Catch Me, I'm Falling: Scrutinizing the Lived Experiences of Junior High School Students with Failing Grades

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Students who frequently receive failing grades in their report cards develop several experiences, oftentimes negative ones. As a result, this study explored the lived experiences of such students who, sometimes, receive grades signifying their failure in their subjects. This study also scrutinizes these failing students’ insights and coping mechanisms.

METHODS

Utilizing phenomenology as the research design, we conducted focused group discussions with six participants and in-depth interviews with four students. We implemented snowball sampling to gather a total of ten junior high school students who all received failing grades and used thematic analysis to fully analyze their answers.

RESULTS

After thematic analysis, four themes emerged as their lived experiences. These involved disappointments, anger, empathy from parents, and scolding from parents. Similarly, four main themes were also analyzed from their coping mechanisms including compliance of projects, completion of attendance in class, study harder, and seek parental advice or support. Lastly, five themes were developed as their insights comprising determination to strive hard, shyness, refusal to class recitation and attentiveness, late submission, and lack of interest to attend class.

DISCUSSIONS

The results of this study determined that whenever a student fails a subject in class, people should avoid making judgments as they have also undergone experiences and tried their best to overcome their predicaments. The causes of their failures are not only bound to one cause, but to several causes including absenteeism, late submission of requirements, and the teachers' emotions.