Kindergarten teachers’ use of classroom management strategies in the Hohoe municipality, Volta region.

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.