The Influence of the Teacher in Improving Students’ Performance.
Students’ academic
Performance is variously explained as students’ academic success, students’ achievement or school performance. In this context, students’ academic performance refers to students learning outcomes or output without regards to whether it is intra school assessment or external assessment or standardised test
Various studies conducted in the past on the influence of effective teaching on students’ academic performance suggest that teachers must adapt a wide array of skills to specific contexts in order to improve students’ academic success. Brophy (1986) reviews some studies which show that students achieve more when their teachers: place emphasis on meeting academic objectives that establish clear expectations for the students within specified periods, use effective classroom management strategies that ensure that academic learning is maximised, endeavours to complete the syllabus but pace piece meal to carry learners along, and adapt curriculum materials to suit the characteristics of the learner.
These views expressed by the various studies encompass the various ways effective teachers can influence students’ academic performance. However, there are many other ways teachers can play their roles to affect students’ performance positively. First, through community of practice, when teachers collaborate with other teachers, it would improve students’ performance. Second, when teachers adapt curriculum to suit the learning needs of students, it affect teaching and learning positively, thereby resulting in improved performance. Third, when teachers indulge in continuous professional development to update their skills, knowledge, professional practice, thereby resulting in improved strategies for improving learning outcomes, students’ academic performance would improve. Fourth, teachers must adapt safe and supportive environment for teaching and learning. Finally, when teachers develop effective communication skills to manage their classes and communicate the progress of students to parents, they would together find remedies to address challenges and motivate students to improve on their performance.
In conclusion, the influence of effective teachers in improving Students Performance cannot be over emphasised. The teachers’ readiness to keep classroom management strategies that improve performance, the teachers willingness to collaborate in problem solving, and teachers willingness to use strategies that ensure maximum use of contact hours and deployment of techniques that take students characteristics and diverse learning abilities into consideration, would all determine their ability to influence students learning outcomes positively.
