Student Teachers’ Views on School Experience Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

Using a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative paradigms, and based on three primary colleges of education, this study sought to capture final year student teachers’ views pertaining to school experience preparation and supervision. The total sample consisted of 137 students, constituting 38 (28%) of students at college A, 28 (20%) students at college B and 71 (52%) students at college C.

Using broadly ranging questionnaire with open-ended questions, the study aimed at establishing and eliciting information from the respondents through the principals of primary colleges of education. The objectives were to: solicit students’ views on their school experience preparation and supervision and ascertain how students’ performance was evaluated.

The study findings revealed that generally, student teachers found the teaching experience

beneficial in the following aspects:

• planning schemes of work, weekly focuses and lessons,

• application of the real teaching process in the classroom,

• identification of learners with special needs, highlighting of student weaknesses and strengths, availability of teaching materials,

• academic and social interaction between lecturers and students and application of theories into practice,

• the classroom scale was explained to them by the lecturers,

• evaluation notes on their teaching performance were made available,

• they pointed out their dislikes during the school experience and also made suggestions on how they would like to be assessed,

• they also highlighted the extent of contributions class teachers made during teachingskills.

• experience and wanted supervisors who were well versed in their subjects and supervisory

In conclusion, the student teachers recommended the following procedural aspects as being essential in the package of supervisory skills: arranging a brief observation meeting at which concerns about teaching are defined and performance criteria selected; class observation; analysis of the collected data; maintenance of desired teaching behaviours; recycling of difficulties encountered by student teachers in exhibiting desired teaching behaviours or ensuring closure once the problems are resolved.