Abstract:
This study examines kindergarten teachers’perceptions of classroom
managementstrategiesinmanagingkindergartenpupils.Thestudyemployed
concurrentmixedmethoddesign,underpinnedbythepragmaticphilosophical
thought.Datawerecollectedintwophasesusingafour-pointLikert-type
questionnaire and observation schedule.Atthe quantitative phase,a
questionnaire was administered to teachers while the qualitative phase
involvedobservationandinterviewofclassteachers.Independentsamplesttestandstandarddeviationweretheanalyticaltoolsusedforquantitative
datawhilethequalitativedatawerethematicallyanalysedtoexplainissuesas
theyemergedfrom thequantitativedata.Thefindingsofthestudyshowed
thatkindergartenteachersinthestudyareahadhighefficacybeliefsin
classroom managementpractices;kindergartenteachersmostlyusedgroup
managerialapproach,groupguidanceandthebusinessacademicapproaches
inmanagingthemisbehaviourandinadequatenurturingathome,andcopying
ofbadbehavioursbypupilsathomeandinschool.Seekingteachers’and
peers’attention seemed to be the reasons why pupils misbehave in
kindergartenclassrooms.Moreover,nostatisticallysignificantdifferencewas
foundintheefficacybeliefsinclassroom managementpracticesofmaleand
femalekindergartenteachers.Itwastherefore,recommendedthatboththe
pre-serviceandin-serviceearlychildhoodteachereducationprogrammesin
Ghanashouldemphasizeteachertrainees’abilityto:(1)managethepeculiar
behaviourofindividualpupils;and (2)establish classroom management
systemsappropriateforlearners.TheCollegesofEducationandMinistryof
Educationshouldensurethatteachersreceivemoretraininginclassroom
managementduringtheiroff-campusteaching.
Description:
AthesisintheDepartmentofEarlyChildhoodEducation,
FacultyofEducationalStudies,submittedtotheSchoolof
GraduateStudiesinpartialfulfilmentof
therequirementsfortheawardofthedegreeof
MasterofPhilosophy
(EarlyChildhoodEducation)
intheUniversityofEducation,Winneba