Teaching Skills of Pre-service Teachers: Basis for Mentoring Initiatives

This study utilized triangulation approach of descriptive research in determining the teaching skills of elementary pre-service teachers of Bukidnon State University during their in-campus practice teaching. It also determined whether actual teaching experiences of pre-service teachers were effective in developing and improving said teaching skills. Sample pre-service teaching evaluation forms were collected from supervising instructors, computed, compared and analyzed within and across areas of teaching skills. The results revealed that even during their first actual teaching exposures, pre-service teachers had already shown teacher personalities and lesson planning skills but deficient in other areas, namely; classroom management, teaching methods, content knowledge and questioning skills. These weak areas greatly improved during the next grade level assignment of the participants while their best entry skills were the least developed. It can be gleaned from the results that actual teaching experiences are indeed very useful in training future teachers and therefore must be given maximum attention by teacher-training institutions. These findings would help the college faculty and supervising instructors plan out more relevant interventions in order to maximize learning among education graduates. Further studies on the topic using a more comprehensive research instrument, methodology and scope are also recommended.

Keywords: Teaching skills, Pre-service teachers, Mentoring