Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No.

296573 Assignment 01

Table of Content
1.

Question 1

1.1 The factors making education provision in post-modern

page 2 - 6
page 2

societies an extremely and complex specialised task.

1.2 The composition of the education system.

page 3

1.3 The role of the South African Council of Educators.

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1.4 Educators and parents as partners.

page 5

1.5 Governing bodies, their responsibilities and their relationship

with educators.
2.

Question 2

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page 7 - 9

2.1 Managing the school is a process consisting of four

fundamental management functions. Discuss.

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2.2 The educator is not merely a manager but a leader.

What is leadership and what are the implications contained
for the educator in the quest for democratic leadership?
3.

Bibliography

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page 10

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

QUESTION 1
1. Write a paragraph of approximately half a page on each of the following topics:
1.1 The factors making education provision in post-modern societies an extremely
and complex specialised task
It has been noticed that most contemporary societies are multicultural, which means that
many languages are spoken; various religions are practised and different ethnic groups who
contribute their own cultural heritage. In the development stages of a learner they are
encouraged to find personal meaning from the learning; the educator must however find a
connection for the learner to find their true self and also focus on the educational needs of
learners.
Here are a few points which address teaching and learning in the development stages and
educational needs:

Knowledge about ways in which to live and learn in an open system in which there is
considerable ambiguity and serendipitous development;

Information literacy skills for students and awareness by students of their own
selection bias; the educator leads their students through the data and information to

the knowledge that is involved with the purposes of the course of studies;

Creation of individual plans wherein the learner is an active participant; creation of

partnerships between teachers and students in learning a body of knowledge within
a contemporary context;

Meta-strategies (or meta-cognitive strategies) are required; students learn how to

learn;

Learners are encouraged to formulate and engage a clear, stable, sustaining image of
self.

Each learner is unique, their interests, aptitudes and diverse vocational aspirations are areas
that effective teachers understand and try to learn as much as they can about their
students.
End of question 1.1

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

1.2 The composition of the education system

There are different models that can be used to describe a system of education. The South
African system of education is distinguished in four broad categories.
School and other types of educational institutions;
Governance and management structures;
Support or auxiliary services;
Various stakeholders with an interest in education.
This system of education strives to meet the diverse needs of learners, in accordance with
learners ages and development phases. Pre-primary, primary schools, secondary schools
and institutions of higher education, including universities, technikons and colleges these
are referred to as institutions for education and training in the formal schooling system. The
system also depends on an effective and efficient system of governance and management,
to help provide education and training in a planned and organised manner.
The support or auxiliary services provide teaching practitioners with specialised help where
possible for example:
School health services;
Feeding schemes;
Media and library services;
An examination service;
School hostels;
Transport services.
The stakeholders have a keen interest in a countrys education, for instance, the
government, parents, the community, teacher organisations, unions and work providers;
they form an integral part of the system.
In closing the learners are the core around which every activity in the system should
revolve.
End of question 1.2

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

1.3 The role of the South African Council for Educators (SACE)
SACE is the professional council for educators that aims to enhance the status of the
teaching profession through appropriate Registration, management of Professional
Development and inculcation of a Code of Ethics for all educators.
The council aims to enhance the status of the teaching profession and to promote the
development of educators and their professional conduct. The Council performs its political
and administrative functions through committees and its employees. In performing these
functions, the committees and staff are guided by the following set of values:

Service oriented
Openness and Transparency
Quality
Professionalism

The role of the SACE is to develop, promote and maintain standard of professional conduct.
To revive its code of professional ethics and disciplinary procedures; produce annual report
on the review of cases submitted; develop a concept document and programmes that would
assist in improving educators perception about its role in disciplining them. Section
12(5)(a)(xiv) of the Education Labour Relations Act No. 146 of 1993 expressed the function
of the ELRC as the registration of professional educators, and the keeping of a register or
roll of such educators for the purpose of regulating qualifications, standards and
professional discipline and their admission to the education profession (ELRA No 146 of
1993:12)

End of question 1.3

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

1.4 Educators and parents as partners

It has been said that teachers and parents form a great team when it comes to the
education and development of children. Therefor it is of utmost importance that these two
groups of adults work together and collaborate. According to Epstein, there are five key
areas of home-school relations communication; assisting parents with parenting tasks;
volunteering; learning at home; decision making.
1) Communication
This includes school-to-home as well as home-to-school communication. It can be verbal or
written communication. This could be in the form of newsletter (written) or parent evenings
and conferences (verbal).
2) Assisting parents with parenting tasks
Many parents have full-time jobs and are single parents; they find it difficult to cope with
the responsibilities of parenthood. Teachers are in a position to assist parents/caregivers by
arranging workshops on discipline, developmental stages of the child, safety, nutrition and
home conditions that support education at all grade levels, among other things.
3) Volunteering
One of the many areas that parents can get involved in their school is by volunteering. Areas
such as fundraising, field trips, coaching sports, administrative tasks, tutoring and many
more are just some of the areas parents can volunteer their time and assistance.
4) Learning at home
Whilst parents cannot be actively involved in the school, they can be supportive of their
childrens learning. This can be made possible if school draw up homework policy, with the
learners and parents input, communicating the policy to parents regularly.
5) Decision making
Although most decision is made by the governing body of the school some decisions should
not be limited to them only but parents should be consulted on issues affecting their
children.

End of question 1.4

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

1.5 Governing bodies, their responsibilities and their relationship with educators
It is of utmost importance that each school have a governing body to promote the best
interests of the school by supporting the principal and educators/teachers in carrying out
their professional functions and formulating and adopting of school policies. The governing
body is made up of elected members, the principal and co-opted members. In this body the
parents being the majority in number.
Four Responsibility of the governing body:
Promoting the best interest of the school and ensuring its development;
Drawing up a constitution and developing a school policy with reference to
language policy; code of conduct; admissions policy;
Developing a mission statement and a developmental plan;
Suspending a learner from attending the school as a correctional measure for a
period of no longer than a week, pending the decision of the provincial authorities
on whether the learner should be expelled;
Relationship with educators:
Educators could contribute to the success of the partnership in the following ways:
By trusting and respecting the partners;
By sharing goals and values;
By sharing a common vision;
By opening up the communication;
By promoting teamwork;
By respecting the roles of the different partners.
End of question 1.5

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

QUESTION 2
2.1 Managing the school is a process consisting of four fundamental management
functions. Discuss.
In managing the school the aim should always be the creation of a school and classroom
environment in which effective teaching and learning can take place. There is a process
which involves the following interaction and interrelated aspects;
Management functions; and
Management areas.
There are four fundamental areas of school management which forms the life of the
management process according to Van Deventer (2003:75) in order to fulfil the primary aim
of each school, namely the realisation of effective teaching and learning.
a) Planning
Planning is the first step in the management process it entails the determining of a mission,
aims and outcomes for the school and will also include:
Problem solving
Decision making
Policy making
These functions involve all stakeholders, especially teachers, parents and pupils.
b) Organising
This involves establishing and organisational structures or frameworks to indicate how
people and materials should be deployed to achieve the goals. Delegating and coordinating
are two important aspects of the organising functions. These functions include teachers,
parents and other staff of the school.

c) Leading
In the third step to the management function we look at the directing of people (educators
and learners) and motivating them so that their functions are aligned to the formulated
goals and outcomes. Therefor leading entails:
Communicating goals
Motivating educators and learners
Conflict management and negotiation
These functions will encourage good schooling, dedicated performance by both teacher and
learner and the smooth running of operations within the school structure. These are not
always directed only to teachers, pupils and other staff of the school but also to the parents
and community to communicate, discuss, motivate support and active participation in the
teaching and learning activities organised by the school.

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

d) Controlling
The principal must ensure that the school is on the right course to attain its goals. Aspects
that all form part of the controlling function are:
Assessment and taking corrective action
Disciplinary measures when necessary.
To achieve the set standards in the quality of teaching and learning it includes teachers,
parents and other staff, monitoring the use of role models, exemplary behaviour and peer
group support for setting targets to be achieved by individuals and groups within the school
is also an aspect that the principal must control.

End of question 2.1

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

2.2 The educator is not merely a manager but a leader. What is leadership and
what are the implications contained for the educator in the quest for democratic
leadership?
Leadership can be described as the ability to lead individuals and/or groups influencing,
motivating, communicating and exercising authority in such a way that the individuals or
groups are encourage to strive voluntarily towards certain goals.
The democratic leadership style is a very open and collegial style of running a class of
learners or school. Ideas move freely amongst the teacher, learners and other staff and are
discussed openly. Everyone is given an opportunity to make suggestions, and discussion is
relatively free-flowing. This leadership style means facilitating the conversation,
encouraging people to share ideas, and then deciding on the best possible idea and the
leader must also be able to communicate that decision back to the group.
Effective Democratic leadership is:

Keeping communication open: Everyone needs to feel comfortable enough to put their
ideas on the table. The democratic leadership style thrives when all the considerations are
laid out for everyone to examine.

Focus the discussion: Its hard to keep unstructured discussion productive. Its the
leaders job to keep the balance being open to ideas and keeping everything on-topic.

Be ready to commit: In the democratic leadership style, you get presented with so many
possibilities and suggestions that it can be overwhelming and difficult to commit.

Respect the ideas: Not everyone will agree with every idea, and thats ok. It is important,
however, that you create a healthy environment where those ideas are entertained and
considered.

Explain, but dont apologize: Its important that the decision be communicated, but you
should not apologize for deciding on what you think.
Democratic leadership style it requires firm but affectionate conduct from the educatorleader. Learners are required to respect and obey the educator-leader, their initiative and
creative contributions are encouraged. Regardless of the level on which the leader operate
in the school organisation (whether as principal, teacher or parent leader), they should
continuously strive to improve their leadership skills, which include amongst others:

A thorough knowledge of their learning areas;

Knowledge of the learner and his/her needs;
Communication skills;
Interpersonal-skills;
Decision-making skills;
Problem-solving skills; and
The ability to listen.

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Antonette Emerentia Trosee Student no. 51583402 ETH303T Unique No. 296573 Assignment 01

End of question 2.2

Bibliography
Pretorius & Lemmer, Macmillan, 2004 Teaching in South African Schools
www.emcmodule2.blogspot; The functions of school management, 2008
www.schome.ac.uk; Education system in South Africa, 2007
www.voanews.com; South Africas education system crumbling, Voice of Africa, 2010
www.youtube.com; Educational Portal, Four functions of management: Planning,
organizing, Leading and Controlling, 2013
www.leadership-toolbox.com; Leadership Styles: Democratic Leadership Styles, 2008

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