Abstract:

This is a desktop review paper that seeks to identify research progress and gaps in literature regarding the challenges that Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students experience during their Teaching Practice. Teaching Practice is mandatory and it aims to assist students acquire practical teaching competencies in schools including classroom management skills. Competence and readiness to teach are inseparable because the latter demonstrates the skills which students display when delivering certain aspects of their teaching. In lecture halls, these students are exposed to teaching in simulated classroom environments through micro-teaching sessions. They are trained to be teachers with a positive work ethic, display appropriate values and conduct themselves in a manner that befits, enhances and develops the teaching profession. Furthermore, they must be able to reflect critically, in theoretically informed ways and in conjunction with their professional community of colleagues on their own practice in order to constantly improve it and adapt it to evolving circumstances. The Reflective Teaching Approach (RTA) was used as lens of this paper. This approach posits that it is the responsibility of each an every teacher to present useful information that learners need to ponder, reflect and relate it to their own background knowledge. A desktop research methodology was adopted and thorough scrutiny of literature on the challenges experienced by students in schools during Teaching Practice. Content analysis was used to identify themes from the literature reviewed and the data was analysed. The findings from the literature reviewed revealed that globally and nationally, the discussions on the prevalence of varying levels of violence at schools has gained momentum and this state of affairs poses enormous challenges for students during Teaching Practice. In addition, the literature revealed a challenge of teacher- centered approach that is used by teachers in schools. It is prudent that there is a need for PGCE students, novice teachers, and experienced teachers to enhance teaching and learning through collaboration and co-teaching using learner- centered approach and combine multimedia and teaching methodology. The study recommended a coordinated response from all key stakeholders with vested interest in education to take the responsibility of guiding and assisting students to navigate the professional complexities and intricacies associated with Teaching Practice.

Keywords:

Practice teaching, modalities, ethics, professionalism, competency, micro-teaching.