Relationship between Attitudes towards Teaching and Job Satisfaction among Secondary School Teachers in Kenya

Abstract

The major purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between attitudes towards teachings and job satisfaction among secondary school teachers. Further the study ought to investigate the strength of the relationship between Secondary school teacher’s attitudes towards teaching and the level of job satisfaction. The design of the study was expo facto. Population was secondary school teachers.  Sample size was 324. The statistical package for the social sciences was used to analyze the data.  Percentages and means were used to analyse the data. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to measure the strength of the relationship. Among the major findings, the study revealed that majority of the teachers (65.8%) had positive attitude towards teaching. Majority (82.4%) of the teachers in the sample were not satisfied with the salary they were getting. Majority (76.9%) of the teachers in the sample were not satisfied with the promotional opportunities in the teaching profession. More than half (55.6%) of the teachers in the sample were not satisfied with the kind of supervision they were getting from the heads of the schools. More than half (55.6%) of the teachers in the sample were not satisfied with the supervision they were getting from heads of the schools. A subject which a teacher taught had an important function in determining attitudes towards teaching and job satisfaction. A teacher’s responsibility played an important role in determining attitudes towards teaching and job satisfaction. There was no strong relationship between attitudes towards teaching and job satisfaction among secondary school teachers with respect to the following variables: Age, Type of school, Teaching experience and Mother’s occupation. However, there was strong relationship with respect to:  Subjects taught, Highest education attained, Position of responsibility, Father’s and Mother’s occupation, Father’s and Mother’s highest education attained. The study recommends that those appointed as heads should be given both theoretical and practical training in relation to their new roles as administrators. Based on the findings, the study concluded that attitudes towards teaching and job satisfaction are dynamically interrelated.

Keywords: Job satisfaction; level job satisfaction; Attitudes towards teaching.