CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Classroom management has been highlighted across numerous research studies as a major variable that affects students’ academic performance (Marzono, 2008). The most obvious reason for this assertion is that, effective classroom management sets the stage for teaching and learning. It sets a tone in the classroom that captures students’ attention – as a necessity for effective teaching and learning (Marzono, 2008). This statement is obvious since a classroom which is chaotic and disorganized as a result of poor classroom management is highly unlikely to enhance expansive learning and students’ academic performance and might, indeed, inhibit it. In chaos, according to Idopise (2004), very little academic learning can take place. According to Walter (2006), classroom management differs from one teacher to another because of the teacher’s personality, teaching style, preparedness, and number of students in the classroom. According to Umoren (2010), the concept of classroom management is broader than the notion of student control and discipline, it includes all the things teachers must do in the classroom to foster students’ academic involvement and cooperation in classroom activities to create conducive learning environment. Morse (2012), relates that classroom management involves curtailing learner’s disruptive behaviors such as fighting and noise making, close observation, arrangement of classroom learning materials, and response to students who suffer from poor sight (vision), poor hea3etb ring, poor reading, poor writing, poor spelling, shame, dullness, hyperactivity and poor study habits. When classroom management is viewed in a more wider and holistic sense, incorporating every element of the classroom from lesson delivery to classroom environment becomes important (Nicholas, 2007). According to Nicholas (2007), this includes creating organized and orderly classroom, establishing expectations, inducing students’ cooperation in learning tasks, and dealing with the procedural demands of the classroom. This view of classroom management contrasts to a more narrow view of classroom management as it deals with just discipline and control. According to Bassey (2012), the wider view of classroom management shows increased engagement, reduction in inappropriate and disruptive behaviors, promotion of student responsibility for academic work, and improved academic performance of students. In effect, discipline, control and the consequences become authoritative or punitive approaches to classroom management. These have become much smaller part of the term classroom management. Thus, classroom management denotes much more than any of these words (Charlie, 2006). As put by Williams (2008), classroom management involves how the teacher works, how the class works, how the teacher and students work together and how teaching and learning takes place. An analyses of the past 50 years of classroom management research identified classroom management as the most important factor, even above students’ aptitude, affecting students’ learning and academic performance (Wang, et al., 2009). Contrary to popular belief held by Pandey (2006), classroom management is not a gift bestowed upon some teachers. While it is true that some teachers adapt to classroom management easily, making it felt by their colleagues as if they possess some innate talents. Classroom management is a skill that can be acquired like any other profession. It is a skill that must be practiced to achieve proficiency. Classroom management thus requires specific skills such as planning organizing, as well as an aptitude for team work. It requires a great deal of commitment, initiatives, teachers’ willingness to adjust, creative thinking and actions (Abel, 2011).

Poorly managed classrooms are usually characterized by disruptive behaviors such as sleeping, late coming, noise making, miscopying of notes, eating, calling of nicknames, verbal or physical threat to fellow students or the teacher (Ekere, 2006). These disruptive behaviors disorganize learning processes and hamper academic performance of students. Effiong (2007), suggests that teachers can deal with these disruptive behaviors in the classroom and reduce them to the minimum through effective classroom management so that effective learning can take place. Once teachers are able to effectively reduce or eliminate disruptive behaviors in the classroom, there would be increased academic attentiveness and engagement which would pave way for better academic performance by students.

Most formal organizations like secondary schools are aimed at effective and efficient management of the human and material resources available for the attainment of organizational goals. The classroom teacher is charged with lots of functions to perform in the teaching and learning process. One of the most challenging functions of the classroom teacher is classroom management and control. The teacher’s effectiveness in teaching is assessed by his ability to use varied classroom management techniques to control students towards effective and meaningful learning during instruction. Meaningful teaching and learning cannot be achieved in a classroom environment characterized by noise making and other distractions by students. The academic achievement of students of a particular classroom can be attributed to the teachers ability to manage and control the classroom during instruction. Oyira (2006) reported that the variables that measures the classroom learning environment as perceived by students actually predicts their attitude towards schooling and academic performance. All educational plans of a school involving teaching and learning takes place in the classroom. According to Kyriacou (2005) the classroom is the meeting point for both teachers and students where curricular activities are implemented .Educational objectives cannot be fully achieved without the use of conducive classroom environment. The classroom is characterized by a network of interpersonal relationships directed at the attainment of educational goals. Oyira, (2006) refers interpersonal relationship as the reciprocal behaviour that occurs between individuals such as exchange of information, exchange of expression and mutual activities. Good classroom environment must be well ventilated, fully supplied with chairs and desks, have adequate spatial arrangement, have sizeable chalkboard, good floors, beautiful walls and lightings (Kolawole, 2004). A good classroom environment facilitates desirable behaviour and attitude among students and thus enhancing their academic performance positively. Such an environment provides avenue for effective teacher/students and students/students interaction.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Un‐conducive learning environment in the public schools has posed serious problems to students’ academic performance over many decades ago. This trend has been on the increase on daily basis. Its prevalence has attracted the concern of the teachers, parents, the guidance counselors and many researchers. Effective classroom management has been discussed extensively at educational seminars and workshops, with efforts aimed at bringing lasting solution to the problem of students’ poor academic performance encountered in secondary schools. In most cases, classroom teachers become tired of using verbal instruction in attempts to establish effective classroom management, but this method alone does not produce desired results. Many teachers use corporal punishment to instill fear and discipline in the classroom yet there are prevalence of disruptive behaviors in the classroom. A lot of teachers waste time and energy in intensive classroom supervision so that the classroom climate could be conducive for lessons. Some classroom teachers delegates authority to deserving prefects such as time – keeper, noise prefects, class prefects, etc. to share in the responsibility of ensuring a conducive learning atmosphere in the classroom. These methods are adopted by teachers to enable the classroom become conducive enough for effective teaching – learning process and to facilitate higher academic performance of the students. Researchers such as Udo (2002) have investigated on effective classroom management in other geographical locations of Akwa Ibom State. It is necessary to examine effective classroom management and its effects on students’ academic performance among Senior Secondary School student in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of proper and effective class management on teaching and learning process, specifically the study intends to:

1.     Find out the classroom management techniques considered effective during

2.     Investigate the effects of teacher’s classroom management effectiveness on students learning?

3.     Discover if there is any significance effect of proper classroom on the academic performance of students

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions was formulated to guide this research arrive at a valid conclusion:

1.     What is the classroom management techniques considered effective during lesson?

2.      What are the effects of teacher’s classroom management effectiveness on students learning?

3.     Is there any significance effect of proper classroom on the academic performance of students