Peer Mentoring as Intervention Strategy towards Improving Secondary Teachers’ Interaction and Attitude in Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study centred on peer mentoring as an intervention strategy for improving classroom interaction and attitude towards teaching among Benue State secondary school science teachers. The study employed two research designs: the survey and the quasi experimental designs. The survey design was relevant in the determination of the kind of classroom interactions that teachers engage in as well as how to persuade the teachers to develop positive attitude to teaching science. The quasi experimental design was the pre-test, post-test type to determine efficacy of the mentoring procedure in teachers’ classroom interaction while they underwent mentoring. A total of 36 science teachers participated in mentorship that lasted 4 months. Four instruments were used: the Mentoring Guide (MG), the Mentees Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ), a Modified Flander’s Interaction Analysis Category (MFIAC) and the Mentees Evaluation Comments Questionnaire (MECQ). Reliability of MAQ was found to be 0.86 using Cronbach Alpha dand that of MFIAC was 0.69 using Phi coefficient. The MG was researcher-designed and all other mentors were trained on how to use it effectively. The findings showed that biology, chemistry and physics teachers’ classrooms shifted from being lecture-dominated as recorded before mentoring to students’ non-verbal activity-dominated especially in setting and washing apparatus, writing tests, and filling workbooks. Thus the reduction in interaction under direct teacher behaviour led to increase in interaction under students’ non-verbal behaviour. The teachers’ non-verbal behaviour equally reduced after mentoring since the classes became less teacher-dominated. Mentoring had significant effect on the attitude of science teachers exposed to it. The male teachers had greater change in attitude after mentoring compared to the females though this was not statistically significant. Mentoring was found to assist science teachers develop positive attitude towards the teaching profession. Both male and female science teachers enjoyed the mentoring relationship and indicated their willingness to become mentors to other teachers. Majority of the mentees prefer a longer (3 years and above) period for mentoring. Inadequate visitations by mentors as well as inadequate time for contacts were the major challenges. Reasons for recommending mentoring as one positive way to help science teachers grow were: for knowledge acquisition, improving teaching skills, building confidence in teachers and encouragement of hard work. It is recommended among others, that mentorship of beginning science teachers should be integrated into the state policy as done elsewhere outside Nigeria to guarantee its regularity, financing and effectiveness. As a gradual process, the duration of mentoring should be steadily increased until it comes to a time when it will be a policy matter in the state. Teacher training institutions as a matter of policy and in collaboration with government should ensure internship (or mentorship as may be called in this study) for all graduating teachers for one year before they go for national service (NYSC).