CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Teaching, according to Hornsby (2000), is a teacher's job or a person's or group's beliefs, particularly regarding politics, religion, or society, that are passed on to others. Teaching is a term used to describe a variety of actions carried out by more educated people in order to help others learn (Onwuka, 1981). Teaching practice, according to Davidson (2005), is a method in which instructors in training are subjected to a systematic exposure to real classroom experience. When it comes to teaching, it's important to know when to show off one's abilities, knowledge, and intelligence in the classroom. The primary goal of teacher education changes is to create teachers who are capable of doing well in the workplace and meeting today's problems. Teaching practice is an important part of the teacher preparation curriculum in teacher training institutions and in Nigerian universities' faculties of education. It provides student-teachers with a chance to learn about the realities of teaching and professional activities in the area of education. Every trade has its own practical side; attorneys, physicians, engineers, and other well-known professions all have sufficient provision for practical work as an essential component of their overall training. Therefore, the teaching practice exercise is the practical element of the teacher's education program. For a successful teaching career, solid professional preparation is required, and teaching practice is an essential and vital component of the process of adequately preparing professional instructors.Teaching practice, according to Adesina, Daramola, and Taiabi (1989), is a teacher's education program or activity that includes a student teacher putting his or her newly learned theory of teaching into practice in a real classroom setting. It is a chance for student-teachers to confront the responsibilities, difficulties, and excitements of their chosen profession. It may also be thought of as a time when student teachers are assisted in putting the ideas and concepts of education that they have learned in the classroom into practice when teaching (Ogonor and Badmus, 2006). According to Ogonor and Badmus (2006), the purpose of the teaching practice exercise is to give the teacher trainee some kind of pre-service training that allows them to be exposed to the reality of teaching and the performance of professional duties. -It allows students to put theories and concepts learned in the classroom to the test when they encounter real-life circumstances for the first time. -It allows trainees to use different teaching techniques in real-world classrooms/school settings while under the continuous observation of qualified and experienced instructors. - It introduces student teachers to professional activities that are a component of their responsibilities as instructors in schools. In addition, the teaching practice exercise allows students to get more acquainted with a range of instructional materials and resources, as well as to assess and choose materials that are suitable for the goals of a teaching unit or lesson (Afolabi, 2000). Anupama (2009) summarized this by saying that the positive aspect of the entire teaching practice activity is that it gives student instructors a feeling of achievement. They learn to take charge, develop confidence, and enhance their classroom management abilities. The teaching practice exercise is a 6-week program that is a cooperative effort, including both student-teachers and supervisors at the University of Benin. It is a mandatory course for students at both the penultimate and final levels of the Bachelor of Education program (usually academic staff of the Faculty of Education). The curriculum and teaching methods offered in the Bachelor of Education programme are intended to prepare students for teachers for pedagogical skills in specific subjects, and the teaching practice exercise is equivalent to industrial training in Engineering, Science, and other professions.The theoretical dimension, according to Ojoawo (1996) and other educators, is concerned with the acquisition of theoretical information in the classroom, while the practical dimension encompasses all kinds of pre-service interaction with the act of teaching in the classroom. Links between theory and practice are stressed in education programs so that students may form strong professional connections between universities and secondary schools where they will be trained to teach. Urevbu (2004) said that the learned information and abilities are exhibited in front of examiners who provide comments so that they may enhance their practice before being assessed. As student teachers begin their teaching practice, they are filled with a combination of excitement, worry, and fear (Manion, Keith, Morrison & Cohen, 2003). Teaching practice, according to Perry (2004), is both fascinating and difficult. This research attempts to investigate the difficulties encountered by student-teachers during the teaching practice exercise against this background. Every year, teacher education institutes send students-teachers to different secondary and elementary schools under supervision to participate in a teaching practice exercise.

Diverse academics have characterized teaching practice from various viewpoints. Teaching practice, according to Davidson (2005), is the method through which instructors in training are exposed to a systematic exposure to real classroom situations. In a similar spirit, Haines (1960) defined teaching practice as "the time a pre-service teacher is sent to a public school for supervised teaching experience as part of his undergraduate curriculum.""Teaching practice is the first chance for the student-teacher to engage in activities related to teaching in an actual situation," according to Eze (2003). He further said that teaching practice is intended to offer opportunities and assistance for student-teachers in practice to acquire professional competencies, personal traits, understanding, knowledge, and abilities as teachers in a school environment. When experienced instructors recognize their responsibilities to trainees, the trainee-teachers will develop relevant skills based on their practical experiences.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The significance of the teacher in relation to the quality of education a nation offers its citizens explains, in part, why every well-planned teacher's education system includes specific training and practical experience. The student-teaching teacher's practice experience exposes him to the area of teaching and improves his ability to be successful in the classroom.

A number of issues exist that obstruct the successful execution of the teaching practice program in general. The program's specialized character adds to the complexity of the situation. As a result, the purpose of this research is to thoroughly examine the problems as well as potential solutions.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study are to:

I.       Accurately evaluate the function of student-teachers in the operation of the school.

II.    Learn about the difficulties that student-teachers face throughout their teaching practice.

III. Identify practical answers to the difficulties that student-teachers face throughout their teaching practice.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

I.       What are the functions of student-teachers in the operation of the school?

II.    What are the difficulties that student-teachers face throughout their teaching practice?

III. What are the practical solutions to the difficulties that student-teachers face during their teaching practice?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This information will be useful to practicing instructors in that it will assist them to comprehend and devise ways to avoid the difficulties that come with teaching. It may also help prospective teachers build a passion for teaching by identifying the difficulties that student-teachers experience throughout their teaching practice and fortifying themselves to meet those challenges.

This study will assist curriculum organizers in focusing their planning efforts on solving the difficulties faced by student-teachers during teaching practice, thus improving the planning process and educational activities.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on the obstacles that affect student-teachers' ability to perform effectively during their teaching practice, as well as challenges and solutions using examples.and the scope of this research was limited to the University of Nigeria secondary school in N Sukka, Enugu state.

1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY

There are various factors that contribute to this project being carried out within the confines of Enugu State College of Education (Technical) in terms of investigating student-teachers' challenges during Teaching Practice.This is a major contributing issue for the researchers, since they were unable to collect all the necessary data or materials within the time frame. Because of the lengthy school vacations, the respondents at school could not be contacted during the administration of the questionnaire. This puts a stumbling block in the way of the project, forcing us to utilize the University of Nigeria secondary school in Nsukka, Enugu. And there was a problem with time management.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

STUDENT-TEACHERS: A student teacher or practice teacher is a college, university or graduate student who is taught under the supervision of a certified teacher in order to qualify for a degree in education. 

TEACHING PRACTICE: Teaching practice is a period that a student teacher spends teaching at a school as part of his or her training.

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