CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Education
in Nigeria has become a gigantic industry that has been recognized not only as
a tool for nation building but also as a source from which individual Nigerians
can realize their goals and aspirations. The vision of every society in modern
times is that education be used as a tool for social change. In other words, if
a country desires to bring about a new philosophy, a new orientation, a new
social order or a new thinking pattern, the vehicle for such a change is
education. To effect a desired change such a country must undertake
modification of its curriculum as a first step, followed by classroom
instruction, which is derived from the affected curriculum and implemented by
the teacher in the classroom.
Classroom
management according to Akubue (1991) is the process of creating favourable
conditions to facilitate instructions as well as that of regulating social
behaviour of students. He viewed classroom management and organization as a
function of proper knowledge, dedication, skill and training for which they are
called. The behaviours and the reaction of students are much related to the
degree of teacher’sproper
management of the classroom. Teachers in the classroom are by the nature of
their profession, managers of classroom activities. The class teacher’s job
unlike that of other professionals is concerned with maintaining order,
allocating resources, regulating the sequence of events and directing his own
attention towards achieving the educational goals.
Classroom
management plays an important role in the teaching/learning process. It is a
veritable tool in the process of passing instructions from the teacher to the
students. The success of any educational system is a function of the
effectiveness of classroom management. Classroom teachers are managers and so
ought to be in control from the beginning of the lesson to the end so as to
ensure that the students benefit from the interactive business that transpires
in the classroom situation. This, to a greater extent would enhance smooth
coordination and responses on the part of both the teacher and the learner.
Today, classroom management according to Akpakwu (2003) is the most neglected
area in our primary schools, and the success or failure of any
teaching/learning process depends to a large extent on the way classrooms are
managed. Failure to effectively manage the classroom can have an overall
negative influence on the entire school most especially in terms of sound academic
achievement of the school. When educators talk about classroom management, one
of the first things that come to mind is maintenance of discipline, others are
control, motivation, teaching methods, leadership style, use of instructional
materials and communication.
Ada
(2004) sees classroom discipline as a function of the interaction between
teacher and students that brings about self-control and respect for authority.
It entails creating and keeping rules based on reciprocal understanding and
tolerance, and requires establishing limits that must not be transgressed.
Classroom motivation is another management variable that according to Fadipe
(2000) is the process of influencing or stimulating a student to take action
that will accomplish desired goals. A teacher can reward the learners in order
to increase the probability of reporting the desired behaviour. Good and
appropriate teaching methods are important aspects of classroom management.
Diane and Farrand (2000) explained that teachers do not necessarily modify
their teaching strategies or methods when placed in a class to manage. They
further said that teachers need to be trained in order to effectively apply a
wide range of instructional methods that can cater for various forms of
differences that exist in the class.
Recent
happenings and occurrences at the level of primary schools and even other
levels of education leave many scholars in panic today and Abeokuta North LGA
of Ogun State is not left out. The teacher finds himself in a class filled with
students who are disposed to violence, not only to their fellow students but
the teacher also. In a bid to control this tendency towards violence,
indiscipline, and noise making, careful management of the classroom is
therefore important.
Secondary
School students’ academic achievement according to Fadipe (2000) takes into
cognizance both quality and quantity of the internal and external results
achieved. It implies that it is not just the number of graduates of the system
that matters but how relevant and competent the graduates are in meeting the
societal needs and aspirations. It is on the basis of the above that the
researcher is worried and decided to carry out this research to find out, the influence
of classroom management on primary school pupils academic achievement in Abeokuta
North LGA of Ogun State.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It
is regrettable to observe that classroom management which is the most important
ingredient of good teaching seem to be greatly neglected in primary schools
especially the public schools in Abeokuta North LGA of Ogun State. The
managerial demands on the classroom teacher are by no means light. The keeping
of records and reports, requisition of self-effort and provision of supplies
and equipment as well as the necessary routines of classroom management, take
much of the teachers’ time. The teacher sometimes gets trained in different
cultural backgrounds and later finds himself faced with students from varied
cultural and socio economic backgrounds, different adjustment capabilities and
social interaction abilities.
The
problems today include inequality of opportunity in the classroom, improper
upliftment of rights of students, improper school rules and inconsistency of
the classroom teacher, and poor level of preparedness on the part of the
teacher to adequately pass on instructions and so on. Today, the situation in
our primary schools seem worse, if one walks into any of these schools during
lesson periods, many classes if not all, may not be organized, there may be no
form of discipline in these classrooms, no form of motivation for these
students to learn, no teacher to monitor and control the activities of the
students in the classes to mention but a few which negate effective classroom
management. Against this background, the major problem of this study is to
determine the influence of classroom management on primary school pupils
academic achievement in Abeokuta North LGA of Ogun State.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The
main purpose of this study is to find out the influence of classroom management
on primary school pupils academic achievement in Abeokuta North LGA of Ogun
State. Specifically, the study sought to find out the influence of classroom
discipline, motivation and appropriate teaching methods on primary school
pupils academic achievement in the Zone.
1.4 Research Questions
The
following research questions were generated to guide the study;
1.
What is the influence of classroom
discipline on primary school pupils academic achievement in Abeokuta North LGA
of Ogun State?
2.
What influence does classroom
motivation have on students’ academic achievement in primary schools?
3.
In what ways do appropriate teaching
methods influence classroom management and students’ academic achievement in primary
schools?
1.5 Research hypotheses
The
following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and tested at 0.05
level of significance.
1.
Classroom discipline does not
significantly influence primary school pupils academic achievement in Abeokuta
North LGA of Ogun State.
2.
Classroom motivation does not
significantly influence students’ academic achievement in primary schools.
3.
Use of appropriate teaching methods
does not significantly influence students’ academic achievement in primary
schools.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This
study is significant because, it will help teachers and educational
administrators identify classroom management as an indispensable behaviour and
function for teachers in primary schools and re-stress using the variables
identified which are disciplines, motivation, use of appropriate teaching
methods, and communication to induce behaviour change in learners.