Instructional supervision of social studies teachers in public junior high schools in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

The study investigated the supervision of Social Studies teachers in public JHSs in the Kumasi Metropolis. The mixed methods approach was used with both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. The population consisted of all Junior High School Social Studies teachers (346), 10 headteachers, and 10 circuit supervisors in all the Junior High Schools (JHSs) in the Kumasi Metropolis during the 2014/2015 academic year. All the teachers were included (census) in the study but the headteachers and the circuit supervisors were purposively selected. Questionnaire and interview protocol were used to collect data. Percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviations were calculated and used. Factorial one-way analysis of variance was also employed to test the differences between respondents’ socioanalysis procedure was used to analyse the interview data after transcription. To the respondents, the main practice that constitutes instructional supervision of Social Studies instruction is collaborative, although self-reflection is sometimes practiced. Although, clinical supervision is experienced by teachers, supervisors do not engage teachers in every aspect of it. The socio-demographic characteristics of respondents influence the way teachers experience instructional supervision. It is recommended that circuit supervisors should lay equal emphasis should also engage teachers in all the components of clinical supervision.