CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
Education
is the total process of human learning by which knowledge is imparted,
faculties trained and skills developed. Education is therefore a process and a
product. It is a continuous process of learning which produces a desirable
product, it involves receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at
a school or University. Education brings about an inherent and permanent change
in a person's thinking and capacity to do things. Education is the only
cornerstone for any nation and the only potential instrument for social
reconstruction.
Mkpa
asserts that a teacher is someone who underwent and completed a formal teacher
training institution, a planned programme of training among other areas, in the
principles and practice of education and was exposed to an observed period of
internship either after or as part of the period of training. Teachers
therefore have a role to play in the development of a nation, especially in
building up leaders and intellectuals of nations who will sustain the nation's
development.
Teaching
is a profession just like law and medicine and it happens to be one of the
oldest profession in Nigeria, unfortunately, it is the least developed in terms
of standard of training and practice. This continues to be a source of concern
to professionals and even to the governments. Moore (2016).
According
to the advanced learners' dictionary (2014) a profession means occupation and
special training like law, medicine and so on. Profession can also mean a
calling vocation where performance requires the performer on an elaborate
exposure to an esoteric theoretical knowledge acquired after many years of
endeavors and moral study. A profession can be likened to a social club which
is governed by code of ethics, the most outstanding of which are expertise
authority, responsibility, commitment, dedication, autonomy and emotional
maturity.
The professionals who engage in training the
prospective teachers are called the teachers educators. Ipaye (2006) supported
this when he referred to teacher education as the process by which prospective
teachers are provided the opportunity to develop cognitive perspective,
affective disposition and psychomotor competencies that will imbue them with
confidence and capacity to teach and carry out other teaching related
activities efficiently and effectively.
The
National policy of education (2004) the minimum teaching qualification in
Nigeria institution of learning is National Certificate in Education (N.C.E).
The duration for obtaining NCE is a minimum of three academic sessions (3years)
and a maximum of five academic session (5 years). Colleges of education and
Universities are charged with the training of teachers under the supervision of
lecturers and staff. Faculties of education in universities train teachers who
already have the (NCE) qualifications. They also offer Master's and Doctorate
degree programmes in education. College of education offer the NCE training
programmes, Some more equipped and better staffed college of education also
train teachers for the secondary School by offering the Bachelor of Education
degree programmes in affiliation with some universities. They equally offer
sandwich programmes, run workshops on retooling and updating the knowledge of
teachers.
Teaching
practice is a compulsory and singular six credit unit course for all students
in 300 level final year in Alvan ikoku federal college of education, Owerri, Imo
State. No student in the college can be awarded a Nation certificate in
Education (N.C.E) until there is evidence of pass performance level in teaching
practice. Training of teachers becomes largely the responsibility of Alvan
Ikoku Federal College Of Education, students go on 12 to 18 weeks teaching
practice for NCE programme and 6 weeks for degree programme so as to apply the
theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom situation and come back with
varied experience. Students experience challenges in their teaching practice
life, hence the need to identify these problems and suggest solutions to them.
Nwanekezi
(2011) remarked that teaching practice is the name of the preparation of
student teacher for teaching by practical training. Teaching practice according
to Ipaye (2002)is like clinical training or industrial experience given to
student teachers over a period of time. It can also been seen as proofs when
student teachers are aided to put into practice the theories and principles of
education which they have learnt in the classroom as they teach (Ogonor and
Badmus,2006)
Despite
it's importance, Kiggundu and Nayimuli(2009) note that teaching practice
sometimes becomes a demoralizing and sometimes a very frightening experience.
Studies has also revealed some challenges that bedeviled teaching practice
experience for example; Ognor and Badmus
(2006)lamented that teachers of partnership schools did not provide specific
aid to student teachers to improve their teaching skills and strategies.
Nakpodia
(2011) remarked that some supervisors do not even have time to sit down and
discuss their observation and comments with the student teacher. The short
discussion between the supervisor and the student teacher just after the lesson
which should afford the student teacher the opportunity to appreciate his
strengths and weaknesses are often ignored because the supervisor is often in a
haste to move on the next school.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
Student teachers face some problems during teaching practice due
to inadequate
of instructional materials, mastering of the subject matter, financial support,
methodology, inability to control classroom during the teaching, learner's
discipline, 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.
The extent to which these problems are being addressed and recommendation made
constitute the problem of study. The Researcher will examine the challenges of
teaching practice exercise among student teachers
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The
main purpose of this study is to examine the challenges facing student teachers
during teaching practice exercise in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education
in Imo State. The purposes of this study will include the following:
1. To
investigate relationship between environmental challenges faced by student
teachers during teaching practice and their performance.
2. To
investigate relationship between classroom management challenges facing
student-teachers and their performance.
3. To
investigate relationship
between the challenges faced by student-teachers form their supervisors and
their performance.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The
following people, organizations and establishment will benefit from the
findings of this study. They include Student teachers, lecturer, Colleges of
Education and Universities, supervisors of teaching practice, government and
future researchers. Student teachers are the main benefactors of the findings
in the sense that the study will acquaint them with the challenges of the
programme and the role they can play to surmount the challenges. This will help
them to be better graduates that are well equipped with what it takes to face
the realities of teaching. It will enable our Colleges and Universities to
equip their students with the rudiments of teaching before sending them to
teaching practice. It will also help to device means of removing the problems
and thus modify the programme. The removal of these hindrances will also make
for more effective organization and implementation of the programme.
The
supervisors of teaching practice and the cooperating school teachers will through
the findings acquaint themselves with the best and effective measures to adopt
in helping the student teachers to realize or achieve the objectives of
teaching practice.
Future researchers will benefit
from these findings because the study will be as a reference for their research
in the near future. Finally the findings of this study will benefit the general
public because education is the key to building a society.
1.5 Scope of the Study
This
study focuses on the challenges facing student teachers during teaching
practice exercise in Imo State. Due to certain constraints such as time, and
finance, this research work was limited to the challenges facing
student-teachers during their teaching
practice exercise in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri Imo
State, final year student-teachers.
1.6 Research Questions
In
order to examine student-teachers’ challenges during teaching practice, the
following research questions were formulated:
(I).
To what extent does classroom management affect student teachers during
teaching practice exercise?
(ii).
To what extent does the environmental challenges affect student teachers during
teaching practice exercise?
(iii).
To what extent does supervision during teaching practice exercise affect
student teachers?
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF
RELATED LITERATURE
This
chapter is concerned with the review of relevant literature on the challenges
facing student teachers during their teaching practice exercise and will be
discussed under the following subheadings:
2.1
Conceptual Framework
2.1.1 Concept of
teaching as a profession
2.1.2
Significance of teacher education in teaching practice
2.1.3 Concept of
teaching practice
2.1.4 Teaching
practice of conduct
2.1.5 Classroom
management challenges facing student-teachers
2.2.6 School
environment challenges facing student-teachers
2..2.7
Supervision challenges facing student-teachers
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