INFLUENCE OF CLASSROOM BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The study described here sought to determine the influence of classroom behaviour management practices on learners’ academic achievements in public secondary school in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study employed the descriptive survey research design, and was conducted among 14 principals, 19 teachers and 315 students who were from 14 public secondary schools. Data for the study were collected using questionnaires for teachers and students and interview schedules for school principals. The study established that the most commonly employed strategies to manage classroom discipline were Suspension, requiring deviant students to stand outside the classroom during lessons, separating deviant learners in class, and employing different instructional methods. The study concludes that, although these strategies were found to be effective in controlling student behaviour in the short term, the long-term outcomes may be detrimental to students in terms of academic achievement and future behaviour. The study recommends that teachers be trained on positive classroom behaviour management strategies that do not lead to students losing instructional time.