Practices and challenges of classroom management strategies in handling disciplinary problems in class of secondary schools of asossa zone, benishangulgumuz region

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the major cause for disciplinary problems and the commitment of teachers that practiced classroom management strategies to handle the disciplinary problems in government secondary schools of Asossa zone. The study particularly, treats the practice of teachers in preventing students disciplinary problems by using different classroom management strategies and challenges that affect the implementation of classroom management strategies. To accomplish this purpose, the study employed a descriptive survey method, which is supplemented by qualitative research to enrich data. The study was carried out in simple randomly selected seven secondary schools of Asossa Zone. Then 82 teachers and 296 students were selected using simple random sampling techniques. All 7 schools principals and 3 cluster supervisors were also included in the study for interview. Questionnaires were the main instruments of data collection. Interviews, Observation, document analysis were also utilized to substantiate the data gained through the questionnaires. Frequency, percentage, chi-square and mean were utilized to analyze the questionnaire. The qualitative data obtained through interview, observation, and document analysis were analyzed using narration. The results of the study reveal that teachers practice to prevent disciplinary problems and to facilitate teaching learning smoothly by using different classroom management strategies were rare. The practices of teachers in developing rules and procedures in the classroom in order to minimize the confusion and disruptive behavior of students were inadequate and rare. The practices of teachers to tell the objectives of the lessons for their students during lesson presentations and the objectives of rules and regulations in the classroom were not common. The results of the study also reveals many of the secondary school teachers do not motivate students by using various motivational devices, furthermore, the practices of teachers having smooth relationship with students in the classroom was ineffective. Many of the teachers do not follow the principles of classroom management for the success of better classroom discipline. The practices of teachers to avoid behavior problems by improving the management of time in the classroom activities were inefficient. Moreover, teachers were not devoted to use the allocated instructional time for lesson purpose properly. The study revealed that: lack of insufficient support to teachers from the school, unconducive physical environment of the classroom that make students to feel insecure and unstable, the disruptive nature of the student's behavior and overcrowded classroom delay proper implementation of classroom management strategies and exposed to disciplinary problems in the classroom. Finally recommendations were drawn based on the above findings. The point of the recommendations include: commitment on the part of teachers should be created through discussion and support how the disciplinary problems can be prevented by using different strategies of classroom, Moreover, concerned stakeholders should be cooperated to minimize problems that occurred in classroom that hinder classroom management activities.