Teachers’ Variables And Students’ Academic Performance
1.1 Background to the Study
The school is one of the socializing agents all over the world. It is a formal organization that is responsible for instilling the desirable skills, knowledge and values under the leading of a professional teacher. The act of teaching and learning is a process which also has an end product. For effective learning to take place there are things that involve and these include learner factors, teacher factors, school environment, home etc. These factors can help to increase or decrease students’ learning efficiency in the school.
Teaching, like other profession, requires people who are skilled and tactful. All teachers can teach, but some can teach with special skills such that learning can take place in a very simple way. That is to say, if children have their way, they can make choice of their teachers, one who is skillful, and mediate in child’s learning.
Teachers’ variables are often considered in terms of his intellectual competence, mastery of the subject matter, attitude to teaching, teachers’ relationship with students, motivational ability, his age, and sex, his experience etc. affect students’ performance and learning.
In teaching and learning, the students become one of the focal points and for them to succeed, it is their ability and willingness to learn that make them to achieve their academic goal.
This depends on the students’ performance which is another factor when we talk about learning; however, any teacher with the knowledge of Child Psychology as well as his variables should be able to arouse and motivate the students’ performance towards effective learning but which of teachers’ variables would motivate students’ performance in Government
In Nigeria, National curriculum conference held in Lagos on September, 1969 made tangible contribution to the development of education as the conference arrived at the following areas:
- National Philosophy of Education
- Goals of Primary Education
- Objectives of Secondary Education
- Purpose of Tertiary Institution
Hansen and Kreitzer (1987) spell out the interest in Secondary schools which include:
i Identifying students individual and collective learning needs;
ii Planning and delivering instruction based on student learning needs and special need;
iii Providing a stimulating learning environment in which each student can experience growth and develop to his or her potential; and
iv helping students learn appropriate knowledge skills and attitudes.
They further mentioned that secondary classes vary in size and are made up of students who represent a broad range of abilities, interest, needs and problem. Teachers use various instructional techniques to maintain students’ interest and maximize individual learning within a group teaching environment.
In addition, a teacher should be able to:
- evaluate and communicate student’s progress towards learning;
- prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help;
- meet with other professionals to discuss individual student’s needs and progress;
- volunteer to supervise extra-curriculum and after-school activities;
- attend meeting, seminars and in-service training sessions.
More of these additional variables occurs after regular school hours and considerable length to the working day. Some teaching specializations may concentrate on preparation and organization, while many others may involve on marking or extracurricular involvement.
The essence of this achievement was to provide or produce motivated conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all level of our educational system, encourage the spirit of inquiry creating in teachers, help the teachers to fit into the social life of the community and society at large and to enhance their commitment to National objectives, to provides teachers with intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment situation not only in the life of the country but in the wider world to enhance the community to the teaching profession (Ekanem, 2003).
It is also noted that teachers handling subject like Government must have skill and method of teaching, experience, qualification, good manners as well as teacher-student relationship.
Government as a subject is designed in line with the educational curriculum of the Federal Ministry of Education and is “subject centered design” which organizes knowledge into what is called “subject” (Eddie, 2006).
However, the teacher is a trained professional with knowledge and skill as well as a level of competence in the task of teaching and re-modeling the students under his care. Based on this assumption, the researcher seek to investigate Teachers’ Variables and Students’ Academic Performance in Government in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Most teachers in the Nigerian secondary school system lack the type of training require for making them feel confident and adjust in the teaching-learning situation. Due to their levels of training and self-application, most of those who teach at the secondary school level each basic level readiness for effective role accomplishment.
Many do not know what is involved in teaching at that level, and some are even confused of what their role should be in modern classroom. Most teachers feel that their task is to force knowledge into the hands of unwilling learners.
It is understood that teachers irrespective of their academic background still lack the teaching potential and their affect the academic performance of students. Because of these, there is always self-misapplication among teachers, lack of good manners, inability to relate with the students positively for them to achieve their goals.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This research exercise will investigate Teachers’ Variables and Students’ Academic Performance in Government in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area. Specifically, the study will attempt to:
(1) To discuss the level of Teacher’s Qualification and Academic Performance of Students in Government.
(2) Examine the influence of teachers’ communication skills on students’ academic performance in Government;
(3) Evaluate the effect of teachers’ level of motivation on students’ academic performance in Government.
1.4 Research Questions
On the basis of the foregoing purpose of the study, the following research questions are raised:
(1) To what extent does teachers’ Educational Qualification and students’ academic performance in Government in Government?
(2) What relationship exists between teachers’ communication skills and students’ academic performance?
(3) How does teachers’ level of motivation have with students’ academic performance in Government?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The solution to the problem of the study will be sought through testing of the following research hypotheses:
(1) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ educational qualification and students’ academic performance in Government
(2) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ communication skills and students’ academic performance in Government.
(3) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ level of motivational ability and students’ academic performance in Government.