CLASSROOM

The study examined classroom management challenges encountered by student-teachers during teaching practice exercise in secondary schools in Edo State. Four research questions guided the study. The descriptive survey design was adopted, a sample of 160 students were randomly selected from a population of 800 in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire titled Classroom Management Challenges for Student-Teachers (CMCQST), analysis was done using mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that student-teachers experience different classroom management challenges such as student indiscipline, lack of engagement, and difficulties in managing large class sizes. Prevalent types of challenges included time management issues, short student attention spans, disruptive behaviour, and difficulties in addressing diverse learning needs. The study also showed that mentor teachers and university supervisors play a significant role in mitigating these difficulties by providing practical advice and constructive feedback. Furthermore, student-teachers coped with classroom management problems by employing strategies such as reinforcement, adjusting lesson plans, seeking advice, and varying instructional activities