INVESTIGATION OF STUDENTS PERCEPTION TOWARDS TEACHING PRACTICE EXERCISE AMONG STUDENTS TEACHER
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to Study
Ruairc (2013) defines teaching practice as an important component of becoming a teacher. Teaching practice grants student – teachers experience in the actual teaching and learning environment. Teaching practice is known to expose student- teachers to the actual practice of teaching. It is during this period that student- teachers are given the opportunity to try the art of teaching before actually getting into the real world of the teaching profession (Kiggundu and Nayimuli 2009). In view of this, Perry (2012) argues that teaching practice creates a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, excitement and apprehension in the student- teachers as they commence their teaching practice. Thus, this provides student- teachers with the chance to express their personal educational philosophies, theories and understandings. In other words, this creates an opportunity for student- teachers to experiment and test their knowledge and skills in the profession of teaching and learning with an understanding of their personal educational philosophies and theories.
Teaching practice is a very important aspect of any teacher training programme. It is a student-teacher and prospective regular teacher what housemanship is to young medical doctor. Questions may be asked – why does a young lawyer on being called to the Bar choose first to understudy an older and more experienced lawyer? Why do young medical doctors go for housemanship under the more experienced ones? Why do vocational education students go on Industrial Training? Likewise, why do student-teachers or prospective teachers go on Teacher Practice? These questions and their answers are very similar. No human being anywhere would have to face some dangers that could be avoided. There is a popular adage which says that “Prevention is always better than cure” or “a stitch in time, saves nine”. Most of the student-teachers do not seem to be fully aware of this fact, may be because of the small proportion of the entire time allocated to teaching, he needs to go through adequate and appropriate teaching practice experience.
It is needful to note that teaching practice is not a bed of roses for the student- teachers because they experience challenges, which in a way can hamper their ability to derive maximum benefits from the exercise. Important part of a student teacher’s preparation and training, especially in the developing and underdeveloped worlds where teaching can be disrupted by a range of challenges. Some of these challenges are geographical distance, low and uneven levels of teacher expertise, a wide ranging lack of resources as well as a lack of discipline among a cross-section of learners and educators (Marais and Meier 2004). It is important that these challenges be addressed, as they may affect the student teachers’ performance during teaching practice as well as their perception of the teaching profession in subsequent years (Quick and Sieborger 2010).
Teaching practice has been defined by Ndagi (2014) as the teaching which those training for teaching or any education work are engaged in a specified period of time on graduation under a supervisor or supervisor guiding, directing and assessing trainee teacher. In some cases, the student- teachers must master the subject matter before going to classroom, and starts to teach. It is a very important scheme which has been in existence since the introduction of education course in teacher training certificates (T. T. C.), Nigeria Certificate in Education (N. C. E.), These programmes make teaching practice compulsory and no candidate is awarded certificate in Education without teaching practice in the training by medical doctors. Teaching practices is the most important element in the professional training of teachers across the world. The importance of teaching practice in teacher education programme cannot be overemphasized. It is the crucial periods of the translating theory into practice. The student -teachers have been facing a lot of difficulties which they have dealt with for effective teaching and learning to take place. This research work will therefore attempt to investigate and discuss the difficulties the student- teachers undergo during teaching practice and will finally suggest ways for which teaching practice exercise can be improved.
Teaching practice is a period of time during which a student teacher is assigned to a specific institution; primary or secondary school for a supervised teaching as one of the requirements for graduation and effective teaching experience. Okorie in Agusiobo and Udegbe (2010) defined teaching practice as a period that enables student teachers to learn about the actual work of the teacher in the classroom as well as out-of-class experience.
Teaching practice provides the laboratory where a student practicalizes what he/she had learnt concerning effective teaching. Teaching practice is an important factor in preparing students for future teaching assignments. According to National Teacher Institution, teaching.
Practice manual (2013), the general objectives of teaching practice are to enable the student teachers;
- Gain general experience, both academic professional, social and physical related to teaching profession.
- .Acquire a wealth of practical experience from all staff they are likely to be in contact with through active participation in the school assigned responsibilities.
- Bring the student teachers into direct contact with such significant issues as the functions and responsibilities of various categories of school, staff academic and non-academic.
- Develop competence in proper lesson preparation delivery and assessment.
To achieve the above objectives, the student- teacher is usually required to undergo at least twelve weeks teaching practice to enable him/her acquire the expected skills which will position him/her as a competent professional teacher. During this period, the student teacher may be faced with some challenges which include classroom management, attitude of the supervisors towards the student teachers, curriculum development, instruction and environmental challenges. Learning environment according to Maduewesi (2015) include the classroom surroundings, physical facilities in the classroom and teacher- student relationship. Physical environment comprises all those equipment, materials, furniture and learning space that make up the place where learners learn. When all these things are made available to the student teachers, they will be motivated to carry out the task assigned to them and the aim of teaching practice will be achieved.
Supervisor is described as college or university lecturer (trained teacher) who is responsible for coordinating the student teachers while teaching. He is also seen as somebody who guides and coordinates the activities of teachers and other school personnel towards the realization of educational objectives. He mediates between people and school programmes in order to ensure that the processes of teaching and learning are improved (Anambra saju, 2014).
Supervision is an essential activity that exists to help teachers do a better job. Supervision is very important factor in teacher preparation because they help in the improvement of teaching and learning processes. During teaching practice exercise, the attitude of supervisors toward the student teachers can improve the ability and competence in the student teacher or it can mar the objective of the exercise. When the student teacher is not properly supervised the whole exercise will be unproductive. The supervision of students during teaching practice should be regular. The supervisor should be qualified and experienced so that he will be able to render to the student teachers the desired mentoring as will be needed from him/her.
Teaching practice is known to expose student teachers to the actual practice of teaching. It is during this period that student teachers are given the opportunity to try the art of teaching before actually getting into the real world of the teaching profession (Kiggundu and Nayimuli 2010). In view of this, Perry (2016) argues that teaching practice creates a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, excitement and apprehension in the student teachers as they commence their teaching practice. Thus, this provides student teachers with the chance to express their personal educational philosophies, theories and understandings. In other words, this creates an opportunity for student-teachers to experiment and test their knowledge and skills in the profession of teaching and learning with an understanding of their personal educational philosophies and theories.
It is needful to voice out clearly that teaching practice is not completely a bed of roses for the student teachers because they experience challenges, which in a way can hamper their ability to perform well and derive maximum benefit from the exercise, which is an important part of a student teacher’s preparation and training, especially in the developing and underdeveloped worlds where teaching can be disrupted by a range of challenges. Some of these challenges are geographical distance, low and uneven levels of teacher expertise, a wide ranging lack of resources as well as a lack of discipline among a cross-section of learners and educators (Marais and Meier 2004). It is important that these challenges be addressed, as they may affect the student teachers’ performance during teaching practice as well as their perception of the teaching profession in subsequent.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The problem is that some student teachers do not perform well in Home Economics while on teaching practice due to inadequate of instructional materials, master the subject matter good methodology, inability to control classroom during the teaching, over familiarity, lack of accommodation and office facilities for the student teachers, too much of works at time is given to the student- teachers, lack of cooperation from their practicing schools attitude of the pupils towards the student teachers and difficulty on the part of student teacher to manage his class effectively etc. the extent to which these problems are being addressed and recommendation made constitute the problem of study. The Researcher will Comparatively examine Teaching Practice Experiences Of Home Economics Students-Teachers. Challenges And Possible Panacea
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is the investigation of students perception towards teaching practice exercise among students teacher
The specific purposes of this study include the following:
- To compare and contrast on the problem faced by student teacher during teaching practices and their performance.
- To investigate relationship between classroom management challenges facing student-teachers and their performance.
- To investigate relationship between the challenges faced by student-teachers from their supervisors and their performance.
1.4 Research hypotheses
- There is no significant relationship between problem faced by student teacher during teaching practices and their performance.
- There is no significant relationship between classroom management challenges facing student-teachers and their performance.
- There is no significant relationship between the challenges faced by student-teachers from their supervisors and their performance.
1.5 Significant of the Study
The significance of this study is directed towards identifying people that will benefit from this research work and how they benefited from it. The under listed people benefited from this work, they are:
- The Researcher:This work has challenge the researcher to apply the theoretical knowledge of research work into practical or real project work. Thereby equipped them with rudiment of research work.
- The Students:This work can also be of interest to students who may like to carry out research work in the same area which involve the stated problem.
iii. Teachers:Practising teachers will find this material beneficial in the sense that it will help them to understand and device needs of averting challenges that surround teaching career. It can also assist aspiring teachers to develop interest in teaching career, having identified those challenges student-teacher encountered during teaching practice and fortified themselves in order to face the challenges.
- Parents:Parents can still find the material beneficial because they can offer solutions to the challenges of teaching practice which have been identified in this project work. They can as well find it useful by reading the work in order to know some of the challenges which student-teachers faced during teaching practice. Furthermore, having identified some of the challenges during teaching practice and proffering solutions will go a long way in directing student-teachers in the right course thereby equipping them to be competent, qualitative, and skillful teachers who will teach the future generation. In that direction, parents have benefited as their children will acquire sound education.
- Curriculum Planners:This work will help curriculum planners to direct their planning towards addressing the challenges of student-teachers during teaching practice which will in turn improve the planning process and educational activities.
- Government:Government will find this work beneficial as they will able to know some of the challenges which student-teachers encountered thereby contribute in an attempt to find a way out.
vii. School Authority: This work will help the school authority to know the areas they are not covering effectively, hence will address the situation.
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