Managing Mathematics Instruction for Junior High School faculty in the Division of Batangas Province

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mathematics proficiency plays a significant role in never-ending quest to achieve greater heights in the field of discoveries and innovations. Different activities and intervention programs have been conducted, however, it is slipping to the point of noticeable deterioration observed among public junior high school students. The lamentable decline in the number of mathematically inclined students is most visibly felt like evidence of the achievement test results. With these, an instructional management program for mathematics is needed in uplifting learners' proficiency.

METHODS

This descriptive research determined teachers' competencies on content areas of mathematics. Inclusively, covering teaching competencies such as knowledge of the teaching strategies, skills in assessing learning outcomes, classroom management techniques, and attitudes toward the subject, together with instructional skills. Respondents of the study involved 121 administrators and 190 mathematics teachers in the Province of Batangas. The statistical tools utilized were frequency, percentage, weighted mean, ranking, and t-test.

RESULTS

The study revealed that teachers' competencies on content areas were moderately evident. Furthermore, different teaching competencies were also manifested to a moderate extent, noting classroom management techniques were relatively strong among the teaching competencies. As assessed instructional skills were manifested to a moderate extent however, significant differences were noted on communication, human relation, technical and conceptual skills. Issues and challenges experienced by teachers were lack of basic numeracy skills especially in multiplication and division, lack of instructional materials like modules, textbook and manual and use of ICT in teaching and insufficient knowledge in utilizing mathematics software.

DISCUSSIONS

The study proved that mathematics teachers' understanding of the different content areas in mathematics along with the ability and inclination to the different teaching competencies and instructional skills are factors in improving proficiency level in mathematics. A management program was developed to further improve teachers' teaching competencies and geared to improve mathematics teachers' instructional skills to make urgent improvement and modification on the different teaching methods, techniques and strategies in mathematics instruction and to make these more relevant to the present needs, conditions and demands of society.