Complete Project– INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION AND TEACHERS EFFECTIVENESS AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IN LAGOS-MAINLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, LAGOS STATE
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The value of supervision lies on the development and improvement of the teaching/learning situation and is reflected in the development of pupils. It then becomes imperative that the school environment and teachers are constantly monitored and approved to the achievement of education goals. It is the tool of quality control in the school system and a phase of school administration which focuses primarily upon the achievement of appropriate expectation of educational system (Peretomode, 2004). It has long been recognized in the educational setting. In the study of Berg and associates (1994) for instance, the finding showed that stress level of staff, most especially teachers are significantly reduced through supervision, as they provide individual planned care for patient with dementia. Hallberg (1994); Nzabonimpa (2011) also found out that instructional supervision allows the improvement of teacher-student relationship, reduction of stress level, enhancement of self-confidence among students and knowledge enrichment. Also, supervision is seen as the intervention given by a senior member of a certain profession to a junior or group of member working in a similar profession. In some studies, supervision enables teachers and educators to reflect upon themselves, particularly on their formative learning needs. White and associates (1998) on the other hand, noted that instructional supervision makes work routine easier for the staff (teachers) as they can openly share their difficulties with someone who understands their experience as well as their feelings. Clearly, this study emphasizes the role of instructional supervision on providing quality educational service. In the case of secondary education, supervision is important to ensure that students are given enough attention.
The need for an effective educational supervision in today’s education industry cannot be questioned. This is because of the falling standard of education in Nigeria which is giving more concern than satisfaction. The need to improve teaching and learning capabilities of teachers and students is often the basis for supervision in educational organization. Global educational policies and programs alike have brought forth significant challenges to many education systems around the globe, though educational policy in the twenty-first century is the key to global security, sustainability and survival (Olssen, Good, &O’neill 2006). Education for All (EFA), Universal Primary Education (UPE), and Universal Secondary Education (USE) are some of the notable global educational policies implemented ages ago. In his master‘s thesis, Habimana (2008) points out that political leaders and researchers continuously stress that in our time education is declining all over the world as it faces diverse challenges. Numerous recent studies still have indicated that today‘s education systems in countless nation-states around the globe are facing a number of education-related challenges that are making it difficult for them to achieve educational goals and objectives than ever before. Globalization is one of noticeable challenges today. The effect of globalization on education, on the other hand today, has called for survival measures of education all over the world, and all organizations continuously strive for sustainable development and survival with no let up.
Responding to this scenario, Armstrong cited in Nzabonimpa (2011) suggests that this survival can basically be ensured through adequate work supervision as one of strategic survival approaches. As a manager in any organization, contends Hunsaker andHunsaker (2009), one must ensure that objectives are met and also that employees learn how to enhance their performance through regular appraisals and supervision. However, astute observations, articles and repeated educational research studies indicate that there is an ongoing decline of supervision in schools throughout the globe today (Bentley cited in Nzabonimpa 2011). Education is even being criticized in some developing countries vis-à-vis its products. With reference to this, in VOA Special English Education Report, 2011, US president Barack Obama was quoted saying, “If Americans want to win the future, and then they also have to win the race to educate their children”. Referring to president Obama’s assertive statement, the word ‘raceʼ simply implies ongoing serious competition whereby countries are competing for top education success throughout the globe. To achieve this goal remains a question.
Teachers’ effectiveness among other staff in schools e.g. secondary schools, received the increasing interest and concern among the researchers. The performance of every teacher is expected to reflect ability to drive the changes within schools; secondary schools included and therefore can create an impact towards the schools. Because of the lack of monitoring and guidance from the higher officials or often referred to as the supervisors, the teachers and their performance cannot be assured as effective in the schools. The performance of teachers in secondary schools is important. Therefore the functions and roles assigned for them should be well addressed. The factors involved are the organizational structure in which they operate their workload and work management with the appropriate instructional supervision. The teacher effective performance can be ensured and can have a significant outcome according to the task or responsibility given to them.
Consequently, it is significant to note that supervision and the officials assigned to carry out the supervision play a vital role in the educational organization most especially the secondary education, in order to make the overall operation and resource system a valuable asset for the whole organization. With effective supervision carried out by the effective supervisors in any educational organization like secondary schools, the students are being benefited in a way that they will become fully developed and also teachers’ effectiveness will be enhanced. Hence, this study intends to examine instructional supervision and teachers’ effectiveness in secondary schools in Lagos- Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Statement of the Problem
This research work is to investigate the instructional supervision and teachers’ effectiveness in secondary schools in Lagos- Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State. The teachers effectiveness is expected to reflect in their ability to drive the change within the schools and therefore making an impact towards the teaching and learning activities in the schools.
Fullan (2007) cited in Alimi and Akinfolarin (2012) in a comprehensive report on how school principals acquire and deploy their fiscal and human resources wrote that principals report spending a great deal of time managing facilities, supervising staff, dealing with discipline and security, and student learning. They devote less time to professional development and curriculum supervision.
One of the most critical problems facing the teaching profession is how to improve the development of beginning teachers. Teachers find their first few years of teaching a trying and often defeating experience. Entrance into the teaching profession is marked by an initial period of challenges and opportunities. Teachers begin their careers facing the most difficult assignments with lack of time for planning, supervision and interaction with colleagues (Odell & Ferraro, 1992). As Robinson (1998) pointed out, to be successful, teachers must meet their challenges with perseverance, hard work and quality assistance from experienced teachers and administrators who are willing to provide and recognize extensive support for them during the first few years of their teaching careers, effective supervision and coaching programs at the induction level have been found to ameliorate beginning teacher concerns, and to increase teachers’ focus on instruction (Huling-Austin, 1990). Among secondary school teachers, some often complain about their administrators, the head teacher and the principals, as they primarily focus on administrative duties, rather than giving instructional and academic supports. Thus, the image of instructional leadership has become awkward in the professional rhetoric but all too often lacking administrative practice of many school administrators. Teachers in Lagos- Mainland local government area secondary schools of Lagos State have been finding it difficult to cope with the teaching profession due to inadequate supervision by the principals, vice-principals and HODs in secondary schools.
As the school head or administrator, it is his/her responsibility to provide effective and efficient management of the school. Schools are headed by administrative and educational leader and their leadership roles have a primary function only, and this function is to ensure that successful learning take place for all students in the school through supervision of their staff. The principal, vice-principal and Heads of the Department (HODs) have been deficient in the checking of lesson notes, scheme of work, teachers’ punctuality, teachers’ regularity in class and students’ notes. In the aspect of supervision of instruction, the principals have not been performing up to the task in the area of moderation of examination question papers, moderation of making scheme and observation of classroom teaching. The problems experienced by teachers should not lead supervisors to conclude that all induction programs should focus solely on survival issues (Glatthorn, 1990). Ijaya (2013) explained that supervision is a process aimed at promoting growth and development in a school setting, whereby a designated officer assists classroom teachers to become more competent and self-propelling.
Purpose of the study
The general purpose of this study is to examine how effective and efficient instructional supervision has yielded positive impacts on the teachers effectiveness. Different reasons have recently been identified, responsible for the fall in quality of education in Nigeria; secondary schools are not left out. The causes include among others, student unrest, examination malpractices, leakages, teachers ineffectiveness, teachers nonchalant attitude to work etc. These are attributed to lack of proper management and inadequacy in educational supervision in general.
The study also aims at emphasizing on the need for adequate instructional supervision of teacher’s in secondary schools, for enhancement and improvement in their efficiency in teaching in all secondary schools.
This study intends to examine the relationship between instructional supervision and teachers’ effectiveness in Lagos- Mainland Local Government Area Secondary Schools of Lagos State. Other specific purposes include to:
- Investigate how often teachers are supervised in Lagos- Mainland local Government Area secondary schools, Lagos State;
- Investigate the methods often used to supervise teachers in Lagos- Mainland local government area secondary schools, Lagos State;
- Investigate the level of students’ academic performance in Lagos- Mainland local government area secondary schools, Lagos State.
- Investigate the relationship that exists between instructional supervision and performance of secondary school teachers in Lagos- Mainland local government area secondary schools, Lagos State.
Research Questions
The following research questions are raised to guide this study:
- How often are teachers supervised in Lagos State secondary schools?
- What are the methods often used to supervise teachers in Lagos State secondary schools?
- What is the level of teachers’ effectiveness in Lagos State secondary schools?
Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses are formulated to guide the conduct of this study:
Ho: There is no significant relationship between instructional supervision and teachers ` performance in Lagos State secondary schools.
Operational Hypotheses
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between instructional supervision and method of teaching in Lagos State secondary schools.
Ho2: There is no significant relationship between instructional supervision and lesson plan preparation in Lagos State secondary schools.
Ho3: There is no significant relationship between instructional supervision and classroom management in Lagos State secondary schools.
Scope of the Study
The study focuses on instructional supervision and teachers effectiveness among public secondary school in Lagos-Mainland Local Government Area, Lagos State
The study attempts to measure the level of effectiveness, relevance and adequacy of instructional supervision (independent variable)which include checking of lesson notes, scheme of work, teachers punctuality, teachers regularity in class and students notes. It will also include moderation of examination question papers, moderation of making scheme and observation of classroom teaching in relation to teachers’ effectiveness (dependent variable) would be limited to method of teaching, lesson plan preparation and classroom management. The study would mainly use questionnaire for data collection. Finally, the study is limited to Lagos- Mainland Local Government Area senior secondary schools.
Significance of the study
For achieving positive result on students’ academic performance in schools most especially basic schools, supervision of staff must be a routine affair in achieving academic goals as well as broad goals of the schools. Since the study focuses on educational supervision and teachers’ effectiveness, it would be of help to teachers and school heads to discover and make the best use of experience acquired and education qualities possessed by them. It serves as basis for concrete and constructive advice to improve the qualities of education of children in basic schools.
The result of this research will be useful to education policy makers, as it will enable them to realize the urgent need, to give supervision a pride of place in basic schools, so as to achieve the aims and objectives of basic education. It will also be of help to the curriculum planners and developers to consider necessary ideas and facts on educational supervision. Furthermore, this work will expose the students of educational management in Nigerian universities who may intend to carryout research work or write on basic education settings and finally, it shows the role of educational supervision towards achieving the aims and objectives of teaching and learning in basic schools.
Operational Definitions of terms
The following terms have been defined in the context of this writing as follows:
Supervision: This is the process of helping the teachers in the area of teaching such as methodology, writing of lesson notes, knowledge of subject matter etc. in order to help the learners. This is usually carried out by the Principal, Vice-Principal and Head of Departments.
Instructional Supervision: A process in education with the primary purpose of supporting and sustaining all teachers in their goal of career-long growth and development, which ultimately results in quality instruction.
Instructional Supervisors: These include school principals, vice-principals, heads of departments and all those who monitor the work of other teachers and help them to improve their performance at school level.
Teachers’ Supervision:These are the services activities that exist to help teachers to grow professionally to do their work better. They include checking of lesson notes, scheme of work, teachers’ punctuality, teachers’ regularity in class and students notes. They also include moderation of examination question papers, moderation of making scheme and observation of classroom teaching.
Teachers’ effectiveness: This refers to the outputs of teachers in the performance of their job in the school system. It includes method of teaching, students’ assessment, lesson plan preparation and classroom management.
Classroom management: This refers to planning, supervising, controlling and coordinating the activities of students in teaching–learning process.
Student Assessment: It can be defined as the way students are evaluated whether for placement or promotion in terms of giving of assignment.
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