INTRODUCTION
A context that demands caring
A reality check on the lack of caring
The international and national frameworks
Rationale for the study
Aims and research questions
- How are conceptions of caring made by teachers in the Foundation
Paradigm and theory
Research approach and methodology
Outline of the chapters
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
The conceptions of care within teaching and the acts of care are defined by the frames of reference or cultural models of care that teachers use to inform their thinking and doing.
Theoretical lens in this study
The concept of care
- The commonsense notions of care
- Care as a relation
- Care as women’s work
- Care as an ethic
- Care as loving education
- Care as culturally situated practice
- The dynamics of caring
She drew attention to the ethics of care as a woman and the ethics of justice as a man. Nel Noddings (1992, p. 154) states that “the primary goal of every teacher should be to promote the growth of students as competent, caring, caring, and loving human beings.” Afrocentric and Feminist Values in the Ethics of Care” and the “components of the ethics of care – the values placed on individual expressiveness, the appropriateness of emotions, and the capacity for empathy that pervade African American culture (Collins, 1991, p.216). ).
Summary
According to Deford (1996), due to increased violence, crime and poverty, many families rely on schools as an extension of our social support system, including emotional support. and guidance for their children. The following shows how teachers expanded the concept of care by being active in helping people who experience barriers to learning: We refer acute cases to relevant assessment and therapy centers. S.B) We call professionals to give lectures to students on health and social issues. Designing Qualitative Research (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA:. The School House: Redesigning Schools for Changing Families. United States of America: Harvard University Press. Reconciling care and control: Authority in classroom relationships. The focused interview: a manual of problems and procedures. Methods for development work and research. Qualitative data analysis: a comprehensive sourcebook. The disciplining of pre-service teachers: Reflections on teaching reflective education. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. Focus groups as qualitative research. 2002) SPEEL research into pedagogical effectiveness in the early years, short no.: RB363, DFES. My name is Thaherabibi Ramdutt and I am currently enrolled in a Masters Degree in Psychology of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Edgewood Campus). I have completed my first-year subjects and now have to write a mini-thesis. Her contact details are below. My research topic is exploring teachers' views on care in the foundation phase.” To establish this, I will examine the insights and priorities of foundation stage teachers, their descriptions of a caring teacher, and their interpretations of the caring side of teaching in practice. I therefore need your generous cooperation and participation in this study. I assure you confidentiality and anonymity in all information obtained from you. This means that the school and individuals are not identified in the report. During my classroom observation, I observe classroom practices and interactions by taking field notes, photographs, and audio tapes. These will be analyzed and transcribed. This data will be deleted after a reasonable period of time from the final report. You will also be required to participate in a semi-structured interview and a focus group interview. This means that I ask you questions in a flexible manner. The questions relate to understanding students contextually, your priorities as early years professionals and caring for students in the Foundation Stage. The students in your class are informed about the reasons for my visits and made to feel as comfortable as possible. You are free to withdraw from this study at any time. If you have any questions, please contact my supervisor at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Her details are as follows. Ebrahim University of Kwa Zulu Natal. Early Childhood Studies Edgewood Campus Tel. Email: [email protected] Thank you for your cooperation. full names) hereby confirm that I understand the contents of this document and the nature of the research project.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The paradigms and links to the research approach
The qualitative approach
The qualitative research approach allowed me to be sensitive to the subjective views of Foundation Phase teachers. Regarding data collection, the qualitative methods include non-structured procedures from observation to interview, self-reports or written narratives. The qualitative analysis is characterized by coding information into categories or levels and looking for similarities and differences between data.
The context of my study
This allowed me to gain an understanding of my research questions from the participants themselves in their everyday context. So apart from me, my sample included all the other Foundation Stage teachers – Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 3. Of the three teachers who took part in the study, two were Foundation Stage qualified and the other was a Senior English Teacher primary schools.
Teachers in the study
Ethics and data collection methods
- Semi-structured interviews
- Observations
- Focus group interviews
Maree (2007) notes that efforts are made to minimize the hierarchical situation so that the subject feels comfortable with the interviewer. The interviewer typically uses a standardized interview schedule with fixed questions asked to all respondents. The interviewer often has to formulate improvised questions to follow up on clues that emerge during the interview.
Data analysis process
In my study, the focus group interview helped bring together all teachers who taught in a common phase. They had all gone through the semi-structured interview and were therefore warmed up to the type of questions I asked. They were also encouraged to ask their own questions or volunteer information unrelated to the questions I asked.
Problems experienced
Summary
In this chapter, I present the results related to notions of care in teaching in the foundation phase. Teachers' perceptions of care were also shaped by the needs of young children in the context of poverty. This study looked at how teachers in the foundation phase made their conceptions of care in teaching.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Conceptions of caring made in relation to needs of young children
It was clear in the study that primary teachers derived their perception of care from knowledge of the physical needs of young children and keeping them safe and healthy. The following extract shows a conception of care where creative energy is directed towards improving the conditions of young children in the context of poverty. The teachers were able to recognize that what they did in terms of caring for young children in the present had consequences for the future.
Qualities of a caring teacher
In the framework of shaping young children for the future, the concept of care was also created. I know the character and potential of students in order to develop them to their greatest potential for the future. I have to be a role model for the students - a role model that could benefit the students in every way to improve their lives in the future.
Conceptions of caring made in relation to pedagogy
The teachers in the study found that children are still at a stage of development where they need concrete resources. To extend their acts of care beyond the confines of the school, some of the teachers in the study made home visits. The teachers in the study were also active as a school support team for inclusive education.
Challenges and assistance needed
Teachers in the study noted that views on care within education are developed within a very demanding educational system. This allowed certain forms of care to take place while others were more in the background. The teachers also talked about large class sizes as a barrier to the care they can provide to students.
Summary
Teachers noted that the demanding curriculum and large class sizes limited opportunities for caring actions in teaching at the primary stage. I will explore foundation stage teachers' understandings, knowledge and concepts of care through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, photographic images and focus group interviews with R, Year 1 and Year 2. My research will focus on exploring teachers' conceptions of care at the primary stage. To find this out, I will investigate the understanding, knowledge and priorities of foundation stage teachers through interviews, classroom observations and focus group interviews.
CONCLUSION
Summary of each chapter
I have looked at international and national frameworks to show where healthcare is in the legal frameworks. Symbolic interactionism was considered suitable for my study because it focused on meaning making and allowed me to view care as socially constructed rather than something that is biologically given. In the discussion of care as a concept, I presented many perspectives, namely the notion of common sense, care as relationship, care as women's work, care as ethics, care as loving education, care as culturally situated practice.
Implications of this study
Their notions of caring in relation to pedagogy support the idea that they need to connect with their students and create an inclusive environment. However, this is challenged by circumstances that limit the kind of care that is made possible.
Limitations and future research
Reflections
There were many trips to campus to meet with Dr Ebrahim and do electronic research. Putting everything together to tell a story was most enriching - thanks to the supportive supervision of Dr. Ebrahim.
Conclusion
The passage of time from my studies had certainly made me very 'changed' in some aspects. There were many trips to campus to meet with Dr Ebrahim and do electronic research. I spent many hours reading and updating my knowledge. Although I was stressed out by the whole experience, it was a worthwhile exercise. Putting everything together to tell a story was most enriching - thanks to the supportive supervision of Dr. Ebrahim. I also learned a lot about the concepts of caring within foundation phase teaching, as discussed earlier in this chapter. The practice of social research. New York: Oxford University Press. A special duty of care: exploring the narrative and experience of teacher care, British Journal of the Sociology of Education. Gender, community and postmodernity in contemporary ethics. 2006) The hidden work of care: teachers and the growing AIDS epidemic in diverse secondary schools in Durban. All information received will be kept strictly confidential and participants will be free to withdraw at any stage of the research. During my classroom observation, I will observe classroom practice and interactions by taking field notes, audio tapes, and photographs.
Data will be removed after a reasonable period of time from the final report. Pre-service teachers will also have to participate in a semi-structured interview and a focus group interview.
