Browsing by Author "Mkhize, Ntokozo Sibusisiwe."

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Exploring social and emotional learning in a grade 4 classroom: a teacher’s self-study.
(2020) Mkhize, Ntokozo Sibusisiwe.; Pithouse-Morgan, Kathleen Jane.
I am a teacher at a primary school in South Africa. This thesis presents a self-study project exploring social and emotional learning in my personal history and my Grade 4 classroom. I wanted to discover ways of improving my teaching practice to create a secure, compassionate, and loving learning environment. The first research question I asked was, What can I learn about social and emotional learning from my memories? This inspired me to revisit my childhood and adolescent experiences and reflect on learning engendered by my parents, teachers, friends, and other people. I evoked memories using personal history research strategies such as artefact retrieval, photographs, and narrative writing. In addressing my second question, What can I learn through exploring social and emotional learning in my Grade 4 classroom?, I offered a detailed portrayal of interactions during lessons in various subjects. I documented the lessons in my teaching developmental portfolio, which included journal entries and learners’ written and drawing activities. The classes were audio-recorded and photographed. As I engaged in this self-study project, I explored teacher learning and social and emotional learning from a socio-cultural theoretical perspective, emphasising the importance of working together in educational settings to make sense of collective and individual experiences. I was fortunate to work with three critical friends who helped me uncover different ways of making sense of my research and enhancing my teaching. The thesis presents seven themes that elucidate my understanding of social and emotional learning and implications thereof for teaching: 1. Social and emotional learning promotes self-awareness; 2. Social and emotional learning fosters a sense of belonging; 3. Social and emotional learning supports safe and nurturing environments; and 4. Social and emotional learning cultivates social and emotional relationships. 5. Social and emotional learning develops resilience and an optimistic approach; 6. Social and emotional learning is a source for emotional healing; and 7. Social and emotional learning encourages responsiveness to social justice. My study demonstrates how school children’s voices should be positioned at the forefront in teachers’ self-study research in ways that respect children’s dignity and perspectives and acknowledge them as key contributors.
Integrating cultural inclusivity in a grade 4 classroom : a teacher's self-study.
(2016) Mkhize, Ntokozo Sibusisiwe.; Pithouse-Morgan, Kathleen Jane.
The purpose of my self-study research was to explore integrating cultural inclusivity, particularly children’s culture. As an aspiring inclusive practitioner I wanted to explore and reflect on what I could learn about cultural inclusivity and children’s culture from my own personal history and how I could integrate cultural inclusivity and children’s culture in my teaching. I was drawn to the practice of inclusivity as a focal point for my research. White Paper 6 policy stimulated me to explore how I could include my learners and take into account all my learners’ needs, interests and cultural backgrounds. I looked forward to implementing diversity in my classroom and to learn from my learners. A socio-cultural theoretical perspective channeling my thoughts to the fundamental nature of children, how they bring in conceptual resources into the classroom and introduce their cultural and daily encounters into the classroom before learning or attending school. I took inclusive participation inspired by the Children’s culture perspective which was to bring in games, toys and interests into their learning. I was the main participant in the research study. My 37 learners were participants in my study. I also worked with two critical friends who were also doing their Master’s Degree in Teacher Development and my supervisor. My two research questions were: 1. What can I learn about cultural inclusivity and children’s culture from my personal history? 2. What can I learn about cultural inclusivity and children’s culture from my grade 4 learners? To respond to these two questions, I generated data through practicing: artefact retrieval; collage making, poetry, journal writing, audio-recording and taking photographs. From this, I discovered that, as teachers we need to emancipate and not cage our learners’ thoughts and ideas. I appreciated the feedback I received from my learners, their participation, activities and games. I also explored that in children’s culture there are daily adventures and challenges that stimulate heroic moments for them. Additionally, I learned that children can create their own learning resources through toys, games and live passionately through laughter, questions, smiles, curiosity and uncertainties. Teaching and learning is not predictable. My most imperative lesson from self-study research was I discovered that as a teacher I make mistakes and so I need to constantly question and reflect on my teaching methodologies and lessons. We are constantly learning from our own practices through inquisition, reviving ourselves and accommodating differences.