IMPACT OF TEACHER’S PERSONALITY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PUPILS IN SURULERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, LAGOS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Education is a process of refining and preserving the collective values embedded in the culture of the society. Education is a cooperative teaching-learning process of preparing an individual from birth and all through his/her life for happy useful living in the society within the culture and resources (Oyekan, 2000). It then follows that education is a social service which ensures refinement of human behaviour in terms of his/her processes of reasoning, feeling and doing things in a happy expectancy. While education is a cooperative teaching learning for effective citizenship and collective benefit of society, secondary school is a link between primary and tertiary institution where adequate knowledge for effective citizenship and collective benefits of society is achieved.

A teacher is the bridge that makes teaching and learning effective. The teacher is thus the builder whose performance depends on adequate qualification, experience and preparation. This adequate knowledge and experience could be attained or achieved by acquiring additional knowledge that will stimulate his/her communication in teaching for efficiency (Oyedeji, 2000). That is, the qualification and experience of a teacher enhance or determine his/her performance. It could also be noted that the level and quality of education attained by the teacher determines the characteristics exhibited vis-à-vis the performance of the pupils  Education is often conceived as a systematic action of imparting relevant knowledge, skills and habits to the learners in their preparation for meaningful life and contribution to better society (Oloyede, 2006). This action is however, usually delivered through skillful exposure to a number of academic disciplines.

Studies on the teachers’ characteristics within the confine of the education system underscore the importance of effective teachers in determining the quality of an education system (Hanushek & Kain, 2005). Clotfelter, Ladd & Vigdor, (2007) noted that teaching can offset learning challenges of learners from poor socio-economic backgrounds. This notwithstanding, researchers have not exhaustively drawn conclusions regarding the attributes of the most effective teachers. Okpala and Ellis (2005) have argued that effective teachers are caring, encouraging, approachable, enthusiastic, respectful, knowledgeable, empathetic, passionate and have a good sense of humour.

A school may have excellent material resources, equipments, building, library and other facilities along with a curricular appropriately adopted to suit the community need but if teacher are not effective and efficient and they are misfit, unsatisfied and indifferent to their responsibilities the whole programme is likely to be ineffective and wasted.

Teaching according to Oyekan (2000) is a continuous human activity by which the teacher connects the learners and the subject matter drawn from school curriculum. It is the cardinal duty of the teacher to help the pupils to learn, understand and achieve beyond their current educational status and to effectively discharge the required responsibility. It is therefore imperative for the teacher to also develop beyond their current educational status for job efficiency and proficiency. It should be appreciated that teachers are the light of the world that brightens and nurtures the vibrant lives of individuals with useful knowledge, practical skill, and proper value orientation. In a modern society, educational institutions exercise considerable influence on the socialization of the child, a process in which the teacher plays crucial part (Agbatogun, 2010). Teachers’ educational development is therefore essential in playing the crucial part.

Furthermore, Adesina (2000) revealed that teachers are the primary indicator and determinant of the quality of education and that is a relationship exists between teachers’ knowledge of what they teach. Thus, the ability to teach effectively depends on the knowledge and teachers and knowledge that exists in many forms. Teacher effectiveness will be hampered if the teachers are not familiar with the body of knowledge that is taught and teacher effectiveness is specific. The implication of this for teachers is that teachers must thoroughly understand the content of what they teach. Teachers who master the material will pass a language more clearly and provide better explanations than those with weaker backgrounds. Perspective of pupils to teachers in this mastery of the material have a significant influence on pupils’ academic performance.

Statement of the Problems

Poor teachers’ characteristics in the classroom environment have become social problem for Nigerian educators and the general public. There has been increasing mass failure in both externally and internally conducted examinations at all level. These suggestions have been adequately looked into by government and proprietors of private schools, yet schools perform poorly in their academics system.

In the past, many have tried to know the decline in pupils academic performance and from their findings suggested many factors such as inadequate funding of school facilities, overcrowded classrooms, deficiencies in qualified teachers, lack of well equipped libraries as some of the factors militating against good academic performance. It is upon this backdrop that this study seeks to investigate teacher’s personality and pupils academic performance.

Poor academic performance of pupils in Nigeria has been linked to poor teachers’ quality in terms of accomplishing the teaching task, negative attitude to work and poor teaching habits which have been attributed to poor motivation (Ofoegbu 2004). It has also been observed that conditions that would make for effective teaching such as resources available to teachers, general conditions of infrastructure as well as instructional materials in Pre-Nursery School in Nigeria are poor (Oredein 2000). These prevailing conditions would definitely show a negative influence on the instructional quality in public schools, which may translate to poor academic performance, attitude and values of secondary school pupils.

 Purpose of the Study

This study intends to examine teacher’s personality on academic performance of Early Childhood Pupils in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos. The study specifically aim:

1. To examine the extent to which teacher’s commitment to duty will affect pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.
2. To ascertain if teachers’ attitude would influence pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.
3. To determine if teachers’ professionalism on pupils academic performance will affect their behavior in the classroom.
4. To examine the extent to which teachers’ creativity in the classroom would influence pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.

Research Questions

1. To what extent do teacher’s commitment to duty affects pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School?
2. To what extent will teachers’ attitude influence pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School?
3. How do teachers’ professionalism on pupils academic performance affect their behavior in the classroom?
4. To what extent will teachers’ creativity in the classroom influence pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School?

 Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between teacher’s commitment to duty and pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.
2. There is no significant relationship between teachers’ attitude and pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.
3. Teachers’ professionalism on pupils academic performance does not affect their behaviour in the classroom.
4. There is no significant relationship between teacher’s creativity to duty and pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.

Significance of the Study

The study will serve as a guide to head teachers and Board of Governors, parents and teachers’ association, members of the public, district education officers, district inspectors of schools to realize the effects of teacher’s quality on pupils academic performance.

The school administrators may use findings from the study to understand the factors affecting teachers’ classroom practice and pupils academic performance in Pre-Nursery School.

Again, it will enable secondary school proprietors to be able to plan systematically for staff retention. Other stakeholders of education (parents, pupils, teachers, support staff, donors) will use the findings of study as a checkpoint to happenings of the same nature.

Furthermore, Ministry of Education will be able to recruit and retain teachers by improving the remuneration, conditions of working environment and providing competent manpower in management of schools in order to improve their classroom practice. It will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and will stimulate other research as in areas of staff retention in government Pre-Nursery Schools.

This study is quite significant in the sense that it will be useful to educationists, psychologists, counselors, parents, teachers and pupils in other to throw more light and expatiate further on how to improve pupils academic performance.

 Scope of the Study

The study focused on teacher’s personality on academic performance of Early Childhood Pupils in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos. It covers teachers in selected Pre-Nursery Schools. It also covers all the Pre-Nursery School in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos.

Operational Definition of Terms

Teacher’s Quality: This is an act of effective teaching as measured by pupil outcome. This is a distinctive attribute or characteristic possessed by teacher.

Pupils academic performance: the degree to which a school is successful in producing a desired result or success.

Dedication: Teachers quality of being dedicated to a task or purpose.

Teacher’s Creativity: this is the ability of teacher to use his imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.

Teacher’s Commitment: this is a teacher state or quality of being dedicated to a classroom routine or school activities, etc.

Teacher’s Attitude: A teacher’s predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, pupils, or school environment.

Teacher’s Professionalism: this is level of competence or skill expected of a teacher in the disposition of his or her duty.