The Contributions of Mentoring on Teachers’ Effective Classroom Management Strategies in Government Aided Secondary Schools in the Acholi Sub-Region

Abstract

The study investigates the extent to which mentoring services improve on teachers’ instructional processes in government aided secondary schools. Teacher effectiveness requires concerted effort and interventions to change the way teachers conduct their teaching. The research used cross sectional survey and mixed methods. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Data was collected from 462 secondary school teachers and school administrators and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square frequency. The results statistically significantly suggested that teachers are able to supervise and control learners during class activities as a result of mentoring services (M = 4.40). The study findings statistically significantly suggested (M =4.32) that teachers have acquired skills of controlling learners’ behaviours in the class as a result of mentoring services. It was also statistically significantly suggested (M= 4.25) that teachers acquired skills of controlling noise as a result of mentoring services. The findings through quantitative methods revealed that mentoring influence teacher effectiveness in government aided secondary schools. However, findings through qualitative methods revealed that Mentoring does not have any influence on teacher effectiveness. Findings through documents checked revealed that mentoring activities are not documented meaning no mentoring services in the schools. Mentors have not had formal training in mentoring, they have no mentoring skills. This is why teachers do not effectively manage their classroom and students’ performance remain poor.  The study suggests that Ministry of Education and Sports should be empowered to regularly organize appropriate training for teachers and school administrators to scale-up teachers’ awareness and skills in mentoring to help improve on teachers’ instructional processes in government aided secondary schools.

Keywords: Teacher Effectiveness, teaching, mentoring, classroom management. government aided secondary schools

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-36-16

Publication date: December 31^st 2019