THE PROVISION OF GUIDANCE TO THE BLACK ADOLESCENT IN A SINGLE PARENT FAMILY

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

ORIENTATION, PROBLEM STATEMENT,EXPLANATIONOFTERMS, AIMS, METHOD ANDPROGRAMME OF RESEARCH

INTRODUCTORY ORIENTAtION

Parenting today faces some of its toughest challenges, more than at any other time in the history of mankind. This problem is aggravated by the emergence of a new brand of poor parents and black single parents, particularly those born to adolescent mothers in the early 1970s.
One of the greatest parental problems of this time is that of parental education. Many parents are ignorant themselves first and foremost – but moreover, they are ignorant of their children’s needs which are generated by contemporary socioeconomic pressures. Thirdly, the parents of the 1990s lack genuine love of and commitment to their children a symptom which bears testimony to prevailing ignorance of parental responsibilities (Elster & Lamb, 1986: 1-2). After the findings of a research project (Sedibe, 1991) which indicated that the majority of pupils from single parent families need guidance regarding their problems of personal, social, educational and career-directedness, the researcher (as a teacher) was prompted to explore this phenomenon more fully.
It is an inescapable fact that each person wants to actualize his potential in one way or another. This is essentially true and necessary since each person, as a social and participating being in his given community, should « become the best that [he] is able to become » 01rey, 1979: 42). This also becomes evident from the fact that people everywhere are studying and striving in an attempt to maximise their potential and to reach the highest possible level of education. Despite the above-stated facts, numerous people seem unable to realize their potential to the fullest sense of the word 01rey, 1979: 42).
As an example, reasonably large numbers of black adolescents from single parent families do not achieve the success their potential ought to make possible for them. At this stage it needs to be pointed out that, in this study, an attempt will be made to account for reasons why most of these adolescents experience personal, social, educational and career choice problems. In order to place this problem area in a clear perspective, the following facts which might have contributed to adolescents’ problems, warrant careful consideration. Lack of parental education • In modern-day society people can become educated and trained in virtually any field such as sex education, computer education, conservation education, investment education, physical education, technological education and many others. If people make the effort ..

to obtain education on how to conserve nature and the environment, should they not be more concerned about being educated on sound parental responsibilities?

Parents need to be educated in current trends regarding child and parental behaviours. This includes child psychology, adolescent psychology and the contemporary parental life style. It is through education in these disciplines that parents, single parents in particular, acquire acumen in the art of successful parenting. This can be provided through guidance services. Single parenting • Single parenting as a phenomenon in society results from various factors.
Analysing these factors will place single parenting in perspective and effect a more sympathetic approach towards lending a helping hand. Single parenting also has challenges of its own. Again, when these challenges have been scientifically explored, educationist will be better able to intervene positively in aSSisting to alleviate the problems. ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM The problems of the adolescent in a single parent family have been investigated by a number of researchers abroad, but very little or no investigation has been done on this phenomenon in the Republic of South Africa [RSA]. Kerka (1988) conducted research in the USA on single parents, career-related issues and needs. Abrahamse (1988) and Burge (1987) are just a few examples of some researchers who studied the subject of single parenting abroad.

CHAPTER ONE: ORIENTATION, PROBLEM STATEMENT,
EXPLANATION OF TERMS, AIMS, METHOD AND PROGRAMME OF RESEARCH
1.1 INTRODUCTORY ORIENTATION
1 .2 ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.3.1 Introduction
1.3.2 Provisional hypotheses
1.4 EXPLANATION OF TERMS
1.4.1 Adolescence
1 .4.2 Guidance and school guidance
1 .4.3 Counselling
1 .4.4 Single parent
1 .4.5 Career
1 .4.6 Lifeworld
1.5 AIMS OF THIS STUDY
1 .6 METHOD OF RESEARCH
1.6.1 Literature study and critical study of texts
1.6.2 The phenomenological method
1.6.3 The triadic method
1.6.4 The hermeneutic method
1.6.5 Field study method
1.6.5.1 Questionnaires
1.6.5.2 The sample
1.7 PROGRAMME OF THE RESEARCH
CHAPTER TWO: PERSPECTIVE ON THE CATEGORY ADOLESCENCE
INTRODUCTION
2.2 CONCISE DEANITIONS OF THE CONCEPT ADOLESCENT
2.3 THEORIES ON ADOLESCENCE
2.3.1 The psychoanalytic perspective
2.3.2 The psychosocial constructs of social competency in adolescence
2.3.2.1 Personal factors
2.3.2.2 I nterpersonal factors
2.3.2.3 Social relationships
2.3.2.4 Intercultural changes
2.3.2.5 The ecological dimension – the individual and his or her physical environment and times
2.4 THE LIFEWORLD OF THE ADOLESCENT
2.4.1 Perception
2.4.2 Peer group
2.4.3 The spontaneous dimension
2.4.4 The relationship dimension
2.4.5 Orientation towards adulthood
2.4.5.1 Independent view of life
2.4.5.2 Vocational independence
2.4.5.3 Spending of free time
2.5 SYNTHESIS
CHAPTER THREE: THE PROVISION OF GUIDANCE TO THE BLACK ADOLESCENT IN A SINGLE PARENT FAMILY
3.1 INTRODUC1″ION
3.2 BLACK ADOLESCENT NEEDS AND PROBLEMS IN GENERAL
3.3 PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND VOCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE BLACK ADOLESCENT IN THE SINGLE PARENT FAMILY
3.3.1 Personal needs of the black adolescent
3.3.2 Social needs of the black adolescent in the single parent family
3.3.3 Vocational needs of the adolescent in the single parent family
3.4 NEED SATISFACTION IN AN EDUCATIONAL AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL CONTEXT
3.4.1 Need satisfaction in educational context
3.4.2 Need satisfaction in psycho-social context
3.5 THE NATURE OF SINGLE PAREN-rHOOD
3.5.1 Problems experienced by single parents
3.5.2 Types of single parents
3.5.2.1 Displaced homemakers
3.5.2.2 Adolescent mothers
3.5.2.3 Single fathers
3.5.3 Career development needs of single parents
3.5.3.1 Career development programmes
3.6 SPONTANEOUS AND FORMALISED GUIDANCE
3.6.1 Spontaneous and non-spontaneous guidance
3.6.2 Informal guidance
3.6.2.1 Informal guidance and counselling in the single parent family
3.6.2.2 Informal guidance and counselling in the school situation
3.6.2.3 Formalised guidance and counselling at school
3.7 STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF FORMAL SCHOOL GUIDANCE
3.8 CONCEPT OF FORMAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
3.8.1 Content of existing guidance and counselling programme of the Department of Education and Training
3.5 THE NATURE OF SINGLE PAREN »rHOOD
3.5.1 Problems experienced by single parents
3.5.2 Types of single parents
3.5.2.1 Displaced homemakers
3.5.2.2 Adolescent mothers
3.5.2.3 Single fathers
3.5.3 Career development needs of single parents
3.5.3.1 Career development programmes
3.6 SPONTANEOUS AND FORMALISED GUIDANCE
3.6.1 Spontaneous and non »spontaneous guidance
3.6.2 Informal guidance
3.6.2.1 Informal guidance and counselling in the single parent family
3.6.2.2 Informal guidance and counselling in the school situation
3.6.2.3 Formalised guidance and counselling at school
3.7 STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF FORMAL SCHOOL GUIDANCE
3.8 CONCEPT OF FORMAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
3.8.1 Content of existing guidance and counselling programme of the Department of Education and Training
3.8.2 Content of guidance and counselling programmes in education departments for whites
3.9 STRATEGIES OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
3.9.1 Government stance in school guidance and counselling
3.9.2 Various strategies or formal guidance and counselling
3.10 SYNTHESIS
3.8.2 Content of guidance and counselling programmes in education departments for whites
3.9 STRATEGIES OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
3.9.1 Government stance in school guidance and counselling
3.9.2 Various strategies or formal guidance and counselling
3.10 SYNTHESIS
CHAPTER FOUR: THE RESEARCH DESIGN OF THE EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 METHOD OF RESEARCH
4.3 THE SAMPLE
4.3.1 Population and subjects
4.3.2 Sample sizes and sampling procedure
4.4 THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
4.4.1 The choice of the instrument
4.4.2 Design of the questionnaire
4.4.3 Biographical data
4.5 QUESTIONNAIRE RESEARCH ON THE PERCEPTIONS OF ADOLESCENTS REGARDING CAREER LIFE
4.5.1 Background perspective
4.5.2 Research by means of a questionnaire
4.5.2.1 The research group
4.5.2.2 Compiling the questionnair
4.5.3 Interpretation of the questionnaire
CHAPTER FIVE: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE RESEARCH DATA
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 ELABORATION OF THE DATA
5.3 PROFilE OF SAMPLE
5.3.1 Distribution of pupils and teachers
5.3.2 Age group of pupils
5.3.3 The person with whom adolescents stay
5.3.4 Marital status of parents
5.3.5 Position of the child in the family
5.4 COMPARISON BETWEEN PUPilS AND TEACHERS
5.4.1 Approach to be followed
5.4.2 Spontaneous dimension
5.4.2.1 Self-awareness/self-knowledge
5.4.2.2 Self-concept/establishing identity
5.4.3 Relationship dimension
5.4.3.1 Family relationship
5.4.3.2 Relationship with friends and peers
CHAPTER SIX: SYNOPSIS OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
6.1 INTRODUC »nON
6.2 SUMMARY AND THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERENCE
6.3 MOST IMPORTANT FINDINGS
6.4 REPORT ON THE TESTING OF THE HYPOTHESES
6.5 EVALUATION OF THE STUDY
6.6 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.6.1 Attitude of people towards single parenting
6.6.2 Spontaneous dimension
6.6.3 Relationship dimension
6.6.4 Orientation towards adulthood
6.6.5 General recommendations
6.6.6 Recommendations for further research
6.6.7 Conclusion
SUMMARY
OPSOMMING
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX ONE
Questionnaire for pupils
APPENDIX TWO
Questionnaire for teachers
APPENDIX THREE
Letter from the Department of Education and Culture of the North Western province
APPENDIX FOUR Letter from statistician
APPENDIX FIVE Letter from statistician