TEACHING THE SUBJECT CONTENT: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRY OF OUT-OF-FIELD TEACHERS

TEACHING

This research investigated the personal experiences, challenges, coping mechanisms, and insights of teachers teaching subjects outside their expertise. This phenomenological investigation was conducted at Bango National High School in Compostela East District, Division of Davao de Oro. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten out-of-field teachers who were purposefully selected for the research. To gain insight into the experiences of teachers who taught subjects outside their area of expertise, the researcher employed thematic coding to analyze the responses provided by these teachers. The result of the study revealed that teachers teaching outside their expertise encountered many challenges, including a lack of understanding of the topic, difficulty delving deeply into the subject matter, unfamiliarity with subject-specific terminology, instructional delivery difficulties, and inadequate subject preparation. Thus, teachers teaching outside their expertise engaged in proactive approaches, such as studying the lesson beforehand, establishing a solid foundation of knowledge, watching instructional videos, and adopting a positive attitude toward the assigned task to cope with the challenges. In addition, the acquired insights included the significance of adaptability, a willingness to learn, the use of diverse strategies, the limitation of presenting subjects within the teacher's knowledge, and the consideration of individual differences among students. It was shown in the result that this endeavor positively influenced their pedagogical approach, allowing them to adopt innovative methods that effectively engaged students. Finally, the finding also suggested that school administrators may provide out-of-field teachers with specialized professional development, mainly through subject-specific seminars and training courses, and the need for proactive support systems.

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