Teacher education and the challenge of diversity in South Africa

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Conflicts in schools over race, fees or language frequently make headlines in South Africa. Such conflicts reflect the multifaceted issue of learner diversity, encompassing racial, class, gender, religious, linguistic, physical and other differences. The need to handle such differences equitably poses new challenges for teachers and teacher education. How are teacher education institutions preparing students for teaching in schools that differ from those they experienced as learners? What kinds of skills are they providing to enable teachers to deal with diversity and differences among learners? This study focuses on how teachers are prepared through the Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) at three universities. Documentary and oral sources, a small survey, focus groups, and interviews provide the basis for an analysis of each institution's context and history, the profile of staff and students in teacher-education courses, and the ways in which issues of diversity are addressed. A well-grounded set of recommendations provides direction for the road ahead. Intelligent, eloquent and concise, this monograph will be invaluable for educationists, academics and policy-makers. Teacher Education and the Challenge of Diversity in South Africa is part of a wider, cross-disciplinary School Integration research project initiated by the Human Sciences Research Council. The aim of the broader research project is to investigate the ways in which teachers, texts, managers and policy-makers consciously and creatively make sense of and actively address the challenges posed by integration.

Introduction

Case Study One: Multiculturalism

• Institutional context
• The research process
• Demography
• Curriculum
• Teaching methods and the handling of conflict
• Conclusion

Case Study Two: Critical Multiculturalism

• Institutional context
• The research process
• Demography
• Curriculum
• Teaching methods and the handling of conflict
• The impact of restructuring
• Conclusion

Case Study Three: Critical Inclusivity

• Institutional context
• The research process
• Demography
• Curriculum
• Teaching methods and the handling of conflict
• The impact of restructuring
• Conclusion

Conclusions
Recommendations
Appendix A: Schedule for student demographic data
Appendix B: Demographic data of students surveyed
References

Crispin Hemson is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Crispin has served a two-year term as Director of the School of Education. He has sat on various committees to promote adult education within and beyond the University, giving him wide experience in the field. He is currently developing a social justice education programme in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts.