South African teachers’ initiation into Values Education: Following the script

Abstract

This article reports on a study of teachers’ first encounter with an in-service development programme on Values Education. The authors describe how a two year professional development programme in Values and Human Rights education was designed and implemented with 144 teachers. The research conducted on these two aspects of the programme yielded findings that show how the teachers in two South Africa provinces (Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape) fashioned their practice to reflect their commitment to the programme and its curriculum. One finding was that they highlighted values for civic life more than values related to their profession. Interpreted from sociocultural theory, and specifically the notion of “internalization,” the authors argue that the teachers performed for the benefits of the programme and its assessment, more than for critically inquiring into the role of values in their pedagogy.

Keywords:

• Values Education
• teacher development
• sociocultural theory
• internalisation