PROBLEMS AND PROSPECT OF TEACHING PRACTICE PROGRAMME
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
As a result of growing school leaver unemployment, the Nigeria Government introduced the National Policy on Education revised 1980. A major provision of the policy was the introduction of the teaching practice programmes at the College of Education, Ekiadolor, with emphasis on the acquisition of practical teaching skills, valves and knowledge that would enable individuals to impact knowledge. One of the rationales for the emphasis on teaching programmes is that fact that is a skill practices which would equip its gainful employment. Even if they end their programmes at the Nigeria Certificate in education level. One basic necessity for the achievement of this objective is the availability of relevant teaching aids such as chart, chalk board, text books e.t.c. this would ensure that courses are taught according to the curriculum and the programmes in this regard the use of audio- unseals and related teaching facilities as suggested by most authors would be relevant.
Teaching practice is a very important and compulsory component of the preparation of teachers for it represent the final steps in t5hde exercise it is a period in the education of the teacher aspirant when he is allowed, under expert supervision to experiment, in a real school environment with the things he has learnt in theory about teaching
According to grim and Micheals (2006) teaching practice is an opportunity for teacher aspirant to9 gain practical classroom experiences under expert supervision Okorie (2005) emphasis that student teaching is not a trial period but a preparatory period and an opportunity for the student teacher to learn about the actual work of the teacher is the classroom as well as out of classroom experiences and good human relations”
In a recent study Onwikwe (2008) found out that ideally student teachers should have the following characteristics to be effective.
The student teacher is given thorough preparation in the subject he has to teach as well as in educational technology and special methodology of the subject matter. Exposure to micro- teaching experience is essential
The student teacher works under the guidance of a co operating teacher throughout the period of the exercise.
The student teacher dose not combines practice, teaching with other university/ college courses.
The student teacher forms part the co- operating force and is expected to adjust to the conditions in the school.
The student teacher participants in all the extra- curricular activities of the school throughout the period of the experience.
The student teacher has opportunity to spend some time watching and observing the professional teacher at work before embarking on teaching himself.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
This research work is to find out the problems and prospects of the teaching practice programme in college of education with special emphasis on college of education Ekiadolor Benin
The ideal is that student teaching should not be done concurrently with other course at the university or college. The fact that student teachers are placed in school away from campus may suggest that they do not have to do other courses during the practice teaching period.
A closer look at the secondary school year vis- a- viz the university I college year point to the contrary. In most cases observed teaching practice periods interlope with university/college semester. As a result student returning from teaching practice some time loose as many as four weeks in and even some miss their carry over examinations. It is as a result of all these, that the researcher intends to examine the problems as prospects of the teaching practice programmes in college of education Ekiadolor-Benin
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions which the study attempt to verify are as follow;
Does student teacher encounter problems during teaching practice?
Does absence of personal qualities can hinder pupil or student progress in the learning process
Does student like to practice teaching as profession after graduation?
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to examine the problem and prospects of the teaching practice programmed as an educational tool aimed to gain experience and use this experience as an area to build upon,” the establishment of college of education, Ekiadolor Benin and to offer some suggestion as to improve on the teaching practice programme.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is of importance to a considerable number of people, prominent among which both in the university and college of education and also serve as reference for partial replicate of the study in the future.
1.6 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The major objectives of this study is to examine recent experiences in the teaching practices programmes in colleges of education with a view to highlighting the methodologies adopted and proposing areas that need improvement.
The role of teaching practice in the life and upliftment of a nation and individuals, mostly at this scientific and technological age, is immense, it is therefore very necessary that every college of education benefit from the slightest opportunity available to college of education. Teaching practice programme if not to a wide scope but at least to the Nigeria Certificate in Education level. This study therefore, is of great importance as the reports from its findings will be able to influence the decision of a number of agencies.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
For the purpose of the study, the key concepts (words) used are operationally defined as follows;
Education: The acquisition of concepts and knowledge aimed at brining positive change in behavior.
Students: Anyone who studies or is devoted to the acquisition of knowledge.
Teaching: The process, to help someone to learn, to give lessons to show how to do something.
Practices: The act of doing something over and over again, so as to able to do it well.
Programme: A list of events that are going to take place.
Findings: Something realized after making a search.
Skill: The ability to be something well.
