Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...

Debbie's school, Eden Primary was located in a fonner Indian township in the Greater
Durban area. It serviced children from a poor socio-economic area. Because pupils
generally came from very deprived backgrounds, most children usually came to school
without basic equipment like rulers, pencils and other necessary stationery. High
unemployment and poverty manifested itselfin numerous social problems which teachers
had to contend with on a daily basis. The following extract from my journal (16 August
2003) reflects the kinds ofproblems that teachers had to contend with.
While waiting to have a talk with Debbie, I noticed an angry parent storm into Debbie's
class, violently threaten a pupil in the Debbie's presence, then storm out. The parent
snapped at the teachers who had come out to see what the commotion was all about. Debbie
explained that it was a particularly rude parent who had difficulty complying with the school
rules. The teachers present were upset that the parent was allowed access to the classroom
instead of the matter being dealt with in the principal's office.
The school was more than thirty years old. It had a roll ofabout eight hundred and fifty
pupils, with a teacher pupil ratio of about 1: 40. More than ninety percent ofthe pupils
were Indian with the remainder being Black African. The principal appeared proud ofthe
fact that while other schools in the neighbourhood had experienced significant changes to
the racial composition ofthe student body, his school had managed to keep the intake of
Black children to under ten percent. According to the principal, while neighbouring
schools struggled to maintain their enrolment figures from year to year, this school had
developed a good reputation, managing to attract 'quality' pupils (Indian) at all grades.
This was one way in which this school was able to maintain a predominantly Indian
school population.
The school's physical facilities were adequately maintained. In recent years, however, the
school had experienced incessant incidents ofvandalism and theft by outsiders.
Alcoholics and drug addicts also used the school (classrooms and toilets) as a venue for
their activities and would trash the place when they left. A full-time security guard had
been appointed. Every classroom was barricaded with heavy-duty burglar bars on doors
and windows. With the additional precautions and the support ofthe community, the
principal felt that the situation had improved.
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