Effect of Teachers characteristics on Pre-School children's performance in Mathematics in Dagoretti District Nairobi county, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of teacher characteristics on Preschool children’s performance in Mathematics in Dagoretti District in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following research objectives: Teacher academic qualification and Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics, teacher attitude and Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics, teacher experience and Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics and teacher training and Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics. The study employed a survey research design consisting of all Pre-schools, teachers and school administrators in the District. A sample of fifteen Pre-schools was obtained where three pre-school teachers were purposively selected from each of the sampled preschools. Thus, a total of forty five preschool teachers and fifteen preschool administrators took part in the study. Data was collected through questionnaires for teachers and interview guides for pre-school administrators. Data was collected to answer questions in the four thematic areas; the effect of teacher academic qualification, teacher attitude, teacher experience, teacher professional training on Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics. Data was analyzed using both descriptive statistics and narrative techniques. From the analysis, the study revealed that teachers’ characteristics play a key role on Pre-school children’s performance in Mathematics.