Mentoring Approach for the Development of Beginning Early Childhood Teachers' Competencies in Selected Lower Basic Schools in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Mentoring approach promotes job satisfaction among beginning teachers and reduces their attrition and early exit among others. This study examined the Mentoring Approach for the development of beginning Early Childhood Teachers’ Competencies in Selected Lower Basic Schools in Lagos, Nigeria. A descriptive Survey Research Design was employed. Three research questions in an eighteen (18) item statement questionnaire and two hypotheses guided the study. Simple Random selection and purposive sampling were employed to select one hundred and twenty (120) teachers in twelve (12) lower Basic schools in Oshodi-Isolo LGA. The instrument ‘Mentoring approach for the Development of Beginning Early Childhood Teachers’ (MADBECT) questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents. The instrument was validated by the supervisors, experts in Early Childhood Education and Measurement and Evaluation and was evaluated using Cronbach Alpha reliability consistency method. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analyses such as percentages, mean and standard deviation. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 significant level using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) and Regression Analysis. The study finds out among others that mentoring enhances beginning teachers’ practices and competencies by being the easiest way of beginning teachers’ retention in teaching profession, supports the beginning and early career teachers to learn and build up professional skills, and, enhances beginning teachers’ motivation and commitment. Recommendations were made that among others, the Ministry of Education should adopt proactive measures to ensure that mentoring programmes is functional in schools through regular supervision of schools. In addition, a formal mentoring programme be encouraged by head of schools on individualised basis.