Exploring the Philosophy Behind Teachers’ Classroom Management Practices in Secondary Schools in Kayunga District, Uganda

There is a common prevalence of open-ended classroom management practices among teachers today which leaves many education stakeholders suspicious of such actions. Due to such unprecedented prevalence, this study explored the philosophy behind teachers' classroom management practices in view of enhancing effective teaching and learning in Uganda. While conducting the study, teachers' classroom management practices were conceptualized as controlling students’ behaviour and classroom space, the philosophy behind these practices was conceptualized as teachers’ beliefs on the reality about students' learning, the nature and sources of valuable knowledge, and the values they aim to instil in students. Danielson’s 1996 framework for effective teaching model informed this qualitative descriptive tripartite case study, underpinned by the interpretivist paradigm. Nine teachers from three schools (three from each school) in Kayunga district, participated in this study. Data was collected from the teachers, their Headteachers, directors of studies and students. The findings revealed that the philosophy behind teachers’ classroom management practices is a blend of pragmatism and essentialism. This is reflected in teachers tailoring their management approaches to their understanding of how students learn best, while also adhering to curriculum demands and stakeholder expectations. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education and Sports should design and implement a professional development program through its teacher training institutions to help teachers balance student-centred management with curriculum demands