Principals' Classroom Observation Practices and Their Influence on Teaching and Learning in Public Secondary Schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya

Principals' instructional leadership bolsters and supports teaching and learning. The study aimed to explore the principals' classroom observation practices and their influence on teaching and learning in public secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya. Weber's (1996) instructional leadership model served as the foundation for the study. The research employed a mixed-methods approach using a convergent parallel design. The target population of the research is 3434 and has a sample size of 350 participants, encompassing 10 principals, 40 teachers, and 300 students. The participating schools were selected using a stratified random sampling method. The collected data was cleaned, processed, and analyzed using SPSS 25. Quantitative data was analyzed using percentages and displayed in frequency tables. Qualitative data was labeled, appropriately coded, and transcribed under specified themes. The findings of the study revealed that the principals regularly carried out supervision in the classrooms and ensured that students' behaviors were controlled in the classrooms by setting class rules. The research recommended that the Ministry of Education, along with the relevant educational agencies, should provide in-service training for principals on their roles as instructional leaders to enable them to proficiently discharge their functions; there should be an increase in the provision of the necessary learning resources to help enhance teaching and learning.