Moving Mountains: The Lived Experiences of a Former Para-Teacher

Abstract

There are various ways of defining and identifying a teacher, one of which is called a para-teacher. They climb mountains, cross rivers and leave their families for weeks to teach and to provide services for diverse indigenous learners. There is an insufficient amount of literature and studies regarding the life experiences of a para-teacher. Hence, this study seeks to describe and understand the lived experiences of a former para-teacher through a qualitative case study. The narratives were collected from a former para-teacher using interviews and field notes. The data were transcribed and analyzed which led to the following categories: A.) Background of the Participant B.) Becoming a Para-teacher, C.) Experiences before going to school, D.) Experiences during class hours, E.) Life after class, F.) Life Lessons and G.) Current life situations. Many challenges and struggles were faced by the former para-teacher. Nevertheless, the participant remains to be a compassionate, persevering, understanding, passionate teacher. The participant is now a professional teacher who keeps inspiring learners and serving the same school for 25 years. Furthermore, life experiences suggest to continue the desire for helping the learners, provide safe access for the teachers and sufficient supplies and facilities for the learners.