Mentor teachers in South Africa focus on skills, not inequality issues
A study of 24 final-year student teachers in South Africa reveals that while they reflect on teaching skills during their practicum, they rarely consider the impact of social inequality on learners. Mentor teachers tend to emphasize compliance and technical skills over critical reflection on poverty, language policy, and infrastructure challenges. This raises concerns that new teachers may be trained to accept rather than challenge educational inequalities rooted in South Africa's apartheid history.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1)
South Africa’s education system mirrors the country’s deep social inequalities, a legacy of apartheid. A recent study by an education researcher examined whether university teacher training programs prepare student teachers to address these inequalities.
The study focused on 24 final-year student teachers during their 10-week teaching practicum, where they teach in real schools under mentor guidance. While student teachers reflected on their teaching skills, they seldom engaged with deeper issues such as how social inequality affects their learners.
Mentor teachers generally encouraged compliance with teaching requirements rather than critical reflection on social realities like poverty, language policy, and inadequate infrastructure. This approach risks training teachers to adapt to existing inequalities instead of challenging them.
Reflective practice is crucial for teachers to adapt to diverse classroom needs and promote fairness. Without it, teaching risks becoming routine and ineffective in addressing learners’ challenges rooted in societal disparities.