Classroom Management Challenges and its Solutions: Implication for Secondary Schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

In this dynamic society of today where there are varied experiences, it is not possible to manage everything to its original insignia. Hence, the opportunity for learning by conventional experience is not always possible. It is only possible through the use of proper and self-motivated classroom management techniques. The purpose of this paper is to assess classroom management challenges and its solution in the secondary schools of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The researcher used descriptive survey research design. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect data from six randomly selected government secondary schools of Addis Ababa. The study was carried out from October, 2018 – January, 2019.  For validity and reliability, the questionnaire was piloted in one non sample school before formally administering it to the sample respondents. The researcher developed a 5-likert scale questionnaire to address four classroom management challenges related to planning, communication, motivation and organization and to recommend solutions for the challenges. The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 125 teachers and 300 students randomly selected sample secondary schools. The collected data organized and interpreted by subjecting it to descriptive statistics like mean and SD. The qualitative part of the study comprises data secured through FGDs conducted with selected teachers and interviewed secondary school principals. Semi-structured items were prepared to secure data that explain the challenges and possible solution of classroom management in the secondary schools.  In relation to school-management, the findings indicate that there were poor planning and implementation of plans and weak performance from the teachers’ side in communication and motivation of students which impacted the teaching learning process in unsolicited direction. Based on the findings it was recommended that there should be collaborative rule setting and rule enforcement between teachers and students so as to develop senses of belongingness and own the rules and regulations. Moreover, it seems advisable to engage students in properly planned teaching learning activities and to improve teachers’ time-on-task to mitigate problems of classroom management in the secondary schools.