HEADTEACHERS SUPERVISORY STYLES AND JOB PERFORMANCE OF SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS IN PUBLIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN KASSENA-NANKANA MUNICIPALITY

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the headteachers instructional supervisory styles and job performance of Social Studies teachers in some Public Junior High Schools in Kassena-Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The study was grounded in Glickman, Gordon and Ross-Gordon‟s (1998) developmental supervisory theory. The study adopted the cross-sectional design. The population covered all headteachers in public Junior High Schools in KassenaNankana Municipality. The sample was made up of 47 headteachers and 71 Social Studies teachers. Purposive and convenience were used to select the sample for the study. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using the questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide respectively. With the aid of the Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 20, the quantitative data were analysed using percentages, mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics like t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression. The study discovered that headteachers adopted the directive control supervisory practice most (M = 4.37, SD = 0.54) than the non-directive control (M = 4.09, SD = 0.46), directive informational (M = 4.08, SD = 0.76), and collaborative (M =3.94, SD = 0.68) supervisory practices. It was observed that generally, teachers‟ level of job performance was very good (M = 4.16, SD = 0.35). The results showed that the level of teachers‟ job performance in relation to teaching skills (M = 4.18, SD = 0.41), management skills (M = 4.41, SD = 0.39), discipline and regularity (M = 4.08, SD = 0.49), and interpersonal relationship (M = 3.94, SD = 0.66) was very good. Besides, the study established that unavailability of resources, uncooperative attitude of teachers during supervision, and workload of the headteachers were the major challenges confronting headteachers in supervising Social Studies teachers in public JHS in Kassena-Nankana Municipality. It is recommended that: Kassena-Nankana Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Education Service organise capacity building in-service training and workshops for the headteachers to equip and empower them to use a mix of supervisory styles when the situation arises. Social Studies teachers in the municipality should be supported and encouraged by their head teachers and Circuit Supervisors to sustain and improve on their job performance. Head teachers should use the best instructional style in their supervisory work to bring about improvement in teachers job performance