Pedagogy of English and mathematics teachers in middle to high fee-paying private schools in Ashanti Region in Ghana

The prevalence of private schooling in the sub-Saharan region is growing in size and importance in many diverse country contexts. In Ghana, the government views private schools as a supplement to educational provision, and considers middle to high fee-paying private schools as having good quality as assessed by examination results. However, there is limited empirical research on the pedagogical practices in such schools and what the notion of education quality means. This study employs a qualitative research approach comprising interviews with, and classroom observations of, two Mathematics and two English teachers in two middle to high fee-paying private schools in the Ashanti Region in Ghana, to explore the characteristics of their pedagogy. The findings suggest that Mathematics and English pedagogies were constructed in three different ways. Firstly, pedagogies employed a combination of techniques including repetition, recitations and activity-based learning, featuring group and paired work activities. Secondly, the pedagogies sought to make learning relevant. Thus, the teachers related their subject matter to the students’ backgrounds. Thirdly, the teachers also emphasised the affective dimension of pedagogy by nurturing and sustaining an inclusive classroom climate of respect, love, joy and care. The findings again showed that the teachers constructed their own positive identities and roles in the teaching and learning process as another phase of their pedagogies, based on their professed beliefs and the values by which they live. The study adds to the limited knowledge base about pedagogy in private schools in Ghana. Specifically, it argues that the characteristic picture of the African teacher using mainly transmission practices may be unduly simplistic. The study confirms the argument that good pedagogy leading to quality outcomes, can be achieved “even in resource constrained contexts,” (Sayed & Ahmed, 2011:110). Again, the study shows that “deficit model” that African teachers are not reflective and are unable to make appropriate decisions and judgements may not be wholly accurate, in agreement with Akyeampong et al. (2006:172) who also believe that teacher pedagogies depict “a conception of student-centred approaches in African classrooms”. The research suggests that effective pedagogy requires both an undertaking of context, as well as a focus on affective dimensions, and that teacher professional development for all teachers should comprise both.