The influence of reflective practice teaching on the performance of teachers in public primary schools in Sihay division of Ugenya District-Kenya

Abstract

This study aimed at finding out the influence of Reflective practice teaching on the performance of teachers in public primary schools in Sihaya Division of Ugenya District-Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the extent to which teachers in public primary schools in Sihay Division of Ugenya District use reflective practice teaching as a teaching strategy; determining the influence of collaborative learning on the performance of teachers using reflective practice; identifying attitudes teachers have towards classroom talk in their teaching learning process; and establish the extent to which classroom management is being incorporated by teachers in their teaching.

The study employed a descriptive survey research design and both stratified and purposive sampling procedures. This involved data collection from head teachers of primary schools and the other involving the graduate key resource teachers who had benefitted from the training. The study targeted 298 teachers in Sihay Division. A combination of both purposive sampling procedure and stratified sample method was used. Thirty two head teachers in thirty-two schools were given questionnaire to fill. 108 key resource teachers in the thirty-two primary school were selected for study.

Two (2) sets of research questionnaires were used to capture the data with one set administered to all the Head teachers covered under the sample frame while the other set of questionnaires was administered to selected key resource teachers. Data collected indicated that head teachers were supportive to key resource teachers as they used reflective teaching strategy. The findings of the study indicated that key resource teachers are very positive on the reflective practice teaching and are using reflective practice tools in their daily teaching process. The calculated reflective practice performance index which was 57.1 % and performance and correlation of 1.9 were very strong indication of the influence of the reflective practice on the performance of teachers.

The findings therefore called for the recommendation that there should be reinforcement of the school based teacher development programme to capture as many teachers as possible. The recommendations of the study is that school head teachers should be sensitized and encouraged on networking and benchmarking their schools to enhanced reflective practice teaching and more seminars and workshops to sensitize teachers on reflective practice teaching. The study suggests that further research should be done in the whole District to evaluate the impact of reflective practice teaching on the performance of teachers.