The influence of school violence on teachers' job practices and well-being in a Western Cape Primary School

Abstract

Violence, primarily in schools, appears to be an expanding epidemic in South Africa. Despite the establishment of many scholastic rules and strategies to avoid school violence, the DBE (Department of Basic Education) continues to disappoint teachers. In fact, teachers are often more prone than pupils to be victims of school violence, as they are at the frontline of responding to violent individuals. This circumstance provides several issues to the teaching profession, as teachers can no longer feel safe and carry out their academic functions. Thus, this qualitative phenomenological study solicits the participation of four intermediate-phase teachers. Data collected from participants, through semi structured interviewing, helped the researcher understand how teachers' experiences of violence influence their practice and well-being. The data collected explored the possible problems teachers experience when working in non-conducive violent learning environments. Data was analysed using thematic analysis; thus, common themes were categorized, and similarities and differences were identified. Participants voluntarily participated in this study. Therefore, with learner-to-teacher violence on the rise, this study concluded that: Teachers' experience of violence influences their practice and well-being as, the unexpected possibility of classroom violence ultimately leaves teachers discouraged, unhappy, and experience burnout both physically and emotionally. Additionally, teachers commonly experience verbal violence rather than physical violence, as teachers who participated in the study reported that verbal abuse is much more rampant and pervasive within the classroom, leaving them with mental trauma, uncertainty, stress, and reduced self-esteem. Consequently, physical violence was the second most common form of violence experienced by teachers in this study. Some teachers had mentioned feeling stressed when violence erupted amongst learners, as they did not know how to deal with the situation. Lastly, resilience was prominent in the participants' narrations, as the theme enabled teachers to persist in the school where they had witnessed violence. Therefore, violent experiences were found to influence teachers' resilience in their teaching and overall well-being.