Creating an Environment for the Restoration of Dignity to Disadvantaged Mathematics Foundation Classrooms

This article chronicles how a conducive environment creates a restoration of dignity to disadvantaged mathematics foundation learners. The variation theory was used to provide the sequential building blocks required to learn foundation mathematics to Grade 1–5 learners in a district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. A sample of 23 learners participated in this study. Structured worksheets covering mathematics content for Grade 1–5 were prepared for the learners to practice after school in a homework club on their own, in rural settings in a study that followed qualitative methods. Results indicated how the creation of a supportive and caring environment developed the learners' resilience, restored their dignity and increased their competence in an understanding of basic mathematics concepts. The learners also developed good relationships with each other while they shared information and helped others to restore their dignity and led them ultimately to the independence of acquiring other mathematical skills and ownership of the learning experiences. The intervention with the after-school program may serve as a suitable environment for the disadvantaged learners and restore their competence in understanding mathematics concepts while providing a platform for learners to share knowledge gained with the underprivileged ones.