Conceptualizing a Leadership Style for Promoting the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Rural Secondary Schools

2019 ◽  
pp. 261-285
Author(s):  
Zingiswa Mybert Jojo
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
South African ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Mathematics Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Instructional Leaders ◽  
Mathematics Classrooms ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

Mathematics teachers serve as instructional leaders in their classrooms to ensure effective teaching and learning of mathematics. This chapter chronicles the conceptualization of a leadership style that promote the teaching and learning of mathematics in rural secondary schools. In this chapter, a prediction of a leadership style that can transform underachieving rural secondary schools for the promotion of teaching and learning of mathematics is presented. In addition, the interaction between transformational and instructional leadership effects in the mathematics classroom are discussed. The chapter defines leadership in mathematics teaching, discusses leadership for the mathematics classroom, presents how leadership was introduced in South African schools, followed by Mathematics instructions and leadership, and principal's perceptions on school leadership and its links to or effects on mathematics performance. Finally, the chapter suggests applied transformational leadership as a proposed tested model that has yielded a good performance in rural mathematics classrooms.

scholarly journals School Heads of Departments’ Roles in Advancing Science and Mathematics through the Distributed Leadership Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 39-57
Author(s):  
Paul Nwati Munje ◽  
Maria Tsakeni ◽  
Loyiso C Jita
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
South African ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Learner Performance ◽  
Role Players ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Heads

The prioritization of quality education, especially in science and in mathematics, positions effective teaching and learning as a major school leadership goal. Effective curriculum implementation hinges on power dynamics in schools; this puts distributed leadership in the spotlight. Heads of departments (HoDs) are important role players in the distributed leadership structures of schools. This qualitative case study explored the roles of HoDs in four South African high schools to determine how opportunities were created for teaching and learning science and mathematics in the context of distributed leadership. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 13 participants. The findings show that, in distributed leadership structures, HoDs in science and mathematics played the roles of instructional leaders; school-based subject and classroom specialists; and that they were accountable for learner performance in their departments. Their actions supported other players in school leadership, including teachers in the classroom and principals, to improve teaching and learning through distributed leadership structures. We recommend that further studies explore and compare how HoDs navigate the complexities of their roles in different school contexts.

scholarly journals The merits of teaching mathematics with variation

Pythagoras ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Mhlolo
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Variation Patterns ◽  
Approach To Teaching ◽  
Theory Of Variation ◽  
Radical Shift ◽  
New Curricula

There is a general perception that the South African curriculum statements for mathematics create polarity between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’, which does not benefit both the teachers and the learners. The new curricula demand a radical shift from the traditional teacher-led approaches that teachers are familiar with, yet does not provide a model of what it might mean to teach for conceptual understanding. This article aims to provide such a model by examining the potential of teaching with variation, which is viewed as an important mathematics teaching and learning style. Proponents of the theory of variation claim that how teachers make available the object of learning to their students has been neglected yet it has a critical influence on learners’ learning. This is important for educators as they struggle to make sense of the seemingly contradictory requirements of the new curriculum. In this article a discernment unit comprising four variation patterns is used as a tool to analyse a seemingly rich teacher-led approach to teaching that was observed in one South African Grade 11 mathematics classroom. The results of the analysis and implications for theory and practice are then discussed.

scholarly journals The Dichotomy of Specialization: Is a Literature Teacher Necessarily a Language Teacher?

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-133
Author(s):  
Mariam Anana
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Oral Literature ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This study investigates the dichotomy of specialization in Literature and English language. In many primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, many teachers who teach Literature are the same teachers who teach English Language. This is responsible for lack of ultimate successes in academic performance, foundational establishment and progressive developments in Literature and English language. Set against the backdrop of the inseparability and non-specialization in individual subjects in question, the study examines the need for a dichotomy of specialization in English Language and Literature with a view to reducing the rate of errors and students’ failures in both subjects. Adopting the simple randomisation, the researcher uses selected primary and secondary schools in Lagos State as the case study; the paper raises four questions and these are: Can English Language teachers effectively teach poetic devices? Are segmental phonemes easily taught by Literature teachers? Can English Language teachers proficiently teach oral literature, literary criticism and non-African literature? Can Literature teachers competently teach stress and intonation? This research uses a qualitative approach and adopts The Speech Act Theory as its theoretical framework. Questionnaire of fifteen (15) items was used for data collection and the simple percentage was applied for data analysis. The researcher discovered that: It is not possible for English Languageteachers to effectively teach poetic devices. Segmental phonemes cannot be easily taught by Literature teachers. Students would lag behind in areas where teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. Also, it is not possible for a teacher to place equal emphasis on both English Language and Literature in classrooms. The study therefore recommends the need for a dichotomy of specialization in the two subjects so as to ensure effective teaching and learning of these subjects.

Factors Militating against Effective Teaching and Learning of Computer in Secondary Schools in Enugu State Nigeria

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ogbonna Mercy. N
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Effective Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Administration ◽  
The State ◽  
Computer Education ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Enugu State ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

The teaching and learning of computers in secondary schools is very beneficial for preparation of students for more challenging education in the University. However, many factors militate against the effective computer education in the schools. This study sought to assess these factors in Enugu State Nigeria. Specifically it sought to assess teachers-related factors; students-related factors; government-related factors and school administrative factors that militate against effective teaching and learning of computer in the State. The study adopted survey research method and hundred questionnaires were used for the study.  Data were analysed with the use of descriptive statistics (mean) in SPSS. Respondents agreed that teachers based factors that contribute to ineffective teaching and learning of computers in secondary schools included that teachers of the subject were unqualified (=2.9) and lack experience (=2.6). Students based included absenteeism by students (=2.7) and lack of interest by students (=2.7). Government based factors included that government provide voluminous curriculum (=2.9) and do not provide funds (=3.2). School administration based factors were that mismanagement of procured instructional materials (=2.9) and mis-use of provided funds (=2.9). This study concludes that students, teachers, government and school administration have important roles to play for effective teaching and learning of computer in secondary schools. For a way forward, the study recommends that government and individuals should encourage in and out of school computer education by establishing learning centres in the State. Computer teachers should always be provided with on-the-job training or re-training programmes. Government and school administration should as a matter of priority provide computer systems and other lacking instructional materials in their schools. Students should attend to classes and improve their interest in computer education.

Critical Thinking and Mathematics Teaching and Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 234-253
Author(s):  
Kelli Thomas ◽  
Douglas Huffman ◽  
Mari Caballero
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mathematics Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Teaching Behaviors ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
Mathematics Classrooms ◽  
Mathematics Methods Course ◽  
Mathematics Teaching And Learning ◽  
And Mathematics

The purpose of this chapter was to investigate pre-service teachers' noticing of children's critical thinking and views towards eliciting and using students' critical thinking in mathematics teaching. A mixed method study was used to provide a range of perspectives on pre-service teachers' views towards mathematics. The results indicated that the pre-service teachers initially held beliefs that mathematics teaching and learning consist of transferring information and students absorbing and memorizing information. The pre-service teachers based their instructional responses on experiences they had as students in elementary mathematics classrooms. The pre-service teachers described what they had observed about teaching mathematics as the ideal without regard for how the teaching behaviors they observed might influence children's critical thinking about mathematics. After completing a mathematics methods course, the pre-service teachers held beliefs more consistent with a reform-oriented classroom and demonstrated growth in their ability to notice children's mathematics thinking.

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