Teachers’ Perception on the Use of Literature Bibliotherapeutic Interventions in Students’ Bullying in Kenya Public Secondary Schools
Received August 28, 2019; Revised October 1, 2019, Accepted October 7, 2019
Rose Mavisi, Dr. Gwachi Mayaka and Prof. Wendo Nabea – Laikipia University, Kenya
Email: rosemasai@gmail.com
Abstract: In this paper, bullying was taken as a case study in which the efficacy of literature bibliotheraphy and the perceptions of the teachers about it was assessed. Bibliotherapy is one instructional tool teachers can use to help children and adolescents cope with their diverse needs and life’s challenges like bullying in their respective schools. It is a systematic process of utilizing books to transform traditional reading into an instructional strategy to assist teachers in meeting the needs of all students in schools. For bibliotherapy to be effective, teachers need knowledge of the recommended procedures and understanding of how to guide students through the bibliotherapeutic process like the use of literature books in intervening on the problems affecting secondary school students like bullying. Additionally, teachers need to feel confident in the interventions they are implementing with students. Many teachers do not possess the knowledge of intervention methods to assist their students with non-academic issues in a manner that is sensitive to the emotional and social developmental needs of children and adolescents. This is a significant concern, especially considering that there are millions of secondary teachers in Kenya. Bibliotherapy through the use of literature books like fasihi and other books is one approach for teachers to guide secondary school students in coping with life’s problems and challenges like bullying in schools through developing a better understanding of their experiences, and feelings through the structured utilization of literature. The main objective addressed in this paper was to assess the teacher’s perception on the use of bibliotherapeutic care in public secondary in Kenya to address bullying as one of the problems facing students. A survey research design was employed to assess the perceptions of bibliotherapy quantitatively. According to Creswell (2008), survey design research examines the attitudes, opinions, behaviours, or characteristics of a population by collecting numerical data and statistically analysing the results. Teachers have and continue to use bibliotherapy, either unknowingly or in a simplistic manner without following established guidelines and procedures. However, current usage of literature in the classroom is typically described as story time, read aloud, guided reading, and other methods of using books with the intent of teaching or entertaining students. Students spend approximately 14,000 hours at school from kindergarten through high school graduation. Given the vast amount of time spent in the school setting and the growing non-academic needs of children and adolescents, bibliotherapy represents a valuable tool for educators to meet the needs of their students.
