A Teacher's Journey: Challenges of Novice Teachers in Public Secondary Schools

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

As one of the most influential role models for developing students, teachers are responsible for more than just academic enrichment. Today, schools are becoming more crowded, increasingly underfunded, and concurrently becoming institutions where solving life problems of students are much more conventional on the side of academic requirements in education for the specific subject area. This stems from the lived experiences of novice teachers in public secondary schools. The novice teachers' transition to public school can be unsettling since there is no gradual initiation into the teaching profession.

METHODS

In-depth information from the participants' recollection and evaluation of past experiences were gathered through Transcendental Phenomenology method to understand and describe the lived experiences, and challenges of the novice teachers. The method was supported by an interview using a self-made unstructured guide questionnaire with open-ended queries. The purposive technique was used in the selection of participants involving five male and five female licensed novice teachers from public secondary schools in Cavite, City, with at least 2 to 3 years of teaching experience.

RESULTS

The gathered data was transcribed and analyzed. An interview code was assigned in each participant to keep the confidentiality of the personal information given. Four types of field notes were used for comprehensive data gathering: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Throughout the analysis of data, and focused group discussion, several significant themes arrived: disillusionment and realities of the teaching profession; further reflected on how unprepared they felt teaching in a public school with a large number of students; lack of support from mentors; were challenged by lack of collaboration and planning time; emotional issues related to student's behavior and attitude; inconsistent feedback from other teachers and superiors; isolation; insufficient salary; professional development; and amount of requirements for their position.

DISCUSSIONS

The result indicates the essential tools needed by the teachers to guarantee personal success and quality of education. Multiple classroom experiences to better understand variance degrees of complexity, support as they transition from private to public school, orientation on the roles in the differentiation of instruction for diverse learners, manage a classroom effectively, and to prepare them towards unrealized expectations they might encounter.