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

the 'new' law did not allow for such practice, he did not indulge in this form of
punishment very often. He stated that"... Black children are used to corporal punishment
but the law doesn't allow us...". Later in the discussion, we see the effects ofBen's
authoritarian approach on the classroom dynamics that operated in his EMS classroom.
Ben's current school, Pecan Primary was previously controlled by the ex-Department of
Education and Training (DET) administration. Ofall the schools in the sample, Pecan
Primary was poorest. The school was located in a semi-rural setting just outside the
Greater Durban area. High razor wire fencing surrounded the school. A utility worker,
who also doubled up as the school's general assistant, manned the entrance to the school.
The school gate was always locked during the school day. It led up to a small car park,
which was designed to accommodate about eight cars. Although the roads leading to the
school were tarred, the verges were overgrown. Litter and other rubble could be seen
dumped at different unofficial dumping sites.
The school comprised a single administration block and a double storey structure where
the classrooms were located. Ofsignificance at Pecan primary was the absence of
greenery. While the school grounds were free oflitter, the barren, grassless surroundings
created a dry and dusty appearance. The entrance to the administration block was poorly
lit. Numerous posters could be found on the walls. These included the eight Batho Pele 4
principles, school governance and finance issues, and aids awareness posters. The school
had a telephone and although it had a fax machine, it seldom functioned properly. It had
two computers that were located in the principal's and deputy principal's office. The
school could not afford to be linked to the Internet.
Only grades four, five and six operated at Pecan Primary. The school had a roll ofabout
five hundred pupils. There were on average, forty-five pupils per class. All pupils at this
school were African. While most children were Zulu mother tongue speakers, some were
Xhosa speakers. Sports facilities at this school were non-existent. The nearest sports field
4 The eight Batho Pele principles guide service delivery in the public sector in South Africa
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