CHAPTER ONE

1. 1.0Introduction

1.1  Background of Study

In the learners oxford dictionary (2003) teaching can be defined as the process of giving lesson in a subject to a class or pupil, or it shows how to do something.

Teaching is seen as unpopular. Teachers and non teachers ranked teaching very low. In the past, the status of teachers were very low in Nigeria while some individual may have positive remark about teaching others bearing in mind how the government in the country treats teachers, regards teaching as an occupation who likes himself should not go into. The low regard for teaching accounts for the negative behavior of teachers.

During the colonial government, Nigerian teachers were regarded as a group that could be ignored without much consequence.

Okeh and John (2002) are of the opinion “But who listens to the poor teachers? His salary is less than a pittance. His clothes are thread bore and his shoes are worn out. He has a family to maintain but the inflation in the land takes no notice of his miserable income.

He thinks of every festive occasion with trepidation for fear of the demand it will make on his lean salary. He has resorted to introduce himself as a civil servant because of the societal stigma attached to what used to be noble.

The situation of teachers described above gave almost all sectors of the society the opportunity to under-rate teachers.

A profession can be defined as a special employment that demands cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills, attitude and values that are unique but of utility value to the members of the society.

Crary (2008) noted that teaching demands a core of specialized knowledge and relatively high level of intelligence. To operate as teacher one needs knowledge of psychology, sociology, administration, philosophy, group dynamics and such others. These disciplines profession prepare teachers.

To assert that teaching has no knowledge base amounts to a baseless exercise, there is well established specialized knowledge, skills and attitudes utilized by those in the business of teaching which are acquired through well defined professional preparation in teaching. In addition, there is constant research aimed at improving teachers understanding of their calling.

We must examine professionalism in teaching from the point of view of a code of ethics and recognition by the public. In every established profession like law for instance, a code of professional conduct exist. It is the code that guarantees the relationship between the client and the professional.

Teaching in Nigeria for instance, there are tacit as well as documented ethical conducts that teachers must exhibit.

Finally the Nigerian union of teachers (N.U.T) is not just a mere trade union but it is constitutional and activities confer on it a solid place as a professional association.

The attitude of children towards teaching can be: the child who has an “I can” attitude will do better in school than the child who constantly say “I cannot”. That is where you as an adult who support the educational process of a child can help.

According to Owen (2002), He stated that the teacher can help by being a good role model. How you feel about yourself greatly influence how your children feel about themselves. Demonstrate positive and responsible habit for your children to copy. Teaching character happens as much from deeds rather than words. These can help in motivating the attitudes of students towards teaching, that is when you have been able to gain their interest and they will want to be like you “the teacher”

1. 1.2Statement of the Problem

There has been an increasing concern over the decline of student who wants to take teaching as a career, thereby reducing students coming into the teaching profession.

The question of interest by student arises from whether the interest of children is influencing student into taking teaching as a profession.

1. 1.3Research Questions
   1. Is there any relationship between the interest for children and choice of a career?
   2. Does teaching profession require interest in order to be successful in the career?
   3. Is there any relationship between interest for children and successful teaching career?
2. 1.4Purpose of the Study

The purposes of this research are:

1. To find out if there is any relationship between the interest for children and choice of a career.
2. To ascertain if teaching profession require interest in order to be successful in the career
3. To evaluate if there is any relationship between interest for children and successful teaching career.
4. 1.5Significance of the Study

Since teaching is most highly valued social service in every country of the world of which Nigeria is not an exception, teachers who are indispensable human resources should be encouraged to embrace teaching as a career and also be motivated to put in their best as they are depended on to training people who would be leaders of the future. Teachers and professional needs should be met, if they must deliver nothing less than the best.

The young ones interest are being looked into with a view of finding solutions to the high level of disgust expressed about teaching as a career. These young children are motivated through the friendly attitude of their teacher.                This study will also challenge the government to encourage and improve teaching profession in order to make it attractive and fulfilling.

1. 1.6Scope of the Study

This study is a case restricted to the appraisal of the attitude towards children as a motivating factor to the teaching profession which provides solution to the negative attitude of students towards teaching as a profession and its intended to be carried out in five schools (secondary) in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. Besides it will pertain itself to the attitude of motivating school children towards teaching as a profession. The quality of the teachers in the school will also help the student to have the right attitude as a motivating factor towards teaching as a profession. For the time frame the study will seek response in five schools selected at random in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. Also the student of the said school will be interviewed.

Limitation of the Study

This study work under normal circumstances ought to have covered wider area than it covered because of importance of the research topic: Attitude towards children as a motivating factor to the teaching profession, but due to constraint in time and financial resources. It is limited to five (5) schools in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.      

1.7Definition of Terms

1. Education:   This refers to as a way through which a society learns expected behavior through the rules of the Policy.
2. Students:   A student is someone who is studying for the purpose of acquiring knowledge.
3. Attitude:   Attitude can be defined as a way of feeling, thinking or behaving toward a particular person or thing
4. Profession:  Profession refers to occupation, practice or vocation requiring mastery of a complex set of knowledge.
5. Teaching:   The general term “teaching covers instruction”.
6. Motivation: Is one of the ways of making people to put forth their best in an efficient and effective manner in order to achieve organizational objectives.
7. Teacher:   A teacher is a person who teaches in a school.
8. Career:   Career is a course of professional life or employment which affords opportunity for progress of advancement in the world.
9. Children:   A young person of either sex (male or female) especially one between infancy and youth.
10. Interest:   The quality of making someone curious or attentive or the state of wanting to know about something or someone.

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