The implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment in selected Pretoria schools

Abstract

Since the publication of the Alternatives to Corporal Punishment-document in 2000, studies have indicated that ill-discipline in schools is on the rise. It can be argued that this approach is not that effective as indicated by Mergler, Vargas and Caldwell (2014: 30). The primary research question is as follows: How do educators in selected schools in Pretoria perceive the implementation of alternatives to corporal punishment in the maintenance of school discipline? The participants in this study were the Head of Department, Head of Academics, Head of Discipline, and School Psychologist/Counsellor at four selected schools. This study was conducted from an interpretivist paradigm due to its potential to investigate the alternatives to the corporal punishment phenomenon by analysing the individual aspects that ultimately form the concept as a whole.

This study made use of a qualitative research approach with a multiple case study design. Sixteen educators were purposively sampled from four schools in Pretoria. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The interviews were transcribed, and documents analysed for the purposes of data analysis. Categorisation was used to organise the raw data into smaller topic clusters which were then used to formulate eight themes which were: Punitive disciplinary methods, the most commonly used alternatives to corporal punishment (ATCP), School discipline requires parent-child-teacher collaboration, Department of Basic Education’s disciplinary regulations considered insufficient, Professional development (PD), Prevention is better than cure (preventative disciplinary methods), Good discipline teaches, Effective school discipline is centered around communication, teamwork and consistency, and The human rights element.