The Importance Of Teaching Practice To Teacher Education
Teaching practice is a kind of programme set aside by the federal government of Nigeria to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of teacher education in Nigeria. Undergraduate Students aspiring to become teachers must make valuable use of their time during their teaching practice because it will help them a whole lot in the areas of how to use instructional materials for teaching and learning. It will also help them develop good undergraduate project topics that are related to their course of study and areas among the courses they taught during their teaching practice. Teaching practice also improve the level of confidence among teachers; this give them the ability to present their seminars projects effectively and also enable them to handle higher classes after graduation.
Teacher Education
Teacher education is regarded as an indispensable concept for the teachers at all levels of education. These are, pre-primary, primary, elementary, secondary, higher secondary and tertiary. The system of education is different at all levels. The main focus of teacher education is based upon the levels of education. On the other hand, the needs and requirements of the students also vary at each level. The teacher education need to take into consideration the needs and requirements of the students. Therefore, level and stage-specific teacher preparation is essential. Teacher education renders a significant contribution in the development of teaching skills among the students. The teachers, employed in professional institutions are informative in terms of practical and theoretical knowledge regarding their respective subjects. It is essential for them to make use of specialized teacher training inputs with the purpose of training the students, who are making an entry into their professions. In the area of teacher education, special education and physical education are also emphasized upon. The knowledge base is adequately specialized and diversified across different levels of education. It has the main objective of preparing the teachers to perform their job duties in an appropriate manner. Formation of the appropriate knowledge base for each stage of education requires a high degree of academic and intellectual understanding of the information that is related to teacher education. This involves the selection of the theoretical knowledge from the disciplines cognate to education, namely psychology, sociology and philosophy and converting into the forms that are suitable for teacher education. These disciplines provide the basis for better understanding and application of teacher education. The philosophical basis provides the insights to the student teachers in terms of philosophy, ancient and modern philosophical thoughts of the philosophical thinkers of education and various aspects, such as, curriculum instruction and discipline. The sociological basis helps the student teachers to understand the role of the society and its dynamics in the educational system of the nation and the world at large. It takes into account the ideals that have an influence upon the national and international scenes. The psychological basis helps the student teachers to develop insights into the psychological well-being of the students. This enables them to understand their self and the learning situations. In this manner, they are able to provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences to their students. In this manner, the students are able to benefit from learning
Teaching Practice
Good teaching practice is a key influence on student learning — a desired outcome and primary goal of higher educational institutions. Teachers strive to meet the principles of good practice in an effort to provide the best learning experience for their students. Student Teaching is the most important experience in teacher education programme and is generally based on a country’s National Education policy. Teaching practice is a compulsory course for all aspiring student teachers registered in a teacher preparation programme in Nigeria. It is one-semester in duration; usually lasting from the beginning to the end of the First Semester of the final year of students’ training. During this period, most programmers focus on:
1. Instructional planning
2. Instructional technology
3. Micro-teaching mentoring (Model Teaching, Assessment, Feedback Reports etc.)
4. Studies in teaching methods
5. Posting of students to schools where they can practice their major courses of study.
The Student Teaching Program at any higher institution is a well-structured programme designed to provide an opportunity to develop and evaluate aspiring teachers’ competence in an actual classroom within school settings. Field-based experiences such as study abroad and student teaching are intended to bridge theory and practice. The teaching practice exercise is the culminating point where the relationship among the three major players: university supervisor, host teacher, and aspiring teacher interface to determine the quality of experience the aspiring teaching will take away. It becomes the bedrock on which the aspiring teacher once certified and employed builds their professional identity
Teaching Practice Committee
Teaching Practice Committee is a vital tool to programme managers. Depending on the size of your school, your teaching practice committee serves as an advisory board for decisions and changes that lead to programme improvement. Membership of the teaching practice committee can be by appointment or selection. One objective way to go about it is to have a faculty member from every department in the Faculty of Education and other departments whose students participate in teaching practice field experience. So the teaching practice committee should be a balanced representation of the faculty of education. The different roles that can be assigned to committee members include, but not limited to: Coordinator of T P/Chair of T P Committee, Secretary, Members, Social Secretary Duties of committee members include searching for and securing schools for teaching practice, field supervision and first line respondents in times of crisis at host schools. It is suggested that committee members’ contact information be made available to students on teaching practice should they need advice and support at any point during their field experience. The chart below is only a guide and should be modifies to suit your institution and programme needs.
The Importance Of Teaching Practice To Teacher Education
Practice teaching is an important component towards becoming a teacher. It provides experiences to student teachers in the actual teaching and learning environment. During teaching practice, a student-teacher is given the opportunity to try the art of teaching before actually getting into the real world of the teaching profession. Student-teachers also know the value of teaching practice and they perceive it as the important aspect of their preparation for the teaching profession since it provides for the real interface between student hood and membership of the profession. Teachers in a society are thought to be agents of change as they are central to the delivery of quality education. Quality teachers are the greatest determinant of student achievement and their impact are greater than any other social factors, including class size, parent education, and income and language background. Teachers play an important role in shaping the future of individuals as well as of entire generations. They can also influence the economic dynamism of the country by imparting skills that translate into innovation and productivity in the workplace. Because of the current changing and challenging world, teachers should be provided with a range of skills, knowledge, attitudes and relevant educational experience that enable them to cope up with the challenge Education is expected to play several key roles in an effort of developing country socio-economic and cultural status. However, it is impossible to think of quality education without having academically qualifies and professionally responsible teachers on the schools. Thus, for teachers to play their role effectively in schools there must be a well-designed and successfully implemented teaching practice program for student teachers that aims at producing teachers who are academically qualified, professionally skilled, and attitudinally and ethically committed to their profession. The teacher’s character and quality competence are the most significant factors which influence the education quality and its contribution to national development. Given and ideal syllabus and sufficient time for teaching, a teacher will not successful achieve unless he/she is enthusiastic about the work, knows the subject and how to teach, keen, well informed, loves the subject and believes in its values in spite of difficulties and hand carps. Teaching Practice (TP) program in Tanzania teachers colleges and universities takes place national wide in implementing teacher education curriculum but with some challenges such as lack of resources, funds and inappropriate teaching practice coordination. Therefore, it is suggested that undergraduate student teachers should attend teaching practice in secondary schools and the government should improve the classroom settings and reasonable.
