NAVIGATING THE EXPERIENCES OF TEACHERS TEACHING KINDERGARTEN

Education → Early Childhood Education (ECE)

This study explored the lived experiences of kindergarten teachers in Rosario District, Agusan del Sur, focusing on their experiences, instructional strategies, challenges encountered, coping mechanisms, and insights gained. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design, the study involved nine purposively selected kindergarten teachers from selected public elementary schools. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that teaching kindergarten is both fulfilling and challenging, characterized by meaningful engagement, emotional connection with learners, and opportunities for professional growth. Teachers employed various strategies such as play-based learning, differentiated instruction, scaffolding, and strong parent collaboration to support children’s holistic development. However, they encountered significant challenges, including large class sizes, limited instructional resources, diverse learner needs, classroom management difficulties, and emotional demands. To address these challenges, teachers demonstrated resilience through coping mechanisms such as adaptability, collaboration with colleagues, continuous professional learning, time management, and emotional regulation. The study further revealed that teachers gained valuable insights, including the importance of patience, flexibility, creativity, strong teacher–child relationships, and the need for supportive school environments and policies. The study concludes that kindergarten teachers play a vital role in shaping early childhood development despite systemic and contextual challenges. It highlights the need for enhanced institutional support, adequate resources, and continuous professional development to strengthen teacher well-being and improve the quality of early childhood education.

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