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

with a new set ofsubjects. Without having finished matric (Grade twelve), he was
admitted to a teachers' college, where he spent two years. 3 Ben then joined the teaching
profession and studied privately to obtain a matric certificate. He proceeded to study
towards a Senior Teaching Certificate, but this was interrupted because he had suffered
from a severe stroke. He was forced to abandon his studies at that point. Ben was still
undergoing medical treatment at the time ofthis research study. After seven years, he
obtained his Senior Teaching Certificate. He had taught for 17 years before leaving
teaching to pursue business interests. He returned to teaching after three years having
been unsuccessful in his business endeavours. His status at his school was that ofa
temporary teacher. Ben was determined to be reinstated as a permanent educator. He was
always seen to be keen to please his principal and always addressed him with elaborate
respect and humbleness, sometimes resorting to performing tasks for the principal that
could be deemed 'inappropriate'. He presented himselfas an enthusiastic person who was
keen to be seen to be involved in developing himself. The following extract from my
journal (30 July 2003) reflect some ofthe difficulties Ben was experiencing.
Over the months that r had come to know Ben, r learned that he was employed in a
temporary capacity. He was one of the many teachers who had not been receiving regular
monthly salary payments from the state. At one point, Ben had not been paid for a period of
five months. It was a particularly difficult time for him since his family had to rely entirely
on his wife's income, and assistance from other extended family members. r was amazed
that during this period of time, Ben's enthusiasm and optimism never waned. He was always
regular at school, very actively involved in leading the establishment of the school library,
training the school choir and overseeing school functions. Later in the week, Ben would be
the master of ceremonies at a joint schools' function at which the mayor of Durban was the
guest of honour. Ben appeared to be a very obliging person, always careful to appear
congenial and enthusiastic, especially in the presence of the principal. His tenure at the
school was not secure and depended on how strongly the principal motivated for him to
remain there. On one occasion r noticed the principal walking to his car with his hands in
pockets (off to a meeting). Ben trailed behind him carrying the principal's bag.
Reflecting on his own school experience, Ben noted that good teachers were those who
were firm disciplinarians especially those who were able to mete out corporal
punishment. He felt that corporal punishment that he had received as a pupil 'made him
strong'. In his years ofteaching, he had used corporal punishment extensively. Because
3 Welch (2002) reminds us that under apartheid, secondary education for Black students was in fact teacher
education.
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