Student teachers’ preparedness to raise awareness about bullying among Grade R learners

Background: The prevalence of bullying in South African schools is alarming, and it affects everyone, including children in early childhood development. Teachers have a critical role in raising awareness about bullying to minimise its effects. This implies that student teachers need to be prepared to raise awareness about bullying.Aim: This study aimed to establish the preparedness of university student teachers to raise awareness about bullying among Grade R learners.Setting: Using a qualitative approach anchored in a phenomenological design, data were gathered from a university in Johannesburg, South Africa.Methods: Purposeful sampling was used to sample 25 second-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) Foundation Phase student teachers. In groups of five, students were required to facilitate an antibullying campaign to raise awareness about bullying among Grade R learners. Individually, the student teachers wrote reflective essays on their perceptions of their preparedness to raise awareness about bullying. Data were analysed thematically in line with Braun and Clarke’s steps of data analysis.Results: The study’s results revealed that student teachers were not prepared to raise awareness about bullying because of the use of inappropriate activities, poor classroom management, poor planning and discord in students’ groups.Conclusion: To ensure that student teachers are prepared to raise awareness about bullying, this study concludes that higher tertiary institutions should strengthen their training in raising awareness of bullying for student teachers.Contribution: The study contributes to the body of knowledge on student teachers’ preparedness to raise awareness about bullying in schools.