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LITERATURE REVIEW: SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

The teachers in their process of acquisition of competences for the fulfillment of their
training programs are submitted to different realities which contribute to the
understanding of all components involved in their professional career. Therefore,
throughout their educative process they come to be challenged in school where they
have to get practice about what they've learnt at the training centre, it is named
teaching practices.

Collins English Dictionary (2011) defines Teaching practice as "a period that a student
teacher spends teaching at a school as part of his or her training, it means, a temporary
period of teaching in a school undertaken under supervision by a person who is training
to become a teacher."

So, before it comes to be realized in the context of the field of study, it is necessary to
understand the meaning of school.

Many are the definitions given to the term school concerning to different location and
perspectives. Zinth (2005:1) tried to collect several definitions according to different
places of which education is taken in action. Some of them are jotted below:

School means an organization of students for instructional purposes on an


elementary, middle or junior high school, secondary or high school, or other
public school level authorized under rules of the State Board of Education.
School as a single attendance center in which instruction is offered by one or
more teachers and is discernible as a building or group of buildings generally
recognized as either an elementary, middle, junior high or high school or any
combination of those and includes a charter school.

In general, school can be either private or public institution where students under
guidance of teachers are instructed and prepared with knowledge which enables them to
the enhancement of their world perception.

2. THE SCHOOL AREAS OF ACTIVITIES

The school areas which take part of the whole environment of the institution are part of
a set of internal management procedures to achieve common objectives, in this case is
the educational process.

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As Ahmad (2011) describes the term management, "encompasses an array of different
functions undertaken to accomplish a task successfully. In the simplest of terms,
management is all about getting things done."

So, management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and


controlling an organization (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the
purpose of accomplishing a goal. In turn, resourcing encompasses the deployment and
manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources, and
natural resources, thats why, the school is divided in areas so that it can allow
multitasking and time management in the perspective of accomplish the tasks and goals
defined as well.

Planning: Deciding what needs to happen in the future (today, next week, next
month, next year, over the next 5 years, etc.) and generating plans for action.
Organizing: (Implementation) making optimum use of the resources required to
enable the successful carrying out of plans.
Staffing: Job analyzing, recruitment, and hiring individuals for appropriate jobs.
Leading/Directing: Determining what needs to be done in a situation and
getting people to do it.
Controlling/Monitoring: Checking progress against plans.
Motivation: Motivation is also a kind of basic function of management, because
without motivation, employees cannot work effectively. If motivation doesn't
take place in an organization, then employees may not contribute to the other
functions (which are usually set by top level management).

These elements highlighted above can be compressed into three areas of activities of a
school that can be addressed throughout the work:

Organizational activities;
Pedagogical activities; and
Administrational activities.

2.1. ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Organizational change, in order to be effective and sustainable, may need to be


incremental, and it must accommodate the need to simplify complexity in schools and

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classrooms. We form organizations in part to manage the complexity of a disorganized
world and to create stability and predictability where none exists naturally.
Simplification is necessary to the health of an organization and the well-being of its
members. In schools, where staff are responsible for large numbers of students and a
variety of content subjects in the course of a day, the need to reduce complexity is
especially important.

Ahmad (2011) defines organization as the form of the enterprise or institution and the
arrangement of the human and material resources functioning in a manner to achieve the
objectives of the enterprise. It represents two or more than two people respectively
specializing in functions of each perform, working together towards a common goal as
governed by formal rules of behavior.

It is expect to find teachers in every school system -- but most school systems also have
their own human resource department, including a human resource specialist. This
human resource specialist plays an important role in coordinating the school's staffing
needs, the needs of employees and the will of administrators. He manages this juggling
act while keeping the school district in compliance with state and federal employment
laws and regulations.

2.1.1. Functions of Organizational department/Human Resources

Therefore, the organizational department in school is basically named Human


Resources and their mail functions are:

Daily Staffing Operations

The human resource specialist is very involved in the day-to-day staffing of the school
system. She ensures the right people are hired for school jobs and that the staff is
functional. Some of the tasks she might be responsible for include staff recruitment,
recommending hires, maintaining job titles, determining salary ranges, administering
employment tests, supervising personnel procedures, developing operation calendars,
assigning priorities and assisting other administrative staff with personnel issues.

Support School Employees

The human resource specialist generally serves as the liaison between teachers, staff and
school administrators. He may also deal with teacher unions and bargaining agreements.

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To support the school's employees, he may communicate labor relations information or
interpret employment laws. Additionally, he may host a new employee orientation,
coordinate training, conduct professional development workshops, provide information
on employee benefits and activities, verify employment and help employees with
employment-related paperwork.

Administrative Support

The human resource specialist works closely with the school administration. In some
school systems, the specialist may report directly to an administrator. Similarly to what
she does for employees, she interprets contract information, policies, procedures, state
and federal regulations and compliance information for administrators. Additionally,
she may be involved with several committees and provide recommendations based on
her area of expertise. Some human resource specialists may attend school board
meetings and meet regularly with school board members.

Record Keeping

The human resource department is responsible for collecting and keeping all kinds of
employment records. The human resource specialist may be in charge of updating and
maintaining these files and creating reports. He may collect and file information in each
employee's file. When he attends school meetings, he may be the minute-taker to keep
record of changes or updates that affect employment.

2.1.2. Parts of the school

The schools present different environments concerning to the way how are developed
the internal infra-structures since the conditions offered vary from school to school and
the priority of have been variable. The following parts of school are generalized as
being the ones which normally can be found in several schools around the country:

School Main Offices are the multifunctional buildings where are grouped
several departments that together cooperate for a common objective - the
educative process. They comprise the administrative office, Human Resources,
Directorate, secretary and office of the deputy director.
Polyvalent field (often used to practice sport and perform Physical Education
exercises);

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Car Park (school spaces reserved for private cars or school visitors
transports)
Store is a school space basically reserved for the storage of several materials
of internal use. They include: School books, brooms, buckets, moving frames,
rakes, hoes, machetes, etc.
Gymnasium - is an open air or covered location for gymnastics, athletics, and
gymnastic services.
Kitchen space for cooking.
Classroom is a learning space, a room in which both children and adults learn
about things.
Bathroom is a room in the school for personal hygiene activities, generally
containing a sink (basin) and either a bathtub, a shower, or both.
Hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls used for events
involving a lot of people like festivals, seminars, parents meeting, etc.
Library - a place set apart to contain books, periodicals, and other material for
reading, viewing, listening, study, or reference, as a room, set of rooms, or
building where books may be read or borrowed.
School Yard an outdoor area provided for children to play in, especially at a
school or public park. In other words is a piece of land used for and usually
equipped with facilities for recreation especially by children.

2.1.3. School Basic Documentation

There are a lot of documents which can be found and used at schools activities
supplying information for those who are involved in the school systems (workers,
teachers, students, parents and guardian) and even those who are direct and indirectly
connected to the school issues. They list below are some of them which can be found in
school environments:

Teaching Programs

In general, the teaching program guides school management on what teachers need to
know, what schools need to teach, and what will be assessed. It guides schools in their
decisions about teaching materials and teaching strategies and informs parents about

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what their children should learn in each grade level and other important elements for the
teaching area.

Regulation of the General Statute of State Employees and Agent

The General Statute of State Officials and Agents is an organic law or regulation of a
State, which regulates civil servants, that is, text that regulates the operation of the same
State as organ that manages the situations of the people, being there available the rights
and duties of officials and other important issues of various situations that involve the
various activities performed in the State apparatus. It is divided and parts, chapters and
articles.

Assessment regulation

It is a tool which accomplishes methodologies to be followed in the elaboration of


evaluations and how can they be designed understood in the educational area. The
regulations ensure the adoption of best practice in relation to examinations and
assessment principles and processes.

General Regulation of Secondary Education

Besides the Assessment tool, the General Regulation of Secondary is a tool designed
especially for secondary schools which consists of contents which enable the school to
deal with the Teaching and Learning Process and brings approaches for the
understanding how the secondary education works.

School books

Although found in libraries, books are most important documents which proof the
knowledge which is used by students in their research activities and enhance their
abilities and competences. Some of them can talk about other issues which cannot be
found in the library.

Book of absences

Also known as a book of absences or attendance book, it is a device that is in the


registry to record the attendance and absences of employees at their service stations, in
this case in their activities of the institution. it is through this book that the
administrative sector makes adjustment of the salary payment accounts and that the

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pedagogical department uses to evaluate the punctuality and assiduity in the act of
evaluating the annual performance of each employee. The notebook is only kept by the
secretariat and is available during the working time to enable workers to sign when
needed.

Guidelines

As being a paper handled by teachers, it is a sensitive student's record that contains the
student achievement records that have been achieved throughout the quarter. It can only
be handled in the presence of the student or class director.

Codes: Criminal and Civil;

It is a document which compiles a set of laws and norms that guide society and mutual
connivance in general society, marital and other social situations. It can be in school so
that students can learn and understand them.

Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique

The Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique is the document that establishes the
organization and functioning of the State and recognizes the rights, duties and
fundamental freedoms of citizens. The Constitution serves as the basis for all laws that
exist in Mozambique and its content must be taken as a must since it can take to the
punishment for those who attempt to disobey the rules.

Salary Sheets

They are a set of papers which the Human Resources specialist keeps in his drawer
which are used for future need as being designs of payment records of the institution.

These documents are used recommended to be handled by all workers so that it can help
different departments to enhance their activities by their application in daily work life
and in the educative process. Some of them give rules and laws for the behavior change
and some give guidelines on how to deal with some activities in the work place.

2.1.4. The school development plan

This document is prepared in cooperation with different branches of school community,


starting form what the Ministry of Education and Human Development defines as goal

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and views and it follows different level up to single school context. So, the Principal
and other coordinators will prepare the School Development Plan that will guide actions
at the school during the academic year. Some activities may however span over more
than a year.

The School Development Plan is a plan that may aim at improving the school, targeting
a wide spectrum of areas with focus on issues needing urgent attention, for example:

Upgrading and enhancement of the physical environment;


Improvement of student performance;
Improvement of communication, relationships and social environment within the
school;
Development of links with the Community.

So, during the designing of the School Development Plan is included the School
Calendar, prepared at the beginning of the year, with activities listed term wise without
necessarily specifying exact dates. Departments base themselves on the school calendar
to prepare their work plans.

Heads of department or prepare and submit to the director a detailed calendar for each
and every activity that they will carry out. This contains a detailed breakdown of tasks,
time frame and the areas of responsibility. In the absence of Human Resources, the
director takes responsibility for producing and drawing up the plan of activities together
with his deputy.

In general, this department deals with the following summarized issues:

a. Make sure if the rule of discipline within the institution is being used;
b. to plan and implement strategies for school improvement;
c. to ensure the security and safety of all staff and students at school;
d. to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the school building and premises;
e. to ensure the security and safety of all assets and equipment at school;
f. to manage and supervise the staff working under him, ensuring that they are
aware of and abide by official instructions;
g. orientation and guidance of all staff in the school/department in the
understanding of their role and contribution to the school and the education;

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h. effective planning and development review including the management of staff
performance and performance reviews;
i. management of other human resource functions - including but not limited to
recruitment, selection, induction, administration, performance management and
grievances;
j. ensuring that the duty of care owed to staff and students is exercised particularly
in relation to the maintenance of a learning/working environment free from
bullying, harassment or discriminatory practices.

2.1.5. School Flowchart

The school institution, mainly in the organizational department works with a design
used as standard in the hierarchy description telling who follows who and deeply is
described the responsibilities addresses to each part of the flowchart.

So, a school flowchart or organizational chart is a diagram that shows the structure of an
organization and the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs. In
Mozambican schools,

Each functional institution has a scheme of responsibilities which are coordinated


among those who work for the same purpose. For better understanding of how this tasks
are carried out and who do what, is used a design model which describes shortly the
logical responsibilities and positional hierarchy in the activity.

There is a differentiation on how these schemes are drew since as explained above
varies from a school to another, but in nowadays has been designed by the Ministry of
Education and Human Development as being a democratic scheme. Here is where a
Principal does not work as a Chief, appearing as a guide for all activities developed in a
certain school.

Below is represented a design of a school flowchart which can commonly be found and
applied in school's environment enabling the comprehension of responsibilities'
dimensions and for those who enter in the institution can easily look at it and
consequently get without orientation. In case of need to know deeply about the scheme,
the Human Resources can supply it in a formal description and well detailed about the
components related to each one..

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Graphic1: Flowchart of Napipine Primary School

School Council Principal ONP

Principal Deputy Secretary

Cycles and Areas Coordinators Administrative Auxiliars

Securities Servants
Class Directors Subject Delegates

Securities Securities

Source: Mateus (October, 2016) Teaching Practices Report

In this case, the Principal works hardly and directly with the extended groups helping in
the development and enhancement of educational activities at all. There are situation
which the Principal is located as single and down comes other elements without miss
the organization structure of the school. It is just an organization form which enable the
treatment of issues concerning to Teaching and Learning Process and all components of
school matter as a link for the rest parts of the educational branches in case of need.

Therefore, this department is very important as part of school management branch and
its existence is a must for the accomplishment of all expected tasks within the school
environment and prepare well-being of all staffs and students on the problem solutions.

In summation, the area related to educational organization is as sensitive as others since


the work of dealing and manage other people has been a hard task. This responsibility
requires much patience and attention and the responsible has to be well trained in the
issues of management or institutional management so that can be able to face challenges
mostly with problems among staff, teachers, students and even the whole school
community involving parents and guardians and other authorities which are direct and
indirectly connected to the institution.

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2.2. PEDAGOGICAL ACTIVITIES

The pedagogical department is held by a pedagogical coordinator most known by


Principal Deputy. So, according to Libneo (2001:214), "the pedagogical coordinator is
one who is responsible for the viability, integration and articulation of pedagogical
work, being directly related to teachers, students and parents." It means that, together
with the teaching staff, the coordinator has as main attribution pedagogical didactic
assistance, reflecting on teaching practices, helping and building new learning
situations, able to assist students

In this case, the pedagogical coordinator needs to know the needs of his work team,
analyzing the planning of activities, the productions of the students from the classes
given by their team of teachers and the results of the classes. For this the pedagogical
coordinator can observe the classes happening in classrooms or the actions of the
teachers (inside and outside the classroom).

Within the school community, the pedagogical coordinator has an articulating,


transforming function, that is, acts as a mediating element between the curriculum and
the teachers, and the other actors of education. The pedagogical coordinator must have
full knowledge of the teachers and students with whom he works, the socio-cultural
reality in which the school is located and other aspects of the pedagogical and
interpersonal relationships that develop in the classroom and in the school.

The pedagogical coordinator in some educational networks is also known as a


supervisor, supervisor or simply a pedagogue. In others, of pedagogical coordinator,
who is like a school manager. They are the professionals responsible for training
teachers in schools and are a direct collaborator of management.

However, the pedagogical responsibilities to Libneo (2001:215) can be described in


four functions: mediating, articulating, forming and transforming.

a. Mediating function, in the sense of revealing / revealing the meanings of the


curricular proposals allowing the teachers to elaborate their own senses;
b. Articulating function, in order to create conditions for teachers to work
collectively on curricular proposals;
c. Formative role in giving conditions for the teacher to deepen in their area;

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d. Transforming function when working with questions, helping the teachers to be
reflexive and critical.

Therefore, it is up to the pedagogical coordinator or coordinating teacher to supervise,


monitor, advise and evaluate the pedagogical-curricular activities. Its priority
assignment is to provide pedagogical-didactic assistance to teachers in their respective
disciplines, in what concerns the interactive work with the students. Another attribution
that is the responsibility of the pedagogical coordinator is the relationship with the
parents and the community, especially with regard to the pedagogical-curricular and
didactic functioning of the school, communication, and interpretation of students'
evaluation.

In the work order of the school pedagogical leader, he has worked with a team that
helps in the preparation, execution and evaluation of his activities through the
involvement of some internal and external entities. These entities involve:

2.2.1. The Class Council

According to General Regulation of Basic Education of Mozambique (2008:34), "Class


Council is the organ that contemplates the organization, monitoring and evaluation of
the students' learning and behavior, elaborating strategies for the educational and
scholastic success of the students."

The Classroom Council consists of all classroom teachers, student representatives (chief
and chief assistant), parent representatives and guardians of class pupils. The
representative of the parents and guardians of the pupils is elected at the beginning of
the school year in a meeting of the parents and guardians of the pupils of the class,
called for this purpose by the respective class director.

Amongst varies responsibilities, the Class Council members have to:

1. define general performance criteria at the beginning of the year;


2. define education strategies and curriculum flexibility; cultural, sporting, and
recreational activities involving the students and the community, integrated in
the annual plan of activities;

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3. prepare and evaluate the class plan of activities in conjunction with the provided
for in the school's annual activity plan; actions that encourage the involvement
of parents and caregivers. education in the education of their students;
4. to detect difficulties in the students' learning pace and to propose strategies of
overcoming; analyze disciplinary situations that occurred with students in the
class and establish the educational measures they deem most appropriate;
5. decide on the situation that implies the student's retention in the same year and
collaborate with the class director in the preparation of the respective report and
specific support plan;
6. request the specialized evaluation provided for students with special education.

2.2.2. The Class Director

The Class Director described in the General Regulation of Basic Education of


Mozambique (2008:35), "in the 1st and 2nd cycles is indicated among the class teachers
by the School Director, on proposal of the Assistant Pedagogical Director (Deputy)." It
goes forward saying that the period of exercise of the Class Director is one school year,
and in case of force majeure it is replaced by a selected teacher who also orients lessons
in the classroom.

Amongst many available, are the responsibilities of the Class Director:

1. transmit and enforce the guidelines and decisions of the higher structures in the
class;
2. to ensure the application of the School's Internal Rules at the level of the class;
3. informing the cycle coordinator and the teacher on a regular basis about the
situation of students 'and teachers' performance and behavior;
4. to know the situation of each student in his class with regard to socio-economic
situation, school achievement, behavior, attendance, punctuality, cleanliness and
hygiene;
5. fill out each student's class book each month;
6. to praise the students of the class, in case of use and exemplary behavior and
criticize them when necessary;
7. accept or reject the justifications of student absences, channeling them to the
pedagogical section;

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8. communicate to the School Board problematic and disciplinary cases of the
students in the class that he or she directs;
9. encourage students to study and participate in curricular and extracurricular
activities when available at school;
10. organize and chair the board council meetings at the end of each quarter;
11. attend classes of the teachers of the class that he / she directs;
12. promote, convene and direct the meetings with parents / guardians of pupils, to
inform them of the students' performance, behavior, attendance and punctuality
and to request their collaboration in curricular and extracurricular activities;
13. prepare and elaborate the class plan of activities; fill out the class book.
14. who teach in the class for which he takes responsibility.

2.2.2.1. Documents used by the Class Director

Based on the school context, the Class Director in his task of caring the issues of the
class possesses documents such as:

Summary book used to store all data of the students who attend a certain class
with respect to the personal data, the frequency notes, the absences of each
absence of a certain discipline, the classes that are taught in each discipline
present in the existing schedule.
Individual learner's process files where the relevant information of the
educational path of the student is recorded, namely those related to meritorious
behavior and infractions and disciplinary measures applied, including the
description of their effects.

The individual process of the student constitutes an exclusive registration in disciplinary


terms. Therefore, information contained in the student's individual case regarding
disciplinary matters and of a personal and family nature are strictly confidential and all
members of the educational community who have access to them are bound to the duty
of confidentiality.

The consultation of the students individual file by the head of education takes place in
the presence of the respective Class Director during office hours. The technicians
belonging to the structures provided for in the Internal Regulations also have access to
the file.

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Statistics Maps a schematic report of the statistical data of the pedagogical
use of each student, which includes the term, annual, cycle, global averages and
respective attributed result based on the values acquired by the student
throughout his educational process.

I general, it is the responsibility of the class director to collect the averages from the
teachers who pass and teach in the classroom for which he takes as responsible.

Scores database

In his teaching activities, the teacher needs to make several registrations. The integrated
organization of information will enable him to always keep in mind the data necessary
for his daily activity.

Therefore, the scores database, which assumes itself as a true working tool, allows
recording all the notes regarding the class, in general, and the student, in particular;
assists the teacher in the rational and logical placement of the results of the pedagogical
use of the student throughout his educational process.

2.2.3. Teachers at school

Teachers play various roles in a typical classroom, but surely one of the most important
is that of classroom manager. Effective teaching and learning cannot take place in a
poorly managed classroom. If students are disorderly and disrespectful, and no apparent
rules and procedures guide behavior, chaos becomes the norm. In these situations, both
teachers and students suffer. Teachers struggle to teach, and students most likely learn
much less than they should. In contrast, well-managed classrooms provide an
environment in which teaching and learning can flourish. But a well-managed
classroom doesn't just appear out of nowhere. It takes a good deal of effort to create
and the person who is most responsible for creating it is the teacher.

Laslett and Smith (1984) claim that "the major limiting factor in any classroom is the
teacher not only do his character, personality and competence play a large part in
determining the atmosphere of the lesson, the sort of relationships which exist, the styles
of communication and the rules and regulations governing the formalities, but the teacher
also performs a key role in influencing the pupils view of himself and the sort of
progress he/she makes. Successful classroom management has been defined as producing
a high rate of work involvement with a low rate of deviancy in academic settings.

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Therefore, the present of teacher in the student's academic life is very crucial and need
to be taken much attention so that all goal and expectations come to be accomplished.
Most of time is said that a teacher is the second father or father, then, his/her presence is
vital and necessary to run the educative machine unlike other responsibilities.

2.2.4. School Library

The libraries, although cannot be given much attention, have always played a significant
role, enabling people to engage with all kinds of information and knowledge resources.

Since the technological development of electronic resources and their easy acquisition
to the means to collect, store, manage, and use widely distributed knowledge resources
have become more effective serving the library users even. So, modern libraries are
therefore being redefined as places to get wider access to information in many formats
and from many sources. The technological development in libraries has affected both
information space and information practice.

In Mozambique, most of secondary schools have shared some books which are supplied
by the government in the adjustment of the National Curriculum enabling students to
enhance their knowledge by accessing sources available in the libraries and their
consequent use in the research or study works oriented by their teachers.

2.2.5. Assessment regulation

The MEC (2008) defines evaluation as "a curricular component, present throughout the
teaching-learning process, from which data and information are obtained, allowing to
relate what was proposed and what was achieved." Such relation serves to critically
analyze the results, to formulate value judgments and to make decisions aiming at
promote the development of skills, improve the quality of teaching and the education
system.

2.2.5.1. General principles of evaluation

Assessment Regulations for General Secondary Education is a normative document that


applies to all public and private secondary schools in the country, in person. It is divided
in its description in parts, chapters and articles containing detailed information about
each main idea.

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2.2.5.2. Objectives of evaluation in secondary school

The evaluation of learning in General Secondary Education has as main objectives:

a. Determine the degree of development of the student's competences in a given


discipline, set of disciplines, class or cycle;
b. Encourage self-assessment and student orientation in improving their own
c. learning;
d. Encourage regular and systematic study, both individually and collectively;
e. To direct the intervention of the teacher in his relation with the students, with the
other teachers and with the parents and in charge of education;
f. Provide the student and the parents and guardians throughout the teaching-
learning process with qualitative and quantitative information on the student's
performance;
g. Enable the teacher to reflect carefully on their performance and to introduce
improvements that prove relevant;
h. To certify the acquired competences, both for the pursuit of studies and for
better integration in society;
i. Contribute to raising the quality of teaching, to school success and to the
educational system.

2.2.5.3. Evaluation modalities

The evaluation in its whole context concerning to the educative process are used
modalities such as: Diagnostic, Formative and Summative, describing the way or period
which the evaluation is oriented, as example: at the beginning of the year, during the
year and the end of each level of knowledge. Describing them in more detail they can be
as follows:

2.2.5.3.1. Diagnostic Evaluation

It allows to verify if the student has or not the prerequisites, that is, knowledge, skills,
abilities and attitudes essential for new learning. It is usually done at the beginning of
new approaches and makes it possible to detect problems by solving them in a way that
ensures student learning. Most primary books of Mozambique Curriculum bring at
initial pages some questions related to the previous grade to update the S's knowledge.

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2.2.5.3.2. Formative Evaluation

The formative evaluation is carried out throughout the teaching-learning process,


helping the student to guide his / her study, as well as the teacher to carry out his / her
teaching activity. It makes it possible to apply educational measures of reorientation and
overcoming the difficulties of the student, contributing to improve the teaching process
of learning and success of the student.

2.2.5.3.3. Summative Evaluation

The summative evaluation aims to classify the student at the end of a teaching sequence,
being a unit, set of units, programs as a whole, class or school cycle where the
classification certifies the competences acquired by the student.

2.2.5.4. Forms of evaluation data collection

The assessment may be individual, in pairs, peer, collective, self-assessment or hetero-


evaluation and to rely, amongst others, on the following forms of data collection:

Note;
Quiz;
Interview;
Homework;
Tests;
Laboratory work;
Elaboration and implementation of projects;
Research reports, study visits or internships;
Seminars;
Portfolios;
Workshops;
Verification of the student's notebook;
Exams.

2.2.5.5. Rating Scale

The Regulation of Basic Education (2008:65) classifies the rating scale dividing into
five levels that are expressed qualitatively and quantitatively, as follows:

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LEVELS QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE
CLASSIFICATION CLASSIFICATION

1st Excellent 19 to 20 marks


2nd Very Good (VG)
17 to 20 marks
3th Good (G)
14 to 16 marks
4th Satisfactory (S) 10 to 13 marks
5th Unsatisfactory (NS)
0 to 9 marks

2.2.6. Exam processes organization and control

The examination is one component of the evaluation process that contributes to


determine the final grade in the respective discipline. It is one of the sources of
information to be used in the global assessment of the cycle. However, the examination
cannot be the sole determinant for the passing or disapproval of the student.

In Secondary Education there is an examination at the end of 1st and 2nd cycles (10th
and 12th grades) in the subjects of Portuguese, Mathematics, History, Geography,
Physics, Biology and English focusing on the learning and competences foreseen in the
curriculum.

The student who has the overall grade of the cycle is equal to or greater than Good
(Cycle average equal to or greater than 14 points) is dispensed for the exam.

2.2.6.1. Exam Test Duration Time

The duration of the examination exams is 90 minutes, except for the Portuguese and
Mathematics exams that last 120 minutes.

2.2.6.2. Admission to 1st and 2nd attempts

All internal students in the 10th and 12th classes who have a grade of attendance and
who have not failed the year due to absences are admitted to the 1st period exam
following some pre established rules for its participation..

Take the exam of the 2nd season:

a. all students who have failed in the 1st period, only in the discipline (s) that has
determined its disapproval;

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b. pupils who, for reasons of force majeure, duly proven, have missed all or some
of the first season's events.

It is understood by reason of force majeure an illness, death of some familiar or


impediment due to the situation of natural calamities among others.

Examination tests are conducted in schools according to a national calendar and the
periodicity of examinations is defined by the Ministry of Education and Human
Development as the acronym is designed nowadays by the upgrade of the last name
which was Ministry of Education and Culture..

2.2.7. Groups and subject levels

In the Secondary Schools, besides what is described in the Basic Education Level, the
subjects are grouped according to the contents oriented to the students. There groups
can be described as:

1. The Curricular areas of the 1st cycle (ESG1): Communication and Social
Sciences Area (Geography, Portuguese Language, Mozambican Languages,
English and French Languages), Mathematics and Natural Sciences Area
(Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry) and Area of Practical and
Technological Activities (Physical Education, Visual Education, Information
and Communication Technologies and the Vocational Disciplines as Notions of
Entrepreneurship, Agro-Livestock, among others).
2. Besides, the Curricular Areas of the 2nd Cycle (ESG2): Common Trunk
(Portuguese Language, Introduction to Philosophy, Mathematics, Information
and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Physical Education),
Communication and Social Sciences Area (Mozambican Languages, French
Language, History, Geography and Introduction to Philosophy), Mathematics
and Natural Sciences Area (Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Area of Visual
and Performing Arts and finally Vocational Disciplines (Visual Education,
Descriptive Design and Geometry and the Performing Arts).

As can be noticed, the pedagogic department takes a great role for functioning of the
teaching process since it is responsible to keep teachers and students updated to the
issues related to educational components by controlling and evaluating the Teaching
and Learning Process comparing to the expected goal defined by the Ministry.

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2.3. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES

The utilization and development of financial resources have its great importance in
school organization. School organization requires proper budgeting, accounting and
audit system because these are beneficial for making transparent policies, plans, rules
and regulation.

2.3.1. Head of the Secretariat

Therefore, according to the Basic Education Regulations (2008: 21), "the head of the
secretariat is an administrative officer, appointed by the District Administrator, on the
proposal of the Director of the School and with the opinion of the Director of the
District Services for Education, Youth and Technology."

2.3.1.1. Competencies of the Head of Secretariat:

Below are some responsibilities which are mostly carried out or expected to do with
those who work in this area of the school management described in the Basic Education
Regulations (2008: 22):

exercise the functions of organization, planning, coordination and control of its


unit according to the competence conferred;
organize and keep updated the collection of legislation of interest to the
development of the sector's activities, by helping to disseminate it;
organize and arrange for the reception, registration, issuance and dispatch of
correspondence and to ensure the typing, reproduction and archiving of all
school documents;
organize and control the process of recruitment, admission and possession of
teachers and other workers for the institution;
ensure the organization and control of the individual processes of teachers,
pupils and other school workers and to maintain control over the entire
documentation relating to their employment situation;
maintenance, cleaning of premises and maintenance of teaching in common use;
prepare and present the school's draft annual budget;
implement the school's budget and revenues in accordance with the management
in force;
prepare and periodically submit the accounts process;

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ensure compliance with the deadlines for processing and payment of wages in
school within the legal deadlines;
manage the school's bank account, making deposits and withdrawals and signing
the respective checks with the Director of the School;
direct the routing of all material necessary for reproduction, printing and
copying of documents;
to guide, organize and control the survey of teachers' other workers, in order to
control their attendance and punctuality;
make other duly authorized payments;
to guide and control the operation of the canteen, in order to guarantee a support
service for students, teachers and other school workers;
ensure regular supplies to the school of articles and consumer goods;
arrange for the purchase of uniforms, clothing and other necessary articles the
proper functioning of the institution's activities;
organize the permanence and / or protection service of the institution;
to keep the school stamp under his care;
ensure the proper functioning of stationery;
annually to carry out an inventory of the existing material in the institution;
ensure the acquisition of materials for students with educational needs and
teachers with disabilities;
ensure the construction of ramps and other devices to facilitate the movement of
people with disabilities.

2.3.2. School secretary

The School Secretariat supports the functioning of all sectors of the school, supporting
them so that they can carry out their functions in order to improve the quality of their
work.

The Secretariat is the sector that is responsible for all the school bookkeeping service
and correspondence of this school unit. The Secretariat will always function with the
presence of a responsible, independent of the duration of the school year, in all shifts of
the school, with attendance to the public at established times ..

The responsibilities of the secretariat are:

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Articulate with the other sectors of the school, constituting an element of
connection between the administrative and the technical-pedagogical to
guarantee the Pedagogical Proposal of the School;
Advise the direction of the school in the tasks related to its function;
Direct and direct the relevant services to the secretariat;
Write the correspondence that has been determined;
Organize, keep up to date and disclose: ordinances, decrees, edicts and other
legal devices, of interest to the school community, in order to keep the team
informed and duly updated; Analyze the entire file and submit it to the director's
order;
Prepare reports, organize processes and refer them to the competent bodies;
Present to the director, in a timely manner, all documents that must be signed;
Organize and keep up-to-date the student's protocol, file and record of student
settlement, so as to permit, at any time, the necessary verification:
Coordinate and supervise administrative activities related to enrollment, transfer
and completion of course;
Look after the material goods of the secretary;
Report to the management any irregularity that may occur on the desk;
Maintain confidentiality regarding the school life of the students.

2.3.2.1. School Secretariat Documents

The documents that the secretariat department uses in its activities include:

Various reports;
Sheets of wages;
Requisitions;
Justifications of expenditure;
Plans of internal and external expenses,
Effectiveness sheets;
Leaves of faults;
Individual process of employees;
Application Minutes;
Absences justification papers;

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Point book;
School hours;
School regulations;
Book of complaints and suggestions;
Minutes of meetings;
Registration forms;

With the variety of applications forms which can be issued at the secretary, they are
aimed for:

Request for certificates;


Request for certification of Literary Qualifications;
Request for declaration of passage;
Application for registration;
Request for qualification;
Application for cancellation of enrollment;
Money-back claim;
Request for transfers;
Application for employment;
And others.

The Individual Process of the officers are contained all processes of evaluation of the
performance of the teacher or other officials of the institution, copy of Identity Card,
copies of Certificates of Literacy, copies of various dispatches of appointment and
employment contracts, among others. While within the student's process it contains a
copy of a personal certificate, a copy of certificates of academic qualifications and
declarations of passage concerning classes without examination and registration forms
and proof of transference.

2.3.2.2. Document Codification

The various institutions concerning to teaching, the documents found in the


administrative department as in others there is always a mark of codification that is
made for them to be easily accessible even through the placement of writings and tabs.
The portfolios are well divided and classified according to the content contained therein
and so on. It is a way that all institutions are aware about on how to organize the files.
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2.3.2.3. School Revenue

The school revenues include all money that a specific school gets from the activities or
services which give benefit on acquisition of money or even the amount which a school
receives over a given year. However, the amount which the districts receive from local,
state, and federal sources varies from state to state and even district to district. In
Mozambique it is called ADE (acronym in Portuguese which means "Ajuda Directa as
Escolas"). The amount varies according to the number of students which are the main
components including the need of the school as the level of institution.

The Ministry of Education and human Development supplies on its commitment to the
improvement of basic needs which can help to the functioning of the in general. The
amount is managed locally being the responsibility of the local managers to plan
according to the needs of the school and future possible needs. This money have helped
many schools to solve problems of cleaning, acquisition of teaching materials,
rehabilitate infrastructures and pay services for the local benefits.

So, it is the responsibility of the administration manager to use the amount to solve
problems which the school faces by making previous plans so that the amount is used
rationally.

To conclude, the communication is one of the organizational functions that helps a


school to stay efficient and productive. One of the more important forms of
organizational communication is inter-departmental communication. The importance of
communication between different departments such as organizational, pedagogic and
administrative in a school or even an organization becomes most evident when that
communication breaks down. Implementing policies to strengthen inter-departmental
communication help to underscore its importance and maintain an efficient flow of
information.

3. TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION DURING TEACHING PRACTICES

The selection of tools previously before the encounter of the reality in the field of study
is fundamental for the researcher since it gives guidelines in the work and saves time of
the respondent as to the researcher. The selection of the instruments are based on the
type of research and the field where is going to be gathered the data and their good
selection will enable to the acquisition of good are reliable information.

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According to the areas provided below, the instruments which decided in the group and
having analyzed, the group decided to select the following tools with its respective area
of study.

3.3.1. Observation

In schools, the observation technique can be used to know the infra-structures and their
characteristics, check materials, read information of different sources, assist lesson and
describe the environment in the classrooms, understand the way how teachers, staffs,
students behave and they deal with different issues, and many more.

As the essential initial point of school environment contact, the group will use this tool
to observe and describe how different parts of school is constituted, by observing the
external and internal conditions of infra-structures and different works practiced within
them, students, teachers and other staff, as all necessary components. During the staying
at school, the group will have to be in contact with the classroom environment and the
use of observation will be essential as will enable to the comprehension oh how teacher
orient the classes, student's behavior during the class orientation, articulation of teaching
materials and all methodological components of the teaching process by using a guide
A, present in page 30.

3.3.2. Questionnaire

In our process of data collection, questionnaires will also be useful mostly when
gathering information from students, officers and teacher when ascertain facts, opinions,
beliefs, attitudes, and practices. This tool is very synthetic and reduces much
conversation to the responded since is well-defined and prompt to be filled and
answered as quickly as possible. In this case, the group designed a questionnaire form
present in page 31, as guide B as guide C in page 32.

3.3.3. Interview

It is important that sometimes is felt the situation in a direct way and the use of this tool
will enable researcher to comprehend through the approximation of the reality and ask
innumerous questions related to the field of study and following all guidelines supplied
in the literature review. As is known, the interview in data collection is important to the
researcher since it provides accurate screening since the interviewee is unable to provide

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false information during screening questions such as gender, age, or race; to capture
verbal and non-verbal questions; keep focus on control over the interview and keep the
interviewee focused and on track to completion as to capture emotions and behaviors.
In page 33, it is provided the interview form D for teachers and in page 34, form E for
organizational activities, in page 35, form F for pedagogic activities and in page 36,
form G for administrative activities.

3.3.4. Document analysis

This will be used commonly to proof the validity of data in the field of study which
throughout the research process will be gathered and consequent analysis. The ability to
read and curiosity as the capacity of interpretation is very crucial in this tool of data
collection accompanying the entire research process.

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4. REFERENCES

Collins. (2011). English Dictionary. Collins Publishers; (11th edition). United Kingdom

Ahmad, S. School Organization and Management. [Online] Available in the internet


via http://edchat.blogspot.com/2011/01/meanings-of-management.html, accessed in 24th
September, 2017, 09:43

Mahuron, S. What Does a Human Resource Specialist Do in a School System?.


[Online] Available in: http://work.chron.com/human-resource-specialist-school-system-
24282.html, accessed on 24th September, 2017

MEC. (2008). Regulamento Geral do Ensino Bsico (REGEB). Editor: DINEG/MEC


Maputo Mozambique

LIBNEO, Jos Carlos (2001). Organizao e de gesto da escola: teoria e prtica.


Goinia - Brazil: Alternativa

Laslett, R. & Smith, C. (1984). Effective Classroom Management: A Teacher's Guide.


Croom Helm

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5. ANNEXES

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