Exploring the Philosophy Behind Teachers’ Classroom Management Practices in Secondary Schools in Kayunga District, Uganda
Keywords:
Teachers' Classroom Management Practices, Philosophy of Education, Contemporary Classroom Management
Abstract
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
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References
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Ning, B., Rind, I. A., & Asad, M. M. (2020). Influence of Teacher Educators on the Development of Prospective Teachers’ Personal Epistemology and Tolerance. SAGE Open.
Ogwora, E. T. (2023). Comparative Assessment of Philosophy of Education in the Ancient and Medieval Period: A Critical Learning Lessons for the Contemporary Educational System. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(8), 48-64.
Ramnarain, U., & Hlatswayo, M. (2023). Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs in a project-based learning school in South Africa. Education Sciences, 13(2), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020140
Rind, I. A. (2016). Epistemological Beliefs and Teaching Practices of Teachers: A Study from Pakistani Context. International Journal of Instruction, 9(2), 123–138.
Ringgold, J. (2025). MPS BOND: We're teaching today's students in yesterday's classrooms. Midland Daily News.
Roberts, J. (2024). Ethics, Identity, and the Dramatherapy-informed Classroom: Processes of Identity Negotiation and Performance. Taylor & Francis.
Şahin, F. (2020). Relationship between teachers' philosophical beliefs about education and their perceptions of school climate. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 10(3), 635–654.
Sheehy, K., Kasule, G. W., & Chamberlain, L. (2021). Ugandan teachers’ epistemological beliefs and child-led research: Implications for developing inclusive educational practice. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 68(4), 600–615.
Simonsen, B., Fairbanks, S., & Sugai, G. (2021). Positive Behavior Support: A Proactive Strategy for Effective Classroom Management. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 11(2), 128-146.
Smith, K., Brown, L., & Taylor, R. (2023). Challenges in aligning classroom management strategies with pedagogical beliefs. Educational Challenges and Innovations, 34(2), 45-63.
Yan, S. (2023). Research on the Formation and Evolution of Teacher's Personal Education Philosophy. Frontiers in Educational Research, 6(25).
Azi̇z, M. A. (2023). The philosophical foundation of Western higher education: A critical review of theory and practice. International Journal of Educational Research Review, 8(2), 208-219.
Barni, D., Russo, C., & Danioni, F. (2018). Teachers’ Values as Predictors of Classroom Management Styles: A Relative Weight Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1970.
Bartlett, J. (2015). Outstanding Assessment for Learning in the Classroom. London: Taylor and Francis Group
Beatty, J. E., Leigh, J. S., & Lund Dean, K. (2020). Republication of: Philosophy rediscovered: Exploring the connections between teaching philosophies, educational philosophies, and philosophy. Journal of Management Education, 44(5), 543-559.
Brown, J., & Carter, L. (2023). Structured classroom control for effective content delivery. Educational Practices International, 19(1), 78–92.
Brown, J., & Harris, L. (2022). Student-centered approaches to classroom management in secondary schools. Educational Practices International, 19(1), 45-62.
Curren, R. (2025). Philosophy of education.
Danielson, C. (1996). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Davis, B., & Sumara, D. (2022). Complexity and education: Inquiries into learning, teaching, and research. Routledge.
Deng, L., Zhu, G., & Cheng, L. (2022). Shifting toward student-centered classrooms: Teachers’ beliefs and practices in curriculum reform. Teaching and Teacher Education, 114, 103721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103721
Farrell, T. S. C., & Macapinlac, M. A. D. (2021). Exploring the philosophical beliefs of teachers: Implications for classroom practice. Reflective Practice, 22(6), 739– 752. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2021.1968102
Farrell, T. S., & Macapinlac, M. (2021). Professional development through reflective practice: A framework for TESOL teachers. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 24(1), 1-25.
Foster, E., & Lee, K. (2023). Engagement-oriented classroom control: Strategies for active learning. Journal of Multicultural Education, 17(2), 89-103.
Fukuda, M., Fukaya, T., & Kusumi, T. (2024). Differences and Relationships Between Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs and Teaching Strategies Used at Different School Levels in Japan. SAGE Open, 14(2).
Hardman, J., et al. (2020). School Improvement in Rural Settings: A Review of International Research and Practice. In J. Hardman et al. (Eds.), Improving the Quality of Rural Education (pp. 1–15). Springer.
Indrawati, I., Marzuki, M., & Malik, A. R. (2021). Investigating the effect of reward and punishment on the student’s learning achievement and discipline. Linguistic, English Education and Art (LEEA) Journal, 4(2), 337-350.
Johnson, A., & Patel, R. (2022). Promoting autonomy in classroom management practices. Education Quarterly, 28(1), 31-47.
Johnson, R., & Clark, P. (2022). Differentiated instruction and meeting diverse student needs in secondary classrooms. Journal of Secondary Education, 15(3), 45-59.
Jones, M., & Taylor, A. (2022). Proactive classroom management: Fostering consistency and predictability. Teaching and Teacher Education, 38(4), 211-228.
Jones, M., Smith, P., & Taylor, A. (2022). Socially constructed knowledge in the classroom: Teachers' beliefs and practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 110, 103606.
Kabugo, D. B. K., Ssekamwa, J. C., & Yiga, A. P. (2023). Relationship between teacher interpersonal supervisory competencies and students’ academic performance in Hoima District government-aided secondary schools, Uganda. East African Journal of Education Studies, 6(3), Article 1585. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajes.6.3.1585
Keller, S. L. (2022). The Impact of Lesson Study on Teacher Professional Growth Using the Danielson Framework for Teaching: A Mixed Methods Study. Northwest Nazarene University.
Kelly, L., O’Neill, S., McPherson, G. E., & Graham, L. J. (2024). Secondary teachers’ beliefs about the importance of teaching strategies that support behavioural, emotional and cognitive engagement in the classroom. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 9, 100891. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.100891
Klöker, S., Bukoli, H., & Kateete, T. (2024). New Curriculum, New Chance: Retrieval Augmented Generation for Lesson Planning in Ugandan Secondary Schools. arXiv.
Lajul, W. (2002). Foundations of African philosophy: A continental approach to epistemology and ontology. Fountain Publishers.
Li, R., & Li, R. (2020). John Dewey and Progressive Education. Rediscovering John Dewey: How His Psychology Transforms Our Education, 309-346.
Marambe, K. N., Vermunt, J. D., & Boshuizen, H. P. A. (2020). A cross-cultural comparison of student learning patterns in higher education. Higher Education, 79(1), 45–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00385-0
Ning, B., Rind, I. A., & Asad, M. M. (2020). Influence of Teacher Educators on the Development of Prospective Teachers’ Personal Epistemology and Tolerance. SAGE Open.
Ogwora, E. T. (2023). Comparative Assessment of Philosophy of Education in the Ancient and Medieval Period: A Critical Learning Lessons for the Contemporary Educational System. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(8), 48-64.
Ramnarain, U., & Hlatswayo, M. (2023). Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs in a project-based learning school in South Africa. Education Sciences, 13(2), 140. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020140
Rind, I. A. (2016). Epistemological Beliefs and Teaching Practices of Teachers: A Study from Pakistani Context. International Journal of Instruction, 9(2), 123–138.
Ringgold, J. (2025). MPS BOND: We're teaching today's students in yesterday's classrooms. Midland Daily News.
Roberts, J. (2024). Ethics, Identity, and the Dramatherapy-informed Classroom: Processes of Identity Negotiation and Performance. Taylor & Francis.
Şahin, F. (2020). Relationship between teachers' philosophical beliefs about education and their perceptions of school climate. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 10(3), 635–654.
Sheehy, K., Kasule, G. W., & Chamberlain, L. (2021). Ugandan teachers’ epistemological beliefs and child-led research: Implications for developing inclusive educational practice. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 68(4), 600–615.
Simonsen, B., Fairbanks, S., & Sugai, G. (2021). Positive Behavior Support: A Proactive Strategy for Effective Classroom Management. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 11(2), 128-146.
Smith, K., Brown, L., & Taylor, R. (2023). Challenges in aligning classroom management strategies with pedagogical beliefs. Educational Challenges and Innovations, 34(2), 45-63.
Yan, S. (2023). Research on the Formation and Evolution of Teacher's Personal Education Philosophy. Frontiers in Educational Research, 6(25).
Published
17 June, 2025
How to Cite
Waiswa, R., Genza, G., Mugagga, A., & Itaaga, N. (2025). Exploring the Philosophy Behind Teachers’ Classroom Management Practices in Secondary Schools in Kayunga District, Uganda. East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 8(2), 410-426. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajass.8.2.3155
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 Richard Waiswa, Gyaviira Musoke Genza, Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, Nicholas Itaaga
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
