Exploring Grade 9 Teachers’ Experience in Mathematics Learning Environments: A Case Study in Buffalo City Metropolitan
Kemi Olajumoke Adu 
Issue: Vol.6 No.5 Issue Article 5 pp. 425-436
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025655 | Published online 11th April, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Teachers’ experiences in mathematics learning environments are shaped by a variety of factors, including teaching methods, learning materials, classroom culture, technological tools, and individual attitudes toward mathematics. This paper explored the Grade 9 teachers’ experience in mathematics learning environments in selected schools in South Africa. The study employed a transformative paradigm of qualitative research using a phenomenological case study design. Twelve teachers were purposively selected, and the data was analysed using a thematic approach. The findings revealed, among others, that adequate resources, dynamic and innovative teaching, and learner engagement are some of the key variables that influence academic performance in mathematics. Factors like attitudes of teachers and learners towards mathematics, language in the classroom, availability of mathematical teaching aids, and socio-economic state of the family surrounding the learners to mention a few can affect the learning of mathematics. The study concludes that the key to enhancing teachers’ experiences often lies in creating a balanced and supportive atmosphere where learners feel empowered to explore mathematical ideas at their own pace and with confidence. It is recommended that the education stakeholders provide a supportive classroom atmosphere, collaborative learning, teacher support, and interaction.
Keywords: Teachers’ Experience, Mathematics, Learning Environment, Classroom Atmosphere, Collaborative Learning.
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Dr. Kemi Olajumoke Adu has over two decades of teaching experience at primary, secondary and university across three African countries (Nigeria, Botswana and South Africa). She is passionate about developing mathematics teachers at elementary levels where she believes that solutions to education problems should start. She is an expert in Mathematics Education focusing on the effectiveness of pedagogies for teaching Mathematics at the foundation and intermediated phase levels. She is working in the STEM area of research. She has worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at University of Fort Hare for a couple of years and is presently in the same position at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. She has attended many international conferences in countries like Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria, and the UK and has co-supervised some master’s students and published extensively in her areas of specialisation like Mathematics Education (Primary School), Science Education, ICT in Education, and Curriculum Studies.
Adu, Kemi Olajumoke. “Exploring Grade 9 Teachers’ Experience in Mathematics Learning Environments: A Case Study in Buffalo City Metropolitan,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.5 (2025): 425-436. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025655
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
