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I UNIVERSITY of KWAZULU-NATAL HOMESCHOOLING IN UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL HOMESCHOOLING IN SOUTH AFRICA: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY By Jennifer Rae Steytler A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Psychology) School of Education College of Humanities 2019 Supervisor: Dr Henry Muribwathoho i DECLARATION I, Jennifer Rae STEYTLER, hereby declare that this dissertation is the product of my original work and it has not been submitted for degree purposes at any other University. All the sources used have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete referencing. _______________________________ ________________________ Student’s signature Date _______________________________ _______________________ Supervisor’s signature Date ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr Henry Muribwathoho, without whose efficient and honest communications when I first contacted him, I would not have completed my degree. Doc Henry, you managed to combine understanding of the many demands of a full-time teacher with enough pressure to keep me moving in the right direction. I truly appreciate your advice and encouragement, your professionalism and the interest you have shown in my topic. Thank to my husband, George, for all the suppers and endless cups of tea and for encouraging me to pursue my dreams, even though they are so different to your own. I love you so much. To our daughters, Jessica and Michaela, thank you for your ongoing love and support as we have each travelled along our own academic journeys. I am so proud of you, and hope that I will always inspire you as much as you both inspire me. To my parents and my mom-in-law – thank you for your interest and encouragement, and your love. Mom, you were right, I probably am going to carry on studying, despite swearing that I’m done! To my sisters – you see, we are clever! To my work colleagues, especially those in the LSU and Lindsay, thank you for listening to my tales of woe, and for always encouraging me. To my fellow students, particularly the other two-thirds of the ‘Crazy 3’, thank you for the laughs and moral support. I’m sorry that we aren’t graduating together but, hey, at least we’ve all reached the finish line! I would also like to thank the participants in this study. Without them this study could, quite literally, not have happened. The women I interviewed were so gracious in welcoming me into their homes to listen to the stories of how they have fought to give their children what is rightfully theirs – a good education. Thank you, for sharing your highs and lows, and for painting such a clear and honest picture of your experiences of homeschooling. I truly admire you for your courage in standing up for what you believe in, with all your hearts and souls. To the homeschooling children, I would like to thank you for being so welcoming and friendly, and for letting me see how homeschooling happens. My thanks also go to the young man who participated by giving me clear insight into his experiences as a homeschooled child. You are certainly an outstanding example of the potential benefits of homeschooling! iii DEDICATION I dedicate this study to the memory of my late grandmother, Joy Morris, who loved and supported us all unconditionally, and to my sister Shelley and Conrad the Brave. Shell, your life has changed completely, but you have never lost sight of your goal – to do what is best for your child. I truly admire your fierce determination and warrior-woman spirit. You have shown such determination and resolve as you have fought against anyone who has tried to infringe on the rights of children with special needs, especially your very unique, intelligent son! Thank you for your advice, support and suggestions, and for opening my eyes to the possibilities of homeschooling. iv ABSTRACT Homeschooling is a growing phenomenon, in South Africa and worldwide. Despite this increasing popularity, it remains somewhat of an enigma, particularly in South Africa. This qualitative study explores the motivations of parents who have chosen to homeschool their children, their academic approach, and their perceptions of the academic, social and emotional benefits of homeschooling. Initial sampling was purposeful, based on established criteria. Thereafter, snowball sampling was utilised. Data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and field observations. All research was conducted within the greater Durban area. There were eight participants, of which five were parents currently homeschooling and three were people who had other experience of homeschooling. Following the interview process, a non-participant observation was conducted at each of the homeschooling sites. Data from interviews was collected by digital recording and manual note-taking. Field observations were recorded manually. All data was transcribed by the researcher, and analysed using thematic analysis. The main themes identified during the research design process were: the contextual circumstances leading to parents choosing to homeschool their children; teaching strategies used in homeschooling; the social, emotional and academic benefits of homeschooling for children; and the challenges experienced in homeschooling. Several sub-themes arose out of the analysis of the data including, inter alia, the special educational needs of children, the perceived shortcomings of mainstream education, parents’ perceptions of the socialisation needs of homeschooled children and plans for their future education. The research findings suggest that homeschooling has benefits in the areas of academic, social and emotional development, and that it can therefore be considered to be both a valid and viable alternative educational setting in South Africa, that has value in meeting the individual educational needs of children. Recommendations are made for both homeschoolers and education authorities, and suggestions for further research are proposed, in order to develop a more accurate and positive understanding of homeschooling in South Africa. v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS BOSTES Board of Studies, Teaching & Educational Standards CAPS Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements DoE South African Department of Education NAPLAN National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy NCES National Center for Education Statistics NSC National Senior Certificate vi CONTENTS HOMESCHOOLING IN SOUTH AFRICA: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY .......................... i DECLARATION ............................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................................. iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. iv ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................v ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .......................................................................... vi CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................ vii Tables and figures ...............................................................................................................x CHAPTER ONE ....................................................................................................................1 ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND............................................................................1 1.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Rationale for the study ..............................................................................................2 1.3 Problem statement ....................................................................................................3 1.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................4 1.5 Key research questions .............................................................................................4 1.6 Theoretical framework and research paradigm ..........................................................4 1.7 Overview of the methodology of the study ...............................................................5 1.8 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 2 ..........................................................................................................................6 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................................6 2.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................6 2.2 History of homeschooling .........................................................................................6 2.3 What is homeschooling? ...........................................................................................8 2.4 Who is homeschooling? ............................................................................................9 2.5 Increased popularity of homeschooling ................................................................... 10 2.6 Reasons for choosing homeschooling ..................................................................... 11 2.7 Educational approaches used in homeschools ........................................................
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