educator A said: "I don't believe any of us follow the lesson plan religiously because it's not possible as some of the terminology used is sensitive, even worse, we don't know how to apply the skills and attitudes to learn, especially in sexuality education.” In addition to this, educators were unsure about how they should bring activities to the level of the learners.
Written narratives
Responses from written narratives .1 Narrative 1: Educator B
- Narrative 2: Educator A
- Narrative 3: Educator C
- Narrative 4: Educator D
It was totally arranged between the families, my grandfather had attended some ceremony at my mother's house and happened to see my mother, who in those days was lucky enough to go to school, because girls were not allowed to go to school and the unfortunate ones left . school when they were in standard two and could write their names. After this arrangement, my mother married my father and there was no friendship for them, except that as I remember my mother saw my father twice in the presence of their families, because they did not know.
Themes from written narratives
Theme 1: The family as a source of knowledge
Theme 2: Religion and culture
Communities were also reflected in the way girls were raised in families, especially when they came of age, which was considered an important milestone that represented the pride of the family and the wider community. Thus, changes in the macrosystem (dominant social and economic structures and various cultures and ideologies that are implicit in the systems of individual societies) cause ripples not only in class systems, families and society, but also in the individual teacher.
Theme 3: Responsibility and accountability
Conclusion
Summary
Needless to say, what these educators had in common was the discussion of sex and sexuality, which was not only forbidden but also culturally considered taboo by their families and communities. Therefore, some educators' religious knowledge and practices formed their frame of reference that influenced their sex education teaching.
Knowledge of learner needs and backgrounds
Difficulties seem to arise when teachers are directed to accommodate different cultures, religions, beliefs and values of students in the same class that conflict with their own. Changes in wider society bring with them new demands and expectations in culture, religion, beliefs and values, which teachers should recognize and deal with when teaching this subject.
Disempowerment of educators
This becomes a challenge for these educators, who are expected to learn and master new ways of teaching sexuality all the time and adhere to the ambiguous demands of society.
Observations
Educators were concerned that they lacked skills to accommodate the cultural differences that exist in their classrooms, especially since sexuality education is a contested arena.
Document analysis
Themes that emerged from written narratives .1 Family as a source of knowledge
Religion and culture
There seem to be tensions between parents' and society's demands and expectations with regard to teaching sexuality. Therefore, the educators' religion and culture should be considered by parents and local communities as important aspects in the educators' lives, which have a great influence on the teaching of sex education.
Responsibility and accountability
These tensions arise due to the teachers' appreciation and neglect of the culture, religious beliefs and values inherent in them and which have largely influenced their teaching on the subject. For these educators, their religions and cultures were distinctive entities that could not be sacrificed at the expense of the cultures and religions of others with which they were unfamiliar.
Limitations in the study
Recommendations
This will give both the parents and communities a greater insight into what really happens in the classroom and what the departmental policy prescribes as worth teaching;. Such sharing of experiences and views will improve the educators' repertoire of knowledge regarding sexuality and dispel any misconceptions and myths that may challenge cultural differences.
Recommendations for further research
Conclusion
Sexuality Education and Information Council of the United States (2009). answers: sexuality education fact sheet:. Tell me about your experiences teaching sexuality education in Life Orientation in your classroom.
