Influence of Principals’ Induction of Newly Appointed Teachers on Teacher Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Homa-Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

Induction of newly employed teachers is one of the teacher management functions of a Principal. This study sought to establish the influence of principal‟s induction of newly appointed teachers on teacher performance in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo Sub- County, Homa-Bay County, Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives: to determine the influence of Principal‟s induction on content delivery of newly appointed teachers on teacher performance; to establish the extent to which Principal‟s induction on behaviour management of newly appointed teachers influence teacher performance; to assess the influence of Principal‟s induction on teamwork of newly appointed teachers on teacher performance and to examine the influence of Principal‟s assignments and responsibilities to newly appointed teachers on teacher performance. A theoretical framework based on of building schools as communities of learning was used. A descriptive survey design was adopted. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 10 (20%) of principals of public secondary schools while simple random sampling technique was used to identify the 126 (20%) newly appointed teachers yielding a sample size of 136. Questionnaires were used to collect data from newly appointed teachers while interview schedules were used to get information from Principals. This study employed content validity and face validity. To ensure reliability of the findings, the coefficient of 0.78 was obtained indicating that the instruments were reliable for data collection. Quantitative data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as, frequencies, percentages, multiple regression and distribution tables aided by Statistical Packages for Social Sciences version 20.0. Qualitative data derived from interview schedule was analysed by making inferences from views and opinions of respondents and transcriptions analysed according to emerging themes and presented in quotes and narratives. It was established that majority of the newly appointed teachers that participated in the study had inadequate ability to undertake lesson observation, maintaining updated records of learner discipline cases, challenging behaviour and interventions. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that the principals induction have not had a significant influence on newly appointed teachers on teacher performance in content delivery, behaviour management among students, teamwork among teachers and that to some extent, there was an influence of Principal‟s induction of newly appointed teachers on teacher performance in carrying out other responsibilities. The study recommended that the TSC develops an induction guide that addresses induction needs of beginning teachers in core areas of teaching and learning. Principals could partner with stakeholders in education to sponsor workshops targeting newly posted teachers, and endevour to build and inculcate school wide culture of teamwork. Finally, studies could be conducted to establish the influence of institutional leadership induction of newly appointed tutors on their performance in higher institutions of learning.