Elaine Browne.pdf - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

en dit is moeilik vir hulle om eksamen te skryf 29 ”. From the same school another teacher
concluded that: “‘n Mens kan maar sê, die kultuur van selfleer is nie meer daar nie 30 ”.
Theme 4: The value of the Arts and Culture learning area
The participants’ responses revealed a profound awareness of the significance of arts education
and the range of benefits it has for the learner.
Sub‐theme 4.1: Alternative or additional competences
All the teachers interviewed, regarded the Arts and Culture learning area as valuable, and
expressed a desire to be better equipped so that they could enable the benefits for the
learners. They were aware of the potential alternative avenues arts education provides for
learners who are not interested in sport, or struggle with subjects like languages or
mathematics: “Because some of the learners ... they’ve got difficulties from writing or from
reading and then when it’s art time they got the chance to draw, at least to use their skills to
show to their teacher”. Another teacher remarked, “Now he sits there with his academic ... the
English, because we not ... We can’t do this art because of the time, the space and what have
you. And the poor child suffers and we don’t know what is going on with this child. In the
meantime this child is an artist”. The respondents were aware of the potential of the learning
area to enhance the self‐esteem, self‐confidence and communication skills of the shy and
introvert learners:
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The learners expect you to do everything. They don’t do anything. You are expected to give everything
on a plate and I do it half-heartedly.
30
There is now culture of ownership with regard to their education.
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