Effective teaching : a teachers' and pupils' perspective

Abstract

The present study was concerned with the perspectives of teachers' and pupils on effective teaching. These were perceived by analysing the areas of rights, relationships, rules and responsibilities within the school and class environment. A mixed design methodology was obtained by means of questionnaires and interviews, with teachers and pupils at year 5 level. In this manner, triangulation of perceptions regarding effective teaching allowed for a more holistic perspective. The main finding in the study is the effect that a highly competitive school environment has on teaching. Teachers tend to change their pedagogical beliefs when they shift from theory to practice. They measure the effectiveness of their teaching by the rate of success that their pupils achieve during examinations, so that pupils believe that a competitive school environment is the norm. Pupils were dissatisfied with their teachers' pedagogical methods and emphasised the fact that they are not allowed to play an active role in the teaching and learning process. Rights, responsibilities, rules and relationships were found to play a very active role within the school environment. They were also found to be interdependent, although they were not always given equal importance. They were adopted by teachers in a variety of ways, most often depending on the teaching methods employed within the classroom, as well as on the pupils' disposition to collaborate with their teachers.