Collaborative classroom approach and social emotional development of Pre-school children in Meru Municipality, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to explore the relationship between collaborative classroom approach and social emotional development of pre-school children in Meru Municipality. Specifically, the study sought to examine if co-operative learning influenced social emotional development of pre-school children, determine whether there was a relationship between peer tutoring and social emotional development of pre-school children, determine if there was a relationship between the role of the teacher in collaborative classroom approach and social emotional development of pre-school children and examine whether consulting experts in collaborative classroom approach influenced social emotional development of pre-school children in Meru Municipality. This study was based on Erick Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development which ascertains that we develop through dealing with crisis and how we deal with it is what makes one have high self- esteem. The study used descriptive research design. The population of the study targeted public preschools in Meru Municipality. Simple random sampling technique was used to obtain three pre-schools chosen for this study. Since Meru Municipality has ten public primary schools and each has a pre-school the study was done in three schools. Data was collected using observation schedule and questionnaires. The data collected was coded and entered into statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistical analysis. Study results were presented in form of tables. This study demonstrated significant relationship between collaborative classroom approach and social emotional development of pre-school children in Meru municipality. Study findings showed that children in pre-school who were exposed to collaborative classroom approach manifested advanced levels of social emotional skills while, children in pre-schools where collaborative classroom approach was not well utilized displayed low levels of social emotional skills consequently, negatively affecting their social emotional development. This study established that the pre-school teachers do not consult widely other teachers in school in learning of the children. The study recommends that the government through the Ministry of Education should in-service all practicing teachers especially those who lack the basic pre-school training so that they can be conversant with collaborative classroom approach which is an instructional strategy needed to develop social emotional skills in children at the early stages of life. In addition, future research should seek to understand the level and type of in-class consultation that is needed for effective collaboration to have significant positive results for the Kenyan pre-school programmes. Further, research involving other methods of teaching for example co-teaching, and differentiated instruction is recommended.