PSCD teachers’ perceptions of student socio-economic status : a qualitative study in Maltese state and independent schools

Abstract

This qualitative study explored perceptions of Maltese Personal, Social and Career Development (PSCD) primary schoolteachers teaching students coming from different socioeconomic statuses (SES). The research questions of this study queried the extent to and ways in which primary PSCD teachers perceive students' SES as having an impact on the teaching and learning of PSCD. The research also investigated if perceptions differ between state and independent schoolteachers participating in this study. Moreover, the study also investigated how the teaching and learning of PSCD benefits students coming from different SES. Three primary state schoolteachers and two primary independent schoolteachers participated in a one-time, one-to-one semi-structured interview held between November 2021 and February 2022. Thematic analysis, supported by NVIVO® identified the following themes: ways in which student SES was perceived to impact the teaching and learning of PSCD, short- and long-term effects of SES, and home and family context. More specifically, participating teachers perceived student SES has an impact on the teaching and learning of PSCD in various ways such as: teachers making sure to avoid discussions that might exclude students, bringing up topics about diversity, avoiding the encouraging of unrealistic expectations, and adapting examples used during lessons to the SES level(s) in class. Diverse parental educational values that are reflected in students’ socio-emotional development challenged PSCD teachers, for example, when listening to students talk about a lack of material resources at home or struggles with basic needs. Perceptions of state and independent schoolteachers included similarities but also differed, such as how independent schoolteachers did not have to face struggles related to material resources at home or basic needs that state schoolteachers experienced. Furthermore, state schoolteachers stated their lower SES students lacked social skills and self-esteem. Contrastingly, an independent schoolteacher revealed higher SES students manifested a lot of confidence and debating skills. The same teacher also pointed to the advantage higher SES students enjoy from having a large social network within their school community. Similarities included perceptions of lack of educational support or being left home alone after school, reported by teachers of state and independent schools as a phenomenon cross-cutting student SES. Lastly, teachers perceived the teaching and learning of PSCD as having several benefits for students coming from all SES, such as the way PSCD teachers can be mother figures to their students, how students’ personal issues can be discovered and dealt with because of PSCD, and how it holistically prepares students with fundamental soft skills. Additionally, teachers reported that PSCD enables higher SES learners to be more grounded, whilst it provides lower SES learners with the opportunity to gain economic related aptitudes related to money management and careers. For future educational policies to take the impact and benefits of PSCD or similar subjects into consideration more research needs to be done in this field both locally and abroad. Within the limitations of this small-scale qualitative study, recommendations informed by the findings of this study include increased attention to financial literacy knowledge and skills in the PSCD syllabi, and professional development for PSCD teachers in addressing ‘home alone’ cases.