Education is an instrument of development in all ramifications and it is believed that it is the future of any nation if the products can stand the test of time. Education is unavoidable natural processes which students are exposed to through various learning experiences, to accommodate themselves.
Education is not only developing, preserving and passing on of values, ethics or attitudes skills and knowledge; but also helps in imaginative reasoning and rational thinking. Thus, students as products of the educational system need to develop competencies required for creative life in order to contribute to national development. This can only be achieved if there are competent teachers in the system.
Teacher education is an important aspect of our educational system. It involves the preparation of teachers who are responsible for transforming our educational theories and policies into practice. The National Policy on Education highlights the purpose of teacher education to include producing highly efficient classroom teachers for all levels of our educational system. For teachers to teach competently and efficiently, they must be adequately exposed to both the academic (theoretical) and practical aspects of teaching.
Teaching today is an invaluable asset to the society. Teaching is a process through which a teacher applies his/her knowledge of the learners, subject matter and methodology to help an individual learn. Teaching is the use of educational knowledge, methods and space to educate whoever desires to be educated. It involves direct contact between the teacher and the learner. It is a complex variety of mutual activities undertaken by both of them (the teacher and the learner) in order to promote learning.
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The professional education of teachers cannot be validated without adequate preparation of prospective teachers for dynamic roles in today schools through practice. The practical phase of teacher preparation commonly referred to as teaching practice is a crucial aspect of teacher preparatory programme in teacher training institutions in general such as school of education in colleges of education and faculties of education in Nigerian Universities. Teaching practice is a period of time during which a student teacher is assigned to a specific institution; primary or secondary school for a supervised teaching as one of the requirements for graduation and effective teaching experience. However, teaching practice is a period that enables student teachers to learn about the actual work of the teacher in the classroom as well as out-of-class experience. Teaching practice provides the laboratory where a student practices what he/she had learnt concerning effective teaching. Student’s teaching practice is an important factor in preparing students for future teaching assignments. However, during this period, the student teacher may be face with some challenges which include classroom management, attitude of the supervisors towards the student teachers, curriculum development, instruction and environmental challenges.
TEACHING PRACTICE
Teaching practice exercise is an interesting programme or activity in which teacher education institutions send students-teachers to various secondary and primary schools under supervision every year.
Teaching practice can also be defined as the system by which teachers in training are subjected to a systematic expose to actual classroom situation. In the same vein, teaching practice is “the period of time during which a pre-service teacher is assigned to a public school for supervised teaching experience as a part of his college programme”.
Teaching practice is designed to provide opportunity and guidance in a school setting for the student-teacher in practice to develop professional competences, personal characteristics, understanding, knowledge and skills of a teacher. When the teachers who have been in the teaching field understand their responsibility to the trainees, the trainee-teachers will acquire appropriate skills based on their practical experiences.
Teaching practice is an important component of becoming a teacher. It grants student teachers experience in the actual teaching and learning environment. During teaching practice, a student teacher is given the opportunity to try the art of teaching before actually getting into the real world of the teaching profession. Student teachers also know the value of teaching practice, they perceive it as ‘the crux of their preparation for the teaching profession’ since it provides for the ‘real interface’ between student-hood and membership of the profession. As a result, teaching practice creates a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, excitement and apprehension in the student teachers as they commence their teaching practice
CHALLENGES FACED BY TEACHING PRACTICE STUDENT
A) CLASS SIZE ISSUES
One of the challenges faced by teaching practice student is class size issue. In as much as teaching practice is viral for students who want to become professional teachers, it is important to also consider the class size given to them to teach. There are class sizes that can be challenging for the teaching practice student looking at the fact that he/she hasn’t been a teacher before now. They however, need to encourage and motivated by all means.
B) POOR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Learning environment include the classroom surroundings, physical facilities in the classroom and teacher- student relationship. Physical environment comprises all those equipment, materials, furniture and learning space that make up the place where learners learn. When all these things are made available to the student teachers, they will be motivated to carry out the task assigned to them and the aim of teaching practice will be achieved. But when reverse is the case, it becomes challenging for teaching practice students.
C) LACK OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Instructional materials are basic channel of communication especially in teaching and learning. It is one of the best teaching method or technique to get students attention and also pass the message or the subject under discourse properly.
Instructional Materials, also known as Teaching/Learning Materials, are any collection of materials including animate and inanimate objects and human and non-human resources that a teacher may use in teaching and learning situations to help achieve desired learning objectives.
Instructional materials are very important for effective teaching practice. It will be easier for teaching practice students to teach and for their students to comprehend as well. When instructional materials are readily available, teaching and learning process becomes easy and interesting.
D) DILAPIDATED LABORATORY AND LIBRARY
Dilapidated laboratory and library is another challenge facing teaching practice students. With Dilapidated laboratory and library how do the prospective teachers’ gather materials for teaching and learning? The library needs to equip to help both teachers and students.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the overall goal of teacher education is to prepare teachers to take active part in teaching’ this mainly is done by equipping them with necessary knowledge, attitude, skills which will enable them to adapt to different situations in the profession. This will enable prospective teachers to contribute immensely to the teaching profession. Knowledge is of little value in itself unless the person who possesses it can make it serve him well by knowing how to apply it to solution of specific problems which confronts him or the society in which he lives.” Any knowledge acquired by individuals without practical is of little value.