PROBLEMS AND PROSPECT OF TEACHING PRACTICE PROGRAMME

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

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.

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

The research questions which the study attempt to verify are as follow;

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.