In Search of Best Practice in South African Desegregated Schools

Outlining key events in South African schools as definitive examples of managing diversity, this monograph highlights contemporary South Africa's daunting challenge of achieving social cohesion. Addressing the need for educational institutions to weave a common identity while promoting respect for difference, the examination discusses the current state of school desegregation, suggesting innovative ways to dismantle the legacies of the past and create inclusive paradigms for the classroom. Based on a survey of stakeholders’ perceptions about what constitutes “best practice” in a desegregated school environment and supported by classroom observation, interviews, and focus groups, this analysis brings to light patterns that foster healthy identities in learners—both as individuals and as members of South African society. Concise and accessible, this study is essential for policy makers, educators, and all those involved in teacher education.