Three Nigerian Primary School Teachers: Classroom Days

Abstract

Three Nigerian primary school teachers were interviewed, then observed, all day, for 10 consecutive days of teaching. The purpose of this study was to use classroom observations and interview methodology to construct a snapshot of a few days in the life of three Nigerian primary school teachers. The snapshot outlined the primary school classroom experience and examined the teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning by using three focus questions: “What is learning?,” “What is the teacher's role in learning?,” and “What is the student's role in learning?” Finally, the study considered classroom observations to determine the congruence between the teachers' expressed perspectives and the observed teaching. The teachers varied widely in their views of learning and of student and teacher roles in learning. Instruction of two of the teachers was congruent with their personal view of learning, while the third showed congruence only when teaching one subject area. These teachers expressed concern over the lack of classroom materials and the impact of inflation on the students' ability to attend school and on the teachers' morale. Observational data indicated that the teachers planned an organized school day that addressed components of the required curriculum. Lecture-based teaching was evident in these classrooms, but there was divergence in the amount and type of other forms of instruction used, such as group work. The study suggests that diversity can be expected among classrooms and teachers in northern Nigeria, with no one model fitting all.