Chapter 1

The Problem

Introduction

War and conflict had been part of the history of almost every nation and tribe in the world.

It was once studied that during 1989 to 1997, there had been 111 conflicts in almost 70 locations

around the world. Over the decade, almost one third of all the UN Member States were in some

way or another involved in at least one conflict (Peter and Sollenberg, 1998).

Philippines had never been an exemption. The country had experienced internal conflict

for more or less forty years already (www.peaceinsight.org). Some of it causes of it include

communist-inspired insurgency and a struggle to separate southern Bangsamoro region. There had

been several incidents of wars and conflicts that had happened in the Philippines, especially in

Mindanao (Campo & Judd, 2005).

One of the recent battles in Mindanao that were even known outside the country was the

Marawi Siege that started on May 23, 2017. Marawi City and its neighboring municipalities in

Lanao del Sur were shaken by series of gunshots as the Maute group started capturing innocent

people inside the Amai Pakpak hospital in Marawi and started raising alleged flag of the

internationally known ISIS group. The battle lasted for more than four months and said to have

ended on October 2017. In between those dates, a lot of struggles for those who lived in the areas

of Lanao del Sur had happened. There were lots of exchanged gunshots even though Ramadan was

also going on. Bombs and airstrikes destroyed lots of houses, schools and establishments. People

living in the heart of the city and neighboring municipalities were forced to leave their homes and

vicinities to ensure their lives. Some have even walked Marawi City to Iligan City barefooted and

brought nothing but themselves and their family. Schools and other public areas in Iligan became
 2

evacuation centers. Lot of children stopped going to school for the meantime. While those who

had the opportunity to be with their relatives in other places and regions, they managed to enroll

their children to school. There had been cases of transferee students also in Pagadian City, both in

primary and secondary school. However, the struggle did not stop there.

Almost all of the students that were transferred from schools in areas of Lanao del Sur to

schools in Pagadian did not have credentials and pertinent papers to present. Since students lived

and grew in an area with which the main dialect used is not Visayan, they were also not that

familiar and didn’t know about it. Thus, they had struggle in communicating to other students even

in normal conversation. There were also times that teachers might have explained lessons in

Visayan dialect that might have given the students a hard time comprehending.

With all the possibilities of experiences that these young people may have gone and

struggled through way back in their homes and now that they are in a new environment, there may

be distinct experiences that the students had, academically and socially. This study will focus on

the academic, emotional and social experiences of the transferee. Thus, the study is sought.

Perspective of the Researcher

The researcher is currently residing at Purok Santan B, San Jose District, Pagadian City.

She is turning 24 years old on June, 2019. The researcher is a Bachelor of Science in Psychology

graduate at Mindanao State University- Marawi last June 2016. She passed the Board Licensure

Examination for Psychometrician on August of the same year. She worked at Zamboanga del Sur

National High School as Guidance Advocate in the Grade-8 curriculum since December 2016 to

February 2019. She is presently taking her Masters of Arts in Guidance and Counseling at Saint

Columban College.
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Being in the field of Mental Health while working in the school set up, the researcher

had observed that there had been quite of only a passing observation among the transferees and

their experiences in the new environment. This has been observed more when students from

schools in Lanao area transferred in Pagadian City, specifically in Zamboanga del Sur National

High School. Being in an academe and being a mental health advocate, the researcher looked at it

as an opportunity to look on the experiences of every student inside the school premises. However,

in this study it is being specified only to the transferee students’ experiences.

The researcher tried to dig on the experiences that the students have, the study is tackled

through Interpretivism Paradigm. It is the goal of the researcher to have and understanding of the

experiences of a transferee student from the point of view of those who have lived it. Being an

interpretivist researcher, flow of the study relied upon the “participants’ views of the situation

being studied (Creswell, 2003) and impact should be recognized on the research of their own

background and experiences.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the study is shown in Figure 1.

ACADEMIC, SOCIAL
AND EMOTIONAL PROPOSED GUIDANCE
EXPERIENCES OF INTERVENTION
TRANSFEREE PROGRAM
STUDENTS

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

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In particular, this study focused on transferee students from schools in Lanao del Sur. Being

known that youth are considered as an important resource of strength and development of a

country, it can’t be denied that there is an overwhelming concern for this people (Leones,n.d).

Undeniably too, youth are at risk with the reasons that they had played great roles in our society.

They were never and exemption of being victims of armed conflict. Possibly with this kind of

reason, it can be added that this had also been the time when they will have transferred to another

school if there is an opportunity to do so instead of staying in an evacuation center and be forced

to stop attending school for a year or so until they can go back to their home.

Living in a new environment, having new culture and being around with new set of people

is quite hard to handle by almost everyone, much more to the young ones who have experienced

it in a sudden manner. The conflict that spurred in Marawi City which lasted for a couple of months

had great impact to the people living there and even to the whole country. The children and youth

probably have not understood what is happening in their place and could be the reason that it will

be hard for them to understand matters and things that surrounded them. They could have a hard

time knowing and defining what they are feeling or experiencing in their lives.

As they moved to another place and enrolled in another school, there is another set of

adjustment to new environment, culture and people for them to handle. Being with new set of

classmates and teachers may or may not have bring good experiences for the transferee students.

Thus, there is also a need to look on the guidance services that the schools are offering for the

transferee students who have a hard time dealing and accepting changes of environment and people

they will be dealing with. With respect to such ideas and assumption stated above, this study aimed

to know the experiences that the transferee students have, academically and socially and make

guidance services and intervention program to help these kinds of students.

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This study was anchored in the Hierarchy of Needs of Abraham Maslow. Maslow

represented the needs as a hierarchy in the form of a pyramid (Schultz, 2007). It is in an ascending

order in which the biological needs are located at the bottom part of the pyramid and social needs

at the top (Plotnik & Kouyoumdijan, 2011). It is arranged in a way that it ranks the concepts from

lowest to highest. Accordingly, there is a need to satisfy first our biological needs before we satisfy

our social needs. Thus, individuals must meet the needs at the lower levels of the pyramid so that

they will be motivated to pursue the next and higher level. (Feist & Feist, 2007). There are five

categories of basic needs that are identified by Maslow.

The first level of the hierarchy of needs is the Physiological need which comprises the

water, food, sleep and even sex. Plotnik and Kouyoumdijan (2011) mentioned that people who are

struggling to have a home or job are in this level and are more concerned in satisfying these needs

above all other needs. There is a need to satisfy these basic needs to be able to advance to the

second level which is the Safety need. Safety need is more on protection from harm. Living in a

high-crime or dangerous place would make a person be concerned on their safety. Finding a safe

and secured place to live in away from danger is a need in order to pursue the third level of the

hierarchy.

Being affiliated with other people and being accepted is part of the third level which is the

Love and Belonging needs. If a person will be able to find love and affection towards other people,

he or she may be able now to advance to the fourth level which is the Esteem need. This level

looks on the competency, achievement and recognition of a person. As one gains personal

achievement and social approval and recognition, Self- Actualization will then be achieved. It is

considered as the highest level of the hierarchy of need.

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There is a need to look on the first and second level of hierarchy in dealing with this study.

Experiencing crossfires and evacuating from home could mean that a person, as in this study the

respondent, is unsatisfied with his or her physiological and safety needs. It is assumed that it could

hinder his or her development in building social relationships and gaining achievements and

recognitions both personal and social.

This is also anchored in Erikson’s idea of Personality Development. Psychosocial stages is

comprised of eight successive stages with a crisis in either an adaptive or a maladaptive way

encompassing the life span (Schultz & Schultz, 2009). One of the stages involved in his theory is

Adolescence stage, age ranging from 12 up until 18. It is an episode of one’s life in which there is

an experiment with different roles and ideologies to determine the most compatible fit of role and

belief for oneself. Individuals in this stage, for Erikson, are in great effort to find themselves as

well as the group they can identify and belong with. As to whatever the result of the identity

hunting of the individual may greatly affect on how he or she will be dealing and living his or her

life in the future and with other people that he or she will encounter and meet.

This is also the stage when youth create their own meaning of the things, people, and

concepts they encountered and met in their lives. It will be the start on how they will see things

more clearly considering that in creating their definitions on such matters depended much on their

experiences on the reality of life and not just the fancy of it. The outcome on such is assumed to

be the foundation of youth in their later life. Whether it’ll be good or bad, it only matters to the

experiences and learning that the youth had in their lives.

On the other hand, Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development has four distinct cognitive

stages (Plotnik & Kouyoumdijan, 2011). Going through each cognitive stage will help in acquiring

and distinct kind of reasoning and thinking and thinking that is different from and more advanced
 7

than the reasoning abilities we possessed at the previous stages assumedly we’re from. Stage four

and the last of Piaget’s cognitive stages is where the formal operations stage begins. This is

assumed to begin in adolescence extending from about age twelve through adulthood. During this

stage, adolescents and adults develop the abilities to think about abstract or hypothetical concepts,

to consider an issue from another’s viewpoint, and to solve cognitive problems in a logical way.

Considering that the respondents of this study were youth and are undergoing in this stage,

it is assumed that the students can already understand and explain in their own ways the concepts

and questions being asked in this study. Though, they may explain it on their own, there is no

assurance as to whether their definitions match or fit to the norm. It should be noted that even in

this stage in which formal operation begins with the idea that individuals has much higher

reasoning compared to age group below them, experiences can be an extraneous variable to that.

Differences in the experiences of a person can give diverse indication to even one concept.

Statement of the Problem

The study evaluated the experiences that the transferee students had gone through in their

academics, with their emotions and their social relationship. It focused in Zamboanga del Sur

National High School and employing the transferee students from Lanao del Sur area last school

year 2017- 2018 as research participants. The study was conducted during the school year 2018-

2019.

Specifically, it aimed to answer the following questions:

1. What are the participants’ experiences with regards to the following aspect?

1.1 Academic

1.2 Emotional

1.3 Social
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2. Based on the findings, what action plan or guidance intervention program that can be developed

to help the transferee students?

Scope and Limitations of the study

This study focused on the academic, emotional and social experiences of the transferee

students. There may be parts with which other aspects were tackled but the study gave emphasis

on the three aspect mentioned above. This is bound by the following parameters:

Subject Matter. The study have transferee students from different schools in Lanao del Sur

to Zamboanga del Sur National High School (ZSNHS) last school year 2017- 2018 and are

currently enrolled to ZSNHS this school year as research participants. This study limited and

exhausted its investigation to all possible transferee students from the different schools in Lanao

del Sur that are still in ZSNHS.

Research environment and timeline. A matter to consider is that because of the large

number of secondary schools in Pagadian City and the distances of it, the study was limited to the

largest secondary school with a population of more or less four thousand students.

Research design. The study employed an exploratory- phenomenological study design to

conduct the research. It was useful to gather more information when the students were asked by

the researcher an In-depth Interview through Key Informant Interview (KII) rather than answer a

questionnaire that may possibly limit their responses and their sharing of experiences as well.

Research methods. The researcher utilized KII as her tool in gathering information and data

from her proposed participants. It is also needed to consider the time of the participants, since they

are studying the researcher should be the one to adjust to the availability of the students. Thus, it

is needed to look on the schedule first before having the interview.

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Significance of the Study

Through this study, the researcher is hoping that this may help and be significant to

individuals of all family, tribe, people and nation.

The useful and relevant information that will be acquired from the study is hoped to bring

treatment and action plans in different schools to help transferee students, not just those that came

from a warzone area but it will be true to all, with their experiences to their new environment,

culture and the new people that they will encounter. That regardless of all aspects’ similarities and

differences that each person or student may have, it will also help in learning and having awareness

as to the happenings in the society much more to the neighboring cities and regions that

experiences more conflict of any form.

Youth/ students. This study will assist them to have an awareness of the possible

adjustments that they can do when they already planned to transfer or if time will come that there

is a need for them to move to another school. That this study will help enhance the involvement of

the young ones in peace and team building activities to enhance their relationship with other

students or other people, in general.

Parents. The results of this study will present some insights and information on how they

will do more in explaining and letting their children understand the situations that are possibly

happening that caused them to relocate and transfer their children to different school. It will

likewise serve as a help in looking into what aspects that parents need to look after for their

children’s welfare.

School. The result of this study will help the schools on the programs that they will offer,

especially in the guidance offices. They need to look on the welfare of the students as long as they

are inside the school premise. It will guide them on how to deal with the students who are
 10

experiencing culture shock, students having traumatic experiences in their previous schools and/or

students having a hard time adjusting to his or her new surroundings.

Department of Education. The information that may possibly be acquired in this study will

give insights to the authorities in the department on what programs are needed to be strengthen

out. It will give them another perspective to look unto to have a better view of what really are the

scenarios in every school that they are handling. It will lead them on more linkages to other

departments to help the students more, not just in their academics but also with other aspects of

their lives such as their health and financial capabilities.

Society or community. Through this study, society as a whole will become aware that peace

as well as conflicts of any form has an effect to youth in their place. This may help in the plans

they possibly are doing to educate more their young individuals.

Future Researchers. The results will be of value to the future researchers who are planning

to have the same participants or cases in their future research papers and thesis. They can refer to

the findings of this study as their guide for designing, modifying and/or improving their research

methodology.

Definition of terms

For better understanding of this study, the following terms are defined operationally and

conceptually.

Experiences. These refer to the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge

through direct observation or participation (Merriam-Websters, 2018). In this study, it refers to the

direct observation or participation and engagement of the student academically and socially.
 11

Academic. This refers to of, relating to, or associated with an academy or school especially

of higher learning (www.MB.com). In this study, it refers to the performance and engagement of

the student with respect to the subjects he/she is taking.

Emotional. This refers to having and expressing strong feelings. It is connected

with or showing feelings (dictionary.cambridge.org). In this study, it refers to their

feelings in relation to what they have experienced in school and inside the class.

Social. This refers to the pleasant companionship with friends or associates

(www.MB.com).In this study, it refers to the engagement of the student to other people

inside the school premise.

Academic Experiences. In this study, it refers to the participation and engagement of the

student in their classes and every subject they have.

Emotional Experiences. In this study, it refers to the feelings of the students that

is associated with their experiences inside the classroom and school.

Social Experiences. In this study, it refers to the engagement and communication of the

students to his/her fellow students and teachers in the school.

Student. This refers to a person formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a

school or college (www.dictionary.com). In this study, it is referred to the children or youth

enrolled in a secondary school here in Pagadian City or Marawi City.

Transferee student. It refers to the one who moves from one school to another for reasons

other than promotion to the next level (Rumberger, 2003). In this study, it refers to the students

from secondary schools in Lanao area, either private or public school, that were enrolled in

Zamboanga del Sur National High School last school year 2017- 2018.
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Structure of the thesis

The study will consist five chapters: Chapter 1 The Problem, Chapter 2 Review of Related

Literature, Chapter 3 Research Methods, Chapter 4 Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of

Data and Chapter 5 Summary of Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations.

Chapter 1 will include the introduction of the study, perspective of the researcher, the

conceptual framework which will be the basis of the study, statement of the problem, scope and

limitations, significance of the study and the definition of terms used in the study either conceptual

or operational.

Chapter 2 will discuss on the literature and studies related to academic and social

adjustments and transferee student. It will also dig parts on literature related to conflicts that cause

relocations of families and individuals to another place.

Chapter 3 will cover the Research Methods, Research Design, Locale of the Study,

Research Sample, Research Instruments, Data Gathering Procedure and Statistical Treatment and

Analysis of Data

Chapter 4 will present the general and specific data gathered from the participants.

Chapter 5 will focus on the conclusions identified from the results and the possible

recommendations and suggestions for the people who will gain significance with this study.
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Chapter 2

Review of Related Literature

This chapter reviews the literature related to the experiences of the transferee students,

which will provide bases for the interpretation of the data that shall be gathered later.

Transferee Student (Student Mobility)

There is no agreed definition of “transferee student” which is sometimes called mobile

student. For a precise definition, one needs to consider more than the fact that the student moved

from one school to another, as there are usually other critical variables involved.

According to Strand (2002), transferring of students refers to the movement between or

changes of school either once or on repeated occasions, at timesother than the normal age at which

children start or finish their education at a school. Looking into it, it has been observed that there

is no precise distinction between transfer for promotion or not although he alludes to the latter.

Another definition similar to Strand given by Rumberger (2002) is that it refers to “…students

moving from one school to another for reasons other than being promoted to the next school

level…”. No distinction is made between mobile students who also move residences or make other

significant changes.

However, according to Grais (2011), transferee students move schools not just due to

promotion. There are other possible reasons that students move from one school to another. In his

study, it has been revealed that transferee students described intense emotions related to their

change of school. It is important to look into the confirmation to the supposition that each

transferee student is unique and that they also need a healthy and diverse support system for them

to adjust to their new environment. It also gave emphasis on the need of the students for equally
 14

diverse supports with the role of the high school counselor and with a school that supports a

transfer curriculum.

Due to large proportion of mobile students who also change residence, some researchers

believed that the definition of student mobility should include a distinction between students who

only move schools, students who only change residence, and those who change both. To meet this

need, Swanson and Schneider (1999) developed a new definition of student mobility that treats

residential mobility and educational mobility as independent events. Thus, they defined

educational mobility as a nonroutine change of schools that is not a result of normal grade

promotion within a school system, such as a move from a public middle school to the residentially

assigned public high school.

There had been a handful of studies conducted about transferee students. One of which is

the study of Eddy (2011) on the effects of student mobility on their achievement. Mobility and

students’ achievement connection are quite difficult to establish due to the idea that student

transferring to another school has many factors to possibly consider. It was shown in the study that

mobility has been common among students who demonstrated achievement gaps in a traditional

manner. Her research is sought with a meaning of transferring as admittance to more than one

school in the given district over the period of one academic year. The research has its attention on

the effect of transfer on students classified as low-income and the school mobility level on

academic achievement of its students. Criterion referenced test scores in mathematics and language

arts were used to determine academic achievement. Findings gave evidence that transferee students

performed less than non-transferee students. Accordingly, low-income status affected mobile

students in a negative way and mobility level of the school attended had a negative effect on the

academic achievement of its students.

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However, in the research conducted by Heinlein and Shinn (2000), it has been revealed

that there is no relationship between transferring and succeeding achievement when preceding

achievement has been controlled. The study replicated both findings among almost 800 sixth-

graders in a mobile school district in New York City, with mobility being defined by school

changes, achievement assessed with standardized tests and age-grade progress, and eligibility for

free or reduced price lunches controlled. It was suggested that a third variable such as the

background of the family should be taken into for both mobility and achievement. Early mobility,

prior to third grade, was a stronger predictor of sixth-grade achievement than later transfer of

student.

In a study on the Residential Mobility and Adolescent Achievement and Behavior:

Understanding Timing and Extent of Mobility by Anderson and Leventhal (2016), residential

mobility has been seen as an undesirable event for adolescents’ development. The study

investigated the associations between childhood, adolescent and child-adolescent mobility and

adolescents’ achievement with which in this study focused on Math and Reading, and problems

relating to their behavior. It was brought to light in the results that multiple, child-adolescent

transferees had more internalizing problems in adolescence compared to their friends, but did not

vary on externalizing problems or achievement.

For Rumberger (2003), student transferring can harm the students who move from one

school to another as well as the classrooms and schools they attend. He studied the scenarios that

had happened, the causes, and the result of student mobility in the United States. It then revealed

that the causes and effects of students transferring are more complicated than many people thought

of. It was also tackled in his study what parents or guardians, schools, districts and policymakers

can do to resolve this kind of growing educational problem.

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Moreover, it has been observed there has been an increasing numbers and diversity of

transfer students. Thus it was deemed important to examine how their unique characteristics

influence transfer and subsequent integration into their new environment. In 2012, Strahn-Koller

conducted a study that explored if students who transferred from 2-year to 4-year institutions

experienced differences in transfer shock, academic and social integration. The sample of the study

was taken from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 04/09). Age was

considered as the main independent variable in the analysis of the data. A group of transferee

students were defined as those less than 24 years of age, while another group of transferee students

were those 24 years or older. Linear regression was used to examine whether the two groups of

transferee students experienced differences in transfer shock, level of academic and social

integration after their transfer. However, the findings suggested that there is no relationship

between age and transfer experiences.

Another study related to transfer and transitioning was conducted by Ali and Antoine

(2016). They studied the student’s experiences in a secondary school in Trinidad and Tobago. A

phenomenological methodology was employed to explore the experiences of the transitioning

process of students who transferred from one secondary school to another, as they appeared to

have a hard time dealing and adjusting to a new school environment. There are five students, two

of which are male and the remaining are female students, from Forms 2 to 4, at different stages of

transitioning, and three of their teachers were selected using purposive sampling to participate in

the study. Data collected through interviews were analyzed using the Constant Comparative

Method. Findings have shown that transitioning positively affected them as they experienced a

stable environment in their new school; and negatively affected them academically, with males

faring worse than females. Their negative experiences diminished over time as they adjusted and
 17

found their role in the new school environment. The insights gathered from the study can be useful

to the school administration and the education system in understanding the transitioning process

of students coming from other schools.

Academic Experiences

Within every high school, there is a large group of particular students at especially high

risk of academic failure aside from social failure. These students are usually those who have

transferred from one high school to another. Research has shown that these transferee students are

at a higher risks of failure and not graduating, compared with non mobile students (Titus, 2007).

This has not been an unusual scenario in view of the fact that many of these students does not only

change high schools but also change residence, region, countries and even languages of instruction

(Davis &Bauman, 2008). However, it is sad to note that these are often overlooked by the school,

despite the increased risk.

In 2012, Stewart and Martinello did a study about transferee students which examines the

first year grades and their course withdrawals. They used data from a number of introductory-level

courses at one Canadian university. Community college transferee students were tried to compare

and relate to transferee students from other universities and to non-transferee students on several

measures of academic success. There were no significant differences that can be observed with

regards to the withdrawal of the course rates and final grade of the course of college transferee

students and those of non-transferee students. However, it was shown in the study that students

who had moved from other schools obtained higher final grades.

There are times that transferee students have significantly lower achievement test scores,

higher failure rates (Titus, 2007). It is once said by Rumberger (2003) that student mobility can be

disadvantageous to educational achievement in both elementary and secondary levels.

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Social Experiences

There had been a study about a phenomenology of transfer. In it, experiences of students

at a receiving institution gave an idea of a conceptual framework to investigate how transferee

students described their experiences during their transition from their old school to the new one.

Phenomenology was employed as a basis of theoretical constructs to give meaning to the

experiences of the participants of the study as well as a research method. Key themes incorporated

the importance of online resources in assisting the process of transferring, the significance of

supportive institutional agents, the importance of academic and career goals, and the comparative

lack of highlight on having a more social college experience. The study was made with a hope to

contribute to a better awareness of transferee students’ experiences in an understudied institutional

set up, the factors differentiating persisting and non-persisting transferee students, and means that

receiving institutions can do to be more responsive to the needs of transferee students (Nunez,

2017).

For Martinez (2016) in her study in relation to the experiences of transferee students by the

means of transitioning considered transferee students as an increasing undergraduate population

in higher education. Big numbers of students who are underserved, with low income, first-

generation college students and students of color are likely to start their college education in

community colleges. Nevertheless, it was shown that even if there are students may have intentions

to transfer and gain a bachelor’s degree, there are still quite a few that do not. It is also significant

to note what transferee students have as resources to be successful in the degree that they have

attained. Accordingly, their study was made to appreciate the after transfer experiences of

underserved transfer students associated to transitioning after they enrolled at the new school when

existing in a native student paradigm, meaning in an environment ruled on students who started at
 19

the institution. The case study was led by transition theory and was done to gain an understanding

of the factors that played a part to the after transfer experience of students, with a special interest

in aspects of the institution. Research participants were asked to fill out a demographic

questionnaire online. There were 27 individuals selected to take part in one round of interviews

which usually range from 45 to 60 minute. The findings have shown that there were challenges

that participants have encountered in both academic and social aspect. By transitioning capital,

challenges were alleviated by the participants and contributed to their incessant transitioning at the

higher institution.

Emotional Experiences

Ross and Rivers (2018), made a study relating to the emotional experiences of language

learners as it is considered as relatively undernourished within second language education. Their

research focused primarily on emotions experienced within the classroom, rather than in the daily

lives of learners within various social contexts. It contended that the focus placed upon emotions

within the relatively structured environment of the formal classroom is problematic, particularly

within an ESL environment, as the target language is more frequently experienced beyond the

classroom. Drawing on data collected within Australia, the study explored the emotional

experiences of a small cohort of eight university-level ESL learners experienced within their

various social interactions beyond the classroom with a specific focus on the emotions of hope,

enjoyment and frustration. Semi-structured interviews revealed that their emotional experiences

beyond the classroom were particularly intense in comparison to emotional experiences within the

formal language-learning classroom.

Emotion is considered to be difficult to define. However, Pavlenko (2005) consider

emotion as a range of different perspectives including states, representations, processes and/or

 20

relationships. In the study of Reeve (2005) about the emotional experiences beyond the classroom:

Interactions with the social world, he stated that “emotions are considered short-lived, feeling-

arousal purposive-expressive phenomena that help us adapt to the opportunities and challenges we

face during our important life events.” There are four different dimensions mentioned in his

definition which are Feeling, Arousal, Purposive and Expresiveness. Emotions are often described

as an individual’s own subjective experience of an event, and this is what the “feeling” aspect of

the definition denotes to. “Arousal” takes human physiological reactions that often occur

simultaneously with specific emotions into account. The “purposive” element can be related to the

manner in which emotions are directed towards individual goals. The final element of

“expressiveness” have to do with how the emotion is communicated in context.

Based on the review of related literature, it has been found that there is still a lacking

materials related to the academic, emotional and social aspects. Thus, this study is proposed to

look on the academic, emotional and social experiences of the transferee students of different

schools from Lanao del Sur to Zamboanga del Sur National High School.
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Chapter 3

Research Methods

This chapter presented the research methods of the study. It include discussion on the

research design, research environment, subject matter, sampling techniques, instrumentation, data

gathering techniques, and ethical considerations.

Research design

In this study, an Exploratory- Phenomenological research design was employed. A

qualitative method was thought to help in making the study. Specifically, it used In-depth

Interview through Key Informant Interview and Focus Group Discussion.

Research using a qualitative method is concerned with collecting and analyzing

information in as many forms which are chiefly non-numeric, as possible. It focuses on exploring,

in as much specific features as possible, trivial numbers of instances or examples which are seen

as being remarkable or illuminating, and intends to achieve ‘depth’ rather than ‘breadth’ (Blaxter,

Hughes, Tights, 2006). In this kind of method, there is an exploration of the social world

dimensions such as the everyday life, experiences, significance of the meanings that they create

and even the imaginations of the research participants (Mason, 2002). It gives the readers a

connection to the participants of the study conducted and a profound picture of the lives that they

have. However, to have a definition of what qualitative research design means to tap not only one

person but a number of persons. Qualitative research is referred usually as a systematic yet

subjective approach to give emphasis and explicate daily life experiences and to further offer them

meaning (Burn & Grove, 2009).

In addition, Creswell (2007) gave another definition of qualitative research. He clearly

gave an idea of it as a process of inquiry of being aware and being able to understand through a
 22

unique way of questioning which delve into social dilemma or human problem. The researcher

assembles a multifaceted, holistic picture, analyzes words, takes into considerations the details of

informants, and have the study to be conducted in a natural setting but of which the participant

will not feel uncomfortable. There are still other people who have various definition of what

qualitative research is. But looking into these definitions, it can already give us the idea that

somehow people do make sense of something in the world. It can be assumed that it concerns a

multiple perspective and not just looking into the statistical data gathered upon having a certain

study.

Phenomenological research is a qualitative strategy in which the researcher identifies the

essence of the experiences humans encounter about a certain phenomenon as specifically

expressed by participants in a study conducted. As the name implies, the subject matter of

phenomenology is the notion of phenomena, which Husserl has been referring to the things

themselves, objects, other people and even events that are happening around us. It may also involve

the reflection of one’s own conscious experiences, as one encounters them. For Husserl,

phenomenon comprises the things as they are set to our consciousness, be it in the way we perceive

things or as how we imagine or think or decide. The vital intention of phenomenology is to study

the phenomenon which is experienced in various acts of consciousness of a certain person or

people.

Research Environment

The study was conducted at one of the secondary schools in Pagadian City, the Zamboanga

del Sur National High School. It was chosen as the research environment for this study because it

is regarded as a big school. There can also be a handful of participants that the researcher can get

hold of in this certain school.

 23

ZSNHS currently has four curricula in every grade level to cater the different interests and

skills of their students. The following are: Science, Technology and Engineering Program (STEP),

Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), Special Program in the Arts (SPA), and Special Program in

Sports (SPS). STEP has additional and advanced lessons in Mathematics and Science. SPA has

supplementary art lessons which are commonly known to students as their majors, such as music,

multimedia and visual arts. SPS has also time for their practices in different sports which the

students majored in. Basic Education Curriculum sections are the sections which follow the usual

8 subjects provided to students and do not have supplementary and advanced subjects.

Every grade level of the Junior High Department of ZSNHS has an average of 22 sections.

The school usually have a population of around 4000 students yearly. Thus, making them the

largest school in Dep.Ed.- Pagadian City Division.

Research Participants

The research participants of the study are transferee students from areas in Lanao del Sur

in the school year 2017- 2018 who are currently enrolled at Zamboanga del Sur National High

School.

The research participants of the study came from the different areas in Lanao del Sur. Their

demographic profile such as their age, gender, grade level and ethnicity was shown on table 1 as

it was considered in describing the research participants.

Looking into the first table, it can be noted that more of the respondents in this study are

female. There was only one male respondent that agreed to be a part in the study. The respondents’

ages range from 13 to 18 years old. There were four respondents from grade 9 while the remaining

6 respondents equally came from grade 8 and 10. Sixty percent of the respondents are Maranaos
 24

while there were two students who were Maguindanaon. The two remaining students were Tausug

and Subanen.

Table 1.

Respondent’s Personal Profile

Profile f
Gender
Male 1
Female 9
Age
13 2
14 3
15 1
16 1
17 2
18 1
Grade level
8 3
9 4
10 3
Ethnicity
Maranao 6
Maguindanaon 2
Tausug 1
Subanen 1
N=10

During the data analysis, names of students were changed to codes to protect the

confidentiality and privacy of the students. Codes such as TS which refers to Transferee Students

with a corresponding number were used to identify the said students’ responses during the analysis

of data. Codes are from TS1 to TS10 since there were 10 respondents. On the presentation of data,

additional profile will be added together with the code.

 25

Sampling Technique

The researcher used purposive- snowball sampling method. Purposive sampling is

illustrated by the integration of specific criteria met by the participants at the moment when they

were selected. On the other hand, snowball sampling is a type of purpose sampling where existing

participants recruit future subjects from among their acquaintances. Thus the sample group appears

to grow like a rolling snowball.

Purposive sampling was considered in this study to identify the participants. As mentioned,

there were specific criteria to be met in order for the student to be considered as participants with

which those who have encountered scenarios or incidents that are related to the phenomenon being

researched and studied upon. Specific criteria were elaborated in the research participant section.

Since there is no much data from the school about the transferee students from different areas in

Lanao del Sur that transferred during the siege, the researcher also worked out on having

respondents through Snowball Sampling. There were respondents who have known other students

with the same criteria as them and gave information for the researcher to contact them.

Instruments

The researcher used an interview guide questionnaire out from the open-ended or semi-

structured questions that came from the statement of the problem produced during the initial part

of the figuring the instruments to be used. In collecting data, profound interview was used as it let

the researcher deal with the phenomenon deeply.

The interview guide questionnaire was divided into three parts. The first part is more on

the engaging question in order to build rapport to the research participants. The second part is

composed of the exploratory questions which are based from the statement of the problem. Aside
 26

from the main questions, there were follow up questions asked to the respondents in order for them

to elaborate their short phrases answers.

The last part is the exit question. It gives the respondents a chance to ask some questions

or anything to say to the researcher before the interview session ends.

Data Gathering Procedure

In data gathering, the researcher gave a letter of permission noted by the dean of the

Graduate School Department to the school head of Zamboanga del Sur National High School-

Junior High. After the approval, the researcher found and identified possible research participants

that fit to the criteria needed for the research sample of the study. After identifying, participants

were given informed consent. It was included in the consent, the understanding and voluntary

participation of the participants, their rights to decline in answering uncomfortable questions for

them or end the interview, the confidentiality of the information that they gave and their privacy.

The data gathering phase happened from February 12-19, 2019. The interview process was

recorded through a phone recorder with the permission from the students involved prior to the start

of the session. Follow up interview sessions were schedule for follow up questions and to clarify

the responses they gave during the first interview sessions

At the end of the interview, respondents were thanked for their participation. Snacks were

also given as a gratitude for their involvement. After the interview, the transcription process

followed. Data obtained from interviews was analyzed and transcribed last February 20 to 26,

2019.
 27

Data Analysis

InqScribe Transcription Software was used to help in transcribing verbatim the audio

recordings. Keyboard controllers and word processor document were used to have an easy access

in playing and rewinding the audio records. After transcribing the audio recordings, the researcher

read a couple of time the responses given by the research participants and remove assumed

unnecessary statements. The researcher then started translating the transcription in English.

Afterwards, the researcher took key words, significant phrases and statements out from the

responses. How the statements were stated by the respondents was also taken into consideration.

Keywords, phrases and statements were analyzed, categorized and organized into themes

that were considered to emerge during the coding process. Lastly, the data were interpreted by

identifying reoccurring themes throughout the responses of the respondents. The differences and

similarities were emphasized too.

Ethical Considerations

In the proposed conduct of the study, the ethical concerns are taken into great

consideration. Researcher is taking the responsibility of adhering to, as much as possible, high

ethical standard to ensure the integrity of the research process. The researcher provided a letter of

permission to do the study to the principal of the school. After the approval from the school head,

letter of permission to the parents were given to the parents. Permission from parents of the

students was deemed necessary since they are still minors. After which, informed consent were

given to the students. They were given an explanation as to why the study is conducted and what

will happen to the data that will be gathered. As mentioned in the data gathering procedure, the

understanding and voluntary participation of the participants were included in the consent. There
 28

were terms and conditions of which the participant have the right to do or not depending on his or

her comfort. Confidentiality and protection of data were assured to the students.

The privacy of the student’s identity were also considered in the conduct of the study. Each

participant were assigned with a code so that their real name won’t be used in quoting their

statements. The researcher did the necessary means of protecting the participants by having the

interview in a place wherein there were no other people to listen and hear out their answers and

experiences.
 29

Chapter 4

Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data

This chapter presents data gathered from the ten transferee students of Zamboanga del Sur

National High School to know the academic, emotional and social experiences as they transferred

from their previous school to ZSNHS.

A. Academic Experiences

The ideas of the respondents with regards to their academic experiences are presented in

the ensuing table and paragraphs.

Shown on Table 2 in the next page were the identified respondent’s academic experiences.

There were seven students who concurred that they have experienced recited in class discussions

and graded oral recitations while there are four respondents that have experienced talking in front

of the class just to represent their group’s work as topic presenter or as a reporter. Looking on the

respondent’s answers, three of them have experienced to lead a group and two were even

nominated as class officers and club officers. There were four who were recognized as an achievers

in quarterly convocations and been a with honor student during the school’s convocation at the

end of the school year. While there were two who have experienced getting a low grade in some

subjects.

During the interview, some of the respondents validated these assumptions. One of the

interviewee (TS1, 13 years old, Grade 8) responded:

“ok raman pud diri ma’am. Makasabot rapud mi. Makarecite din po ako
kung oral recitation po. Padugang sa grade namin. Maayo kayo sila (teachers)
muexplain makasabot rapud ko. So kapag may oral, nakakaanswer din po
paminsan-minsan (It’s okay here, ma’am. We can understand. I can recite when
 30

there’s an oral recitation. Additional to our grades. The teachers are very good that
when they explain, I can understand. So when there’s an oral (recitation), I answer
sometimes.).”
Table 2.

Identified respondent’s academic experiences

Themes
f
Had recited in class discussions 7
Got low grades 5
Been a reporter for group presentation or reports 4
Been an honor student 4
Been a leader for group activities 3
Been an officer (Classroom and Subject) 2
Note. N=10; multiple response
TS10 (15 years old, grade 9) also shared his experience in relation to recitation in class and

getting a low grade on some subject. He mentioned that:

“Kuan po. Uhm, sumasagot po ako kung tinatanong po ako sa klase. Oral
(recitation) Ma’am. Pero hindi sa tanang subject. Sa Math minsan. Ang iba
mahirap na. Na lowest nga ako sa ArPan nung first grading noon ni Ma’am M.
Puro dates tapos ang hirap mamemorize. Pero ok naman (Uhm, I answer when I
am asked in class. Oral (recitation) Ma’am. But not on all subject. In Math
sometimes. Other (subjects) are hard. I even got the lowest (score) in ArPan during
the first grading before of Ma’am M. It’s more of dates and it’s hard to memorize.
But it’s still okay.).”

TS3 (female, 13 years old, grade 8) answered when asked about her academic experiences:

“Ok rapud baya ma’am. Si Ma’am B gihatagan ko ug 75 diritso na grade

ato una.Miingon sya nako na magtinarong daw ko ug mu promise ko pero iya
japun mi gihatagan (ug 75). Kuan to Ma’am, first grading sa Math. Mitaas gamay
pagkasunod pero gamay ra pod (It’s okay Ma’am. Ma’am B gave me directly a
75 grade first. She told me to be better and that I should promise but still she gave
me (75). It was first grading in Math ma’am. It increased after but a small increase
only.).”
 31

This was also given emphasis on the study of Titus (2007) about the strategies and

resources for enhancing the achievement of mobile students. It was revealed in the study that there

is indeed a relationship between high student mobility or transferring of student and low academic

achievement. It is a challenge for the faculty and administrators of the school to foster also the

growth of the transferee students with respect to their academic achievement. It was explained in

his study that transferees tend to be disadvantaged in some ways compared non-transferees. These

may not be true to all transferee students, however, it was shown in this study that there is a

significant relationship between low academic achievement and transferring of students from one

school to another.

Even though they are transferee students, there are some that still excel inside the classroom

premises. It was shared by TS6 (female, 14 years old, Grade 9) when asked about her academic

experiences:

“Na honor po ako last year ma’am. Yung with honor(s). Umabot po sa 90
yung average ko... Yung, kuan, medyo mataas ang grado. Hehe. Kasi ma’am, kung
nagpapaoral yung mga teachers naming, nagtatry po ako mag answer kahit di po
ako sure sa answer ko (I am an honor student last year, ma’am. With honors. My
average reached 90…It was quite a high grade. Hehe. It’s because ma’am, if the
teachers will have an oral recitation, I tried to answer even if I am not sure with
my answer.).”

Looking back on the study of Martinello and Stewart on 2012 on how the transferee
students differ to non-transferees, it was revealed in the study that students who had moved from
other schools achieved higher final grades. This validates the result that came out from the
responses of the interviewees.
TS2- A grade 10 female (17 years old) student mentioned that:
“…naging officer po ako sa klase. Secretary po. Vice (president) po sana
yun kaso sabi ko ayaw ko. Tagasulat ako kung may report… naging honor po ako
 32

ng 2nd and 4th grading.. (…I have been an office in class. I am a secretary. It should
be Vice (President) but I told them that I don’t want to. I’m the one who writes if
there are report… I was an honor student in 2nd and 4th grading…). ”

Another female student (TS5, grade 9, 16 years old) shared her experience about their group
activities inside the class:
“Di ako nakakaintindi ng Bisaya noon. Kaya nahihiya ako magsalita. Pag
may activity sa klase na di ako masyado nagsasali. Tapos hanggang sa ako yung
pinapareport nila sa Filipino. Hehe Kasi nga tagalog. Minsan naging leader din
ako sa grupo pero sa Filipino lang rin. Sige nalang ako (I can’t understand Bisaya
before. That’s why I am shy talking. If there’s an activity in class I don’t talk much.
Until they asked me to report in Filipino. Hehe. Because it is tagalog. Sometimes,
I became a leader in the group but in Filipino (subject) only. It’s fine for me.).”

The result yielded relating to the leadership of transferee students in classroom activities

somewhat contradicts the study of Langenkamp, Muller and Sutton (2013). It was proven in their

study that it could be challenging on the part of the transferee students to participate both curricular

and extracurricular activities. Accordingly, transferee students who were actively involved in

school activities at their former schools may lose the opportunity to participate in the same

activities at their new school. Moreover, transferee students were thought to be less likely to serve

in leadership positions. There is an idea that leadership positions are usually awarded to a more

senior students who have shown strong leadership qualities throughout high school. That being

said, a student who just moves to a new school may miss the opportunity to hold these positions

at both the sending school and the new high school.

The notion that there are three out of ten from the respondents that became leaders in some

group activities in their classes and two became classroom and club officers should also be taken

into consideration. Even if students just move from another school there are those who still take

risks in trying to participate and be involved in service for other students. Being a part of the
 33

classroom officers and leading other classmates are in one way or another a start into a higher

service of leadership as they continue in their new school.

B. Emotional Experiences

Emotional experiences, either negative or positive, differ among the respondents. Such

experiences are shown in the subsequent table and paragraphs.

Table 3.

Identified respondent’s emotional experiences

Themes
f
Happiness 8
Hopeful 4
Anxiety 2
Frustration 4
Embarassment 2
Mixed Emotions 6
Note. N=10; multiple response
Research participants shared their feelings as they transferred to ZSNHS. TS7 (14 years
old, grade 8) disclosed that at the start they were quite anxious in the new environment that they
were in. According to her:
“katu lang first nako pag anhi kay didto ko nakasulod sa section B. Dili ko
ganahan. Mi transfer ko sa section naku run. First naku atu mam kay kanang
daghan miingon na hadlok daw sya (Sir C). Nahadlok nalang pd ko. Mao mi ask
ko na mutrasnfer ug section (When it was my first time coming here I entered in
section B. I don’t like there. I transferred to the section I am now. It was my first
time and there are many students that told me that he (Sir C) is frightening. So I
was then scared.)

TS4 (17 years old, grade 10) also shared that:

“…kulbaan jud ko kaayo kay 1st time naku na mutransfer kay since kinder
to kuan gr. 11 naman unta ko ma’am…1st day of school naa na daun koy na
friends. but an sila. pareha atung sa pikas na section kuan friend sila sa na amiga
naku daun nagkafriends pud mi. happy na. di na kayo ko mingawon sa amo. Pero
maremember naku didto usahay. Usahay ganahan ko mubalik didto. Usahay dili
permi man gud gyera. (I felt anxious because its my first time to transfer since
 34

kinder to gr. 11. I should be grade 11 ma’am… 1st day of school I already have
friends. They are good. It is the same in the other section, since she is a friend of
my acquaintance we became friends too. It’s happy. I don’t miss our place that
much. But I can remember about there, sometimes. Sometimes I want to go back
there. Sometimes, I don’t since there’s always war there)”

It can be noted in TS4 that there were a mixed feelings of being anxious, hopeful of going
back to their homeplace and happy at the same time. Furthermore, there were also other
respondents that shared some of their frustrating and embarrassing experiences when they
transferred in ZSNHS. Those were revealed in their statements during the interviews:
“…kay tulad ng di ako marunong magbisaya. sinasabihan nila ako na di
ako marunong… mag joke nalang ako tapos kung may salita ako na di tama
pinagsasabihan nila ako ng paulit-ulit. Nagagalit na ako minsan. Minsan
nakakahiya na rin kasi. Ayoko na sabihin ang mga mali ma’am. Nakakahiya
(…like for example, I don’t know how to speak Bisaya, they told me that I don’t
know… I just make jokes but when I said a wrong word, they always tell me again
and again. I get angry sometimes. Sometime, I get embarrassed. I don’t want to
tell the wrong (words) Ma’am. It’s embarrassing…)”- TS8, grade 9, 14 years old.

“…naa puy miingon naku na bugo ko ma’am, galagot ko ato ma’am.

Naulaw pod ko kay naa may tawo pag ingon niya ato…(there is someone who told
me that I am dumb, ma’am. I got angry that time, ma’am. I also felt embarrassed
because there are people when that person said it…”-TS3

“…nindot siguro diri. pero naay times na mingawon kus ako mga friends
didto. kay mura kami ug mag igsoon sa ako friends didto. Usahay makahuna-huna
ko didto na makabalik name didto…(…it’s probably nice here. But there are time
that I miss my friends there (homeplace). It is because my friends there are like
my siblings. There are times that I can think about there that we can go back…”-
TS2

“…di ako marunong magsalita ng bisaya. kung ako yung mahimo na

leader makuan sila. ayaw nila sa akin… (I don’t know how to speak in Bisaya. If
I became the leader, they don’t like me…).”- TS1

“…may groups. kanang grupo sila magkuyog-kuyog dayun ako nalang

mabilin…naisip nalang naku mam na unta wala ko nagtransfer. katu nihawa ko
didto kay nihilak jud ko mam…(there are groups. They are in group when they are
together and I am the only one left. I have thought that I shouldn’t have transferred
when I left there I really cried…).”-TS7
 35

Although some have felt negative feelings on their first few weeks or months in their new

school, it can be taken into account that most of them became used to their new environment,

showed signs of being happy formed good friendships with their classmates and schoolmates.

Some of their statements were as followed:

“ma’am, masaya naman po dito kay yung mga classmates ko mga

friendly…(Ma’am, it’s happy in here because my classmates are friendly…)”-TS6

“merong araw na maganda. meron ding di maganda. yun lang. merong

sad. merong happy. pero yung madalas na experience is happy like na experience
ko yung magjoke sa mga kaibigan ko. mag joke sila sa akin tas magjojoke ako sa
kanila. namimiss ko doon sa amin. naaalala ko yung mga friends ko dun tulad dito
joker din kasi sila. pareho pala sila dito. maingay,. akala ko dito wala na akong
friends.(there are days that are beautiful. There are also not beautiful. That’s it.
There’s sad. There’s happy. But most of the time it’s happy like I have experienced
making jokes for my friends. They make jokes for me and I make jokes for them.
I miss our homeplace. I remember my friends there that are the same here, they
are also joker. They are the same here. Noisy. I thought I won’t have friends
here.)”-TS9

These assumptions strengthen the study about Transfer and transitioning of Ali and

Antoine (2016). The study disclosed that the students were negatively affected during the initial

stage of adjusting to their new school when they transferred in. It was considered in their study as

transfer shock to the transferee students. At first, students felt isolation, anger, anxiety, sadness,

and fear, but those feelings gradually diminished as they became more familiar with the students,

teachers, and school. The feelings of the students who initially had mixed feelings about them

being transferred seems to have changed to positive feelings and emotions.

 36

C. Social Experiences

The researcher also look on the experiences of the transferee students in relation to their

social relationship with their teachers and classmates. Their responses were placed in the

succeeding table and paragraphs.

Table 4.

Identified respondent’s social experiences

Themes
f
Gained positive relationship with classmates and teachers 10
Language Barrier 6
Misconception about culture 2
Note. N=10; multiple response

There are scenarios in which transferee students reported that in the beginning of being in

class they have fewer interactions with their classmates compared to those who are not transferees.

Two of the reasons revealed when the interviews were analysed revolved on the idea of the

respondents having difficulty talking in Bisaya or their classmates having a hard time talking to

them in Filipino language and having a false impression with the respondent’s ethnicity and the

culture related to it. This affirms the National Survey of 4 Student Engagement in 2008 and study

of Townsend and Wilson in 2006 about the academic and social integration of persisting

community college transfer students that making new friends is often one of the concerns of

transferee students. It was also reported that native students lose motivation to bond and to

intentionally invite transfer students to participate in collaborative assignments, study groups, and

other common intellectual experiences. These experiences are testified by some of the respondents

that said:

“…nahirapan sila makigfriends sa akin kasi di daw sila masyado

nagsasalita ng tagalog. tapos wala na akong friends, magisa nalang ako…(they
 37

have a hard time befriending me because they don’t usually speak tagalog. Then I
don’t have friends, I am alone…).”-TS6
“lagi nila akong sinasaway na di daw ako marunong magbisaya… gusto
nila na magbisaya ako na hindi daw ako magtagalog. tapos di nalang ako papatol
sa kanila…(they always tease me that I don’t know how to talk in Bisaya…they
want me to talk in Bisaya not in Tagalog. Then I just don’t mind them.).”-TS10

Difficulty of building social interactions and exchanging of conversations to some of their

classmates were also noted in the quoted statements of TS9 and TS7 when they were asked of their
emotional experiences that:
“…di ako marunong magsalita ng bisaya. kung ako yung mahimo na
leader makuan sila. ayaw nila sa akin… (I don’t know how to speak in Bisaya. If
I became the leader, they don’t like me…).”- TS9
“…may groups. kanang grupo sila magkuyog-kuyog dayun ako nalang
mabilin…naisip nalang naku mam na unta wala ko nagtransfer. katu nihawa ko
didto kay nihilak jud ko mam…(there are groups. They are in group when they are
together and I am the only one left. I have thought that I shouldn’t have transferred
when I left there I really cried…).” –TS7
Respondents have also learned that some of their classmates have misconceptions

concerning their ethnicity and the culture that they have. TS3 stated that:

“…mi try sila mam na bullyhon ko mam. daun ireport daun naku sila mam.
daun adto sila sa guidance mam. sige ra sila mag ingon mam na kadalasan daw
mam kay mga hugawan…(They tried to bully me, Ma’am. I reported them and
they went to the guidance (office) Ma’am. They always say that most of the time
(Maranaos) are untidy…)
“Mangutana sila naku mam sa ako middle name dayon maingon nako na
subanen ko. daun ibully ko nila na manghiloay daw mga subano ma’am…(They
asked me about my middle name then I just told them I am a subanen. They just
bully me telling me that subanen are sorcerer…).”- TS1
 38

Another matter to consider is the relationship of the transferee students with their teachers.

It appeared that quality student-faculty interactions help students socialize to the norms of their

school and create a closer bond between student and the institution of the school they belong with

(Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005).

“Diri sa skul mam kay nice mam. kay gilantaw nila mi diri na sarili nila
na anak mam. first pa jud naku diri kay wala pajud ko friends. Si Ma’am E kay
gistoryahanay ko niya mam. tungkol sa regulations sa skul na bawal ana ani.
dapat daw ko makihalobilo sa akong mga classmate para dili ko ma lonely sa
school (it’s nice here in school ma’am. They (teachers) look at us like their own
children ma’am. At first, I don’t have friends here. Ma’am E talks to me about the
regulations in schools that the do’s and don’ts. She said that I should get with my
classmates so that I wont be lonely in school.).”- TS5

However, the notion of friendships being formed that was generated out from the

statements of the respondents rebutted some of the claims of Howard and Johnson (2004) that

making friends, fitting in and dealing with bullying were assumed to be the biggest challenges

encountered by the transferee students. So far, it didn’t took long for the respondents to have

acquaintances and friends in ZSNHS.

“…1st day of school naa na daun koy na friends… (During the 1st day in
school, I already made friends…).”- TS2
“…first dito kay wala pa nako na friends mam ang mga boys. puros girls.
mahiya ako sa kanila tapos sila yung lumalapit mam. sige mag hi! Hi! tapos
tanong mam daghan kau. tapos week weeks naa na ang mga boys. tapos mi try
sila mam na bullyhon ko mam. daun ireport daun naku sila mam. daun adto sila
sa guidance (office) mam. sige ra sila mag ingon mam na kadalasan daw mam na
Muslim kay mga hugawan … si mam (guidance counsellor) ra gyud mu kuan sa
tanan mam. Muhandle. (At first I don’t have boy friends. All are girls. I am shy at
them then they were the first one that came to me. They always say Hi! Hi! Then
 39

they have lots of questions. Weeks after, I already have boy friends. They tried to
bully me Ma’am. But I always report them to the guidance office ma’am. They
always said that Muslims are untidy… The guidance counsellor will just handle
it.).”-TS3
“First time naku pagtransfer nku kay hilomon ko. wala kuy friend. pila ka
adlaw ug weeks kay ako ng sabaan. pero mamansin pud sila ug una. kabalo sila
makigfriend. ok rapud sila. daun wala pd kuy maistorya sa ila mam. (The first
time I transferred here was I was quiet. I done have friends. Days and weeks later,
I was already noisy. But they (classmates) came to me first. They know how to
make friends. They are okay. I don’t have anything to say about them.).”.-TS10
“First jud nakung sulod kay na shock ko kay dili ko anad na makig duol-
duol sa akong mga classmates. tingala ko kay gipasulod ko nya (teacher) sa room
kay naay isa ka babae na miduol naku ug nangutana ug unsa ako ngan. nakigshake
hands sya naku daun naulaw ko…kay wala koy experience na nakipaglamano ug
laing tawo. Dayon di sila kasabot kay wala sila kasabot asa ko gikan, dayon ana
ko Maranao ko. dayon ana sila na ahhh kuan mana sila... daun wala nalang pd
ko. dayun ganahan ko ni ma’am kay giintroduce ko nya sa tanan. ana sya na
amiguhon daw ko, dayon pila ka adlaw nakakita ko ug mga amiga na (first time I
entered, I was shocked because I am not used in getting near my classmates. I was
confused when my teacher asked me to go inside the room then there’s a girl that
came to me and asked what’s my name. She shook hands with me and I got shy…I
don’t have experience shaking hands with other people. Then they cant understand
me because they don’t know understand where I came from. I said I am a Maranao
then they said ahh, they are like that… I just didn’t mind it. Then I like ma’am
because she introduce me to all. She said to befriend me. Then after a few days I
found friends.).”
“…una nakung ari dri nku kay ulaw daun ulawon kau ko sa tanan.
dauntingala ko kay kalit lang sila ug duol naku daun ana sila na hi ako si blah
blah. daun ako na daun pinakasabaan murag ako ang pinakasabaan…(My first
time coming here is embarrassing. I am very shy. Then I was shocked because
 40

they just went nearme and said Hi! I’m blah blah. Then I became the noisiest, I
think I am…). ”-TS9
D. Proposed Guidance Intervention Program

When respondents were asked if they have an idea in mind of what is needed in school that

can help transferee students like them. Some didn’t say anything. However, there are three

respondents that gave their idea through writing it instead of saying it. Moreover, there are also a

few that gave their insights with regards to this matter.

“I think they should treat every transferee (student) nice(ly).”

“I think giving them scholarships.”

“I think school (should) help transferee student like me … by show(ing)

acceptance to a transferee and let him/her feel that he/she is welcomed so that the
transferee will feel comfortable in that school because acceptance is important in
any transferee students.”- TS8

“Kailangan tulungan ma’am. For example di sila marunong magbisaya

tutulungan sila paano magsalita.(They should be helped, Ma’am. For example, if
they don’t know how to speak Bisaya, they should help them learn how to
speak.)”- TS4

“Yung sa pagtranslate ma’am. Lalo na paghindi nakakaintindi ng Bisaya

para makapagparticipate yung mga transferee... Yung masasabihan sila ng mga
patakaran sa school…(In translating, ma’am. Much more if they can’t understand
Bisaya so that transferees can participate… They will be informed with the school
rules…).TS5
A guidance intervention program was developed based on the responses of the transferee

students to enhance the guidance services provided by the school’s guidance office (see appendix
 41

___). The proposed program revolved on the three guidance services: Prevention and Wellness,

Referral, and Research and Evaluation.

Tutorial services are proposed to facilitate and assist transferee students who are not

familiar with the usual dialect/ language used in the school and in the community and have a hard

time adjusting to their new environment. Giving orientation to students on the school rules and

regulations and the guidance services were also deemed important. Thus, it is included in the

intervention program.

One student mentioned that transferee students should also be given scholarships. Thus, it

was also taken into consideration when making the intervention program. Referral of in need

students to scholarship providers is considered to help students who are already adjusting and at

the same time at risk of dropping out due to financial constraint.

There are proposed activities for the evaluation of the guidance programs that the students

can avail. Evaluation is needed to know if the services given by the Guidance Counselor is

effective and if there’s a need to revise it to accommodate another sets of students yearly.
 42

Chapter 5

Summary of Findings, Conclusion and Recommendations

This section presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations based

on the results of this investigation

Summary of Findings

The summary of Findings is arranged according to the arrangement of the questions in

the statement of the problem.

1. What are the participants’ experiences with regards to the following aspect?

1.1 Academic

There were lots of academic experiences that the respondents have lived through. However, data

analysis revealed that most of their experiences have to do with oral recitations during class

discussions and graded performances. They had a hard time sharing their thoughts as they are not

yet that good in speaking Visayan language. Nevertheless, their teachers and some of their

classmates explained their lessons, talked and translate Visayan words to Filipino in order for them

to catch up with their lessons.

It was further revealed that they have also experienced talking in front of the class to report

groupworks assigned to them. Others have led a group while others have experienced being an

officer. There were respondents who got low grades in some subjects as they were still in the

transition stage of being a transferee students while some adjusted enough to get high grades and

eventually became an honor student.

1.2 Emotional

Data shown that during the initial stage of attending classes in Zamboanga del Sur National High

School, respondents were dealing with either negative or mixed emotions. There were respondents
 43

that shared anxiety-filled experiences while most were trying to hold up themselves from being

anxious, hopeful of going back to their homeplace and happy all at the same time.

Furthermore, there were also frustrating and embarrassing experiences that the respondents have

acquired during the first few weeks or months in their new school. However, it should be noted

that as they became used to their new environment they have also experienced positive emotional

experiences as they build friendships to their classmates.

1.3 Social

The data presented in relation to the social experiences of the transferee students led to three

general idea. Their responses focused on language barrier during the early stage of being a

transferee student in ZSNHS. Some have also experienced hearing misconceptions and false

impressions about some acts incorporated to their ethnicity and culture.

However, all students have agreed in one experience. That is gaining positive relationship with

their classmates and teachers.

2. Based on the findings, what action plan or guidance intervention program that can be developed

to help the transferee students?

A guidance intervention program was developed based on the responses of the transferee students

to improve the guidance services provided by the school’s guidance office (see appendix ___). The

proposed guidance intervention program focused on three guidance services which are Prevention

and Wellness, Referral, and Research and Evaluation.

Conclusion

The study concluded that transferee students had gone through different experiences in

their academics, with their emotions and their social relationship. It can be assumed that indeed

these students have had a hard time trying to be used to their new school and at the same time
 44

trying to understand a language quite unfamiliar to them. It can also be inferred that even with the

difficulties they first experienced, they have also managed to adjust as they have excelled in their

class and develop acquaintances to friendships.

Recommendations

Given all these findings, conclusions and implications, the following recommendations are

put forward:

1. Youth (students or not) should keep on living despite the circumstances one may have gone

through. If one is attending his or her studies, he or she should continue with it in order to gain

more knowledge as to how to end wars and conflicts without using guns, bombs, bloods,

aggression and violence. If one stopped studying for the meantime, one should worked on enrolling

to either formal or informal school. Challenges in life shouldn’t hinder a person to continue

learning.

2. Parents should look into consideration the place they will settle in with their children. As

much as possible, it should be a priority to live in a place away from wars, battles and conflicts to

avoid not just physical damage but also in the emotional, social and other aspects’ of one’s life.

3. School administrators and faculty should make intervention programs that will suit to the

needs of the students, whether transferees or not. They must keep their school being child-friendly

in order for the students to feel secure and accepted when they are inside the school and classroom

premises.

4. People in the community particularly those people sitting in the higher positions in the

government and non-government organizations need to plan out necessary actions to stop wars

and conflicts that are happening to different parts of the Philippines especially in Mindanao.

Children and civilians were affected as they became and will be victims of conflicts between the
 45

government and rebel groups. It brings great trauma to the victims to be trapped in the middle of

exchanges of guns and bombs or evacuate their homes without bringing anything aside from

themselves.

5. Future researchers may conduct similar studies in another locale with more numbers of

transferee students as respondents. One can try to use case study to gain deeper information in

relation to this kind of topic.