Novice teachers’ experiences of classroom management skill development during teaching practice programmes in public junior secondary schools in Kisumu Central Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Classroom management is a critical component of professional teacher competence and is strongly emphasised in Kenya’s competency-based teacher education framework. Teaching Practice Programmes (TPPs) serve as a key opportunity for novice teachers, those who have taught for up to 3 years after completing their teacher education course at the university, to build these skills. However, many novice teachers report struggling to maintain classroom discipline, organise instruction, and engage learners effectively in their career. This study therefore sought to explore novice teachers’ experiences of developing classroom management skills during TPPs in public junior secondary schools in Kisumu Central Sub-County. The objectives of the study were: to explore how novice teachers understand classroom management during TPP; to establish novice teachers experiences constructing classroom management competencies during TPP; and to illuminate the conditions that enable or constrain their skill development. Guided by Marzano’s classroom management framework and Kolb’s experiential learning theory, the study adopted a phenomenological design within an interpretivist paradigm. 15 novice teachers from 13 public junior secondary schools in Kisumu Central Sub-County were purposively sampled and data were collected through semi- structured interviews and semi-structured FGDs. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach. The findings showed that novice teachers initially understood classroom management mainly as discipline and control, but their understanding broadened during TPPs to include instructional organisation, learner engagement, teacher-student relationships, emotional regulation, and reflective practice. Experiences of skill development were uneven, shaped by both supportive mentorship and constraining conditions such as large classes, limited resources, and inadequate guidance. Classroom management development was also closely connected to emerging teacher identity, with some novices experiencing confidence gains while others struggled with identity uncertainty, including challenges linked to linguistic and migration-related backgrounds. The study concludes that TPPs are central to the development of classroom management and professional identity among novice teachers and highlights the need for strengthened mentorship, realistic TPPs conditions, and structured reflective support, as well as further attention to identity-related and migration-informed experiences within career preparation programmes.