CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

In Cameroon, many institutions have been established to trained teachers to meet up with the increasing demand of teachers in our secondary schools. Examples include the FED, in UB, HTTC, Bambili.

The University of Buea in particular is a government institution that has produced outstanding batches of teaches of teaches since its creation in 1993,

Student teachers in UB have  a great opportunity to put what they have learn in class into practice. Teaching practice is one of the most important and formative experience to every teacher in training. It is also the best opportunity for students wishing to become teachers to build up their experience and learned best under the walking eyes of a cooperating teacher.

1.2. Definition of Teaching Practice

Cohen and Garner (1976) define teaching practice as a situation  where the student teacher learned his practical application before his act by his own meaningful activity in classroom

Etimbi (1994) defines teaching practice as the period during which the student teacher actually applies his classroom situation in  a bid to change in order to change their behavior.

Le Francois (1998) defines teaching as the level of importing knowledge skills, attitude and value. Teaching can be carried out in many different ways; by telling discussion, demonstration, guiding, directing and illustration

All these description of Cohen and Etimbi looks at the program of teaching to be aimed at encouraging teachers to develop their own philosophy of life and put theories learned into practice.

Teaching practice is  a 6 credit course carried out in the department of CST, FED of UB by level 300 and 400 students . It is geared towards helping student teachers to know what it entails to be  a teacher often guided by the various cooperating teachers from various schools and supervised by competent lecturers from UB.

1.3 Objectives of Teaching Practice

According to Akbar (2000) the following are objectives of teaching practice.

• To provide a prospective teacher with an opportunity to establish appropriate teacher student relationship
• To develop personal relationships with others administrators, teachers, parents and students
• To provide for exchange of ideas and methods between practice schools and teacher training institutions
• To provide skills in fundamental procedures, techniques and methods of teaching
• To provide the future teacher with practical experience in school to overcome the problem of discipline and enable him or her to be able to solve student problems.

1.4 Objectives of Teaching Economics

• Equipping students with the basic principle of the subjects necessary for useful living and for higher education.
• Enabling students to know the practical solution the basic economic problem of their society.
• Raising student respect for the dignity of labor and their appreciation for the economic, cultural and social values of the society.
• Preparing students to be prudent and effective in the management of scarce resources.

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