Relationship between head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices and factors leading to teachers’ motivation in public secondary schools in Nyamagabe district in Rwanda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices on teachers’ motivation in public secondary schools of Nyamagabe district in Rwanda. This study was guided by the following objectives: to find out head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices in place in selected public secondary schools in Nyamagabe district, to explore the factors leading teachers’ motivation in selected public secondary schools in Nyamagabe district, and to find out the relationship between head teachers’ instructional supervisory practice and factors leading to teachers’ motivation. The target population of this study was head teachers and teachers of secondary schools in Nyamagabe district. Population of the study were 58 head teachers and 1508 teachers The simple size were 15 head teachers and 201 teachers in 15 schools all of whom randomly selected. The present study followed a descriptive correlational design. After describing head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices and the level of teachers’ motivation, the study correlates the two constructs. A five-point Likert type scale questionnaire was used to collect data from both teachers and head teachers. Frequencies and percentages were calculated to know the social demographic characteristics of respondents. Also measures of central tendency such as the mean and standard deviation were calculated to establish the extent to which head teachers conduct instructional supervisory practices and to establish factors leading to teachers’ motivation. The results indicate that head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices were in place but at different levels. It is shown that the most enacted instructional supervisory practices are (i) providing and sharing instructional feedback (M = 4.30; SD = .42); and (ii) checking professional documents for teachers (M = 4.09; SD = .41). Other instructional practices are enacted with a relative limited emphasis. These include classroom visitation, lesson observation, and assessment of instructional delivery (M = 3.38; SD = .44); and assisting teachers in their professional development (M = 3.97; SD = .32). These results suggest that head teachers must do some work on classroom visitation, lesson observation, and assessment of instructional delivery and assisting teachers in their professional development. Overall, however, the study shows that the instructional supervisory practice of head teachers in Nyamagabe district is highly conducted (M = 4.08; SD = .20). vii In relation factors leading to teachers’ motivation, the study shows that teachers are poorly motivated (M = 2.79; SD = .35; Min. = 1.76; Max. = 3.76). These results suggest that although head teachers enact highly instructional supervisory practices, these do not result into teachers’ motivation. There is no surprise therefore that there is a strong negative correlation (r = -.899, p =.000) between the overall head teachers’ instructional supervisor practice and the overall factors leading to teacher’s motivation. In other words, the more head teachers conduct the supervisory instructional practice, the less teachers become motivated. The implication for this finding is that head teachers’ instructional supervisory practices should be performed in such a way that they raise the motivation of teachers. The idea is that head teachers have to be trained about the best practices of conducting instructional supervisory practices. In this regard, concerned bodies in charge of education in Nyamagabe district should prepare training sessions on instructional supervisory practices and this can be done in the form of continuous professional development.