The Lived

Experiences Of
Newly Hired
Teachers

Introduction
Professional learning and skill development are
essential for educators as they work to improve
student achievement. However, conventional
professional development often fails to provide a
collaborative social construction of knowledge that
supports educators in transforming their schools
into a strong culture of shared learning. This is
especially evident when induction programs do not
provide collaborative environments for new
teachers to work with each other and other
experienced teachers. (Hoyt, 2015).

Moreover, according to Candilas 2018, the

functional competencies of teachers require in-
depth knowledge of subject they are teaching,
pedogogical framework in lesson planning, and a
variety of teaching skills such as creativity, self-
sacrifice for common good, counseling, and
leadership to name a few. These functional
competencies must be demonstrated by teachers
themselves as these are solely necessary in
educational system. Likely, their indispensable role
in education is transcended as a trustree of the
educational heritage of the nation.

Putting more emphasis on the above mentioned

presupposition, Barberos, Gazola, and Padayogdog
(2001) underpinned that teachers as the focal figure
in the classroom and the whole educational process
must be competent and knowledgeable in order to
impart the knowledge they could give to their
students. As teaching itself implies personal
manner, effective teaching is concerned to promote
foundation of the whole being of person through
teachers' systematic transmission of knowledge and
inculcation of values (Viernes and de Guzman,
2002). This means that teachers see what others do
not see. They use what they see to solve a certain
problem they have seen in their students to be an
essential catalyst of their growth and development.
WHEN we speak about the spectrum of Teacher
Education, we refer to the phases that a licensed
teacher undergoes—the pre-service phase, which
covers from recruitment or from choice of a teacher
education college, admission, progression and
graduation from a baccalaureate in teaching—
whether it be on early childhood, special education,
elementary or secondary levels. The second phase
is licensure preparation during which the pre-
service graduate undergoes a review for the
corresponding Licensure Examination for Teachers
(LET). Many teacher education colleges conduct
their own review apart from that by review centers
operating under Philippine law. These centers
conduct licensure examination reviews for the
various professions. Granted the new graduate
passes the LET and, fortunately, is hired in a public
school, he enters the orientation and the “in-
service” phase, which lasts through the years until
retirement.
In any job we undertake, we always hope we start
with the right foot. In the case of teachers, the first
teaching assignment could make or break him/her.
It could also leave either fond memories or a scar of
a lifetime on students in his/her class. Hence, there
is a saying that good teachers are costly but bad
teachers cost more. Bad teachers could indeed cost
more because they could destroy the lives of their
students by how and what they teach. “Research
indicates that the first teaching assignment of a new
teacher is critical. Key education partners advise
that the teaching assignments for new teachers
should specifically set new teachers up for success
in improving student learning.” Also, that new
teachers are” guided by a culture that supports
(their) assignment,” “ensure that (they) have
support in the school, have the resources they need
and, in particular, support with student
assessment.” Our source puts a stress on the role of
principals as instructional leaders in their respective
schools, particularly “to the integration of a new
teacher,” providing him/her a nurturing
environment “instrumental to professional growth.”

New teachers are aware of their short comings and

reported that they had strong development needs
in these areas. In general, new teachers had greater
developmental needs compared with more
experienced teachers, particularly to develop skills
to create more teaching and learning time in class.
Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was
to explore the experiences viewed as most
challenging of newly hired teachers on basic
primary School of the district of Cauayan. This
research further explained teacher perceptions as
to their level of preparedness and confindence
when they enter the classroom to meet the needs
of diverse learners. This investigation focused on
the real-life, day-to-day accounts experienced and
told by teachers in their own words through
reflection. This researchers sought to understand
how newly hired teachers experience these
challenges and the impact these challenges present
to their overall being as educators.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study is to explore the lived experiences of
newly hired teachers. Specifically, this study seek to
answer:
What are the lived experiences of the (5)
newlyhired teachers.

THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
Growth in induction and mentoring programs have
been addressed in both local and foreign empirical
studies (Wang, Odell, and Clift, 2010). These were
focused on identifying the kinds of induction and
mentoring programs and in understanding under
what cultural contextand environment, these
programs are most helpful and successful. These is
an underlying assumption that mentoring and
induction programs vary on impact and outcomes in
various social milieus, thereby bringing to light the
viability concern of mentoring programs in
divergent settings.
This study hinged from mutual benefit model
developed by Zey (1984), drawn from the social
exchange theory. Zey (1984) points out that in the
university setting the mentor and mentee enter into
a relationship in order to meet certain needs, and
the relationship continues for so long as the
mentees and mentors continue to benefit from
each other. Various studies (Britton, Paine, Raizen &
Pimm, 2003; Fideler & Haselkorn, 1999; Strong,
2009; Tomlinson, 2009) used the mutual benefit
model as framework. The solid model used teacher
induction and teacher mentoring interchangeably.
The studies of the above authors using the same
model suggested elements to compose a neophyte
teacher mentoring program to include orientation
sessions, conversations with faculty colleagues,
conference meetings with supervisors, capacity
building workshops, workload reduction, one-to-
one classroom assistance and mentoring program
interchangeably. The mentoring model introduced
by Thorpe and Kalischuk (2003) was also used as
basis for this study. This model gives emphasis on
how to create an honest and open interactions
between the mentor and the mentee by taking into
consideration both the external factors that have an
impact on the mentor-mentee relationship such as
social, political, and cultural aspects of the
institution and the inherent factors such as the
essence of time spent, the kind of environment and
the communication between the mentor and the
mentee for mentoring relationship to grow
(Campbell, 2011). Teacher mentoring programs
have evolved through the years. The "second
generation model" which was developed in 1998 by
the American Federation od Teachers and National
Education Association is more structured and
formal program. The model requires collaboration
between school administrations and teachers;
better preparation by new teachers; longer
mentoring period; addressing issues that effects the
performance of new teachers; abiding mutual
agreements and policies to Foster integrity;
maintaining high standards of professionalism and
upholding the principle of confidentiality of
mentoring relationship (The National Foundation
for the Improvement of Education, 1999). Time is
considered a significant factor that contribute to
effectiveness of mentoring. On the mentor's point
of view, the greatest challenge is finding enough
time to become effective in the mentoring exercise
(Ganser, 1995l. Time constraits can make mentoring
very difficult and good mentor those who knows
how to value time and can stay longer for job
(Rowley, 1999). Emerging from the lived
experiences of newly hired teachers, the cues for a
viable neophyte teacher's mentoring program may
match with a particular mentoring model
mentioned above or may fit in combination of two
or more models describe above, crafted to fit to
cultural and social environment of teacher-training-
university.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Kurt Koffka developed the theory of social
interdependence in the early 1990s. Koffka
proposed that a group would be dynamic since the
interdependence among members is continuously
varied. This consistent interdependence has an
impact. Deutch in the 1920s and 30s furthered
Koffka's work by expanding this theory with the
basic premise that interdependence can be
structured and can determine how individuals
interact with each other. This interaction largely
determines the productivity and group outcomes
(Deutch, 1949). Posivte interactions result in
members sharing resources, supporting,
encouraging and praising each other's efforts to
learn. (D.W. Johnson &Johnson, 1989). From the
social interdependence theory emerged the
concept of Cooperative Learning. Cooperative
Learning focuses on instruction design and learning
that goal driven. The instructor or coach uses
support the majority of the time with a focus on
working cooperatively with others, cooperative fun
and enjoyment, and work being done
autonomously on their own. Cooperative base
groups are generally long-term relationships, have
heterogeneous grouping, and have stable
membership (D. Johnson & Johnson, 2013). Groups
are comprised of individuals working collectively to
achieve group goals. Formal cooperative learing
requires an instructor to make pre-instructional
decisions, explain tasks and cooperative structure,
monitor learning, and intervene to provide
assistance (D. Johnson & Johnson, 2013). The
instructor also monitor task completion and
supports interpersonal and group skills
development. Reflection and group attainment of
goals are the measurement of effectiveness. For
this study, Professional Learning Communities and
Critical Friends Groups are considered the adult
earing models with the underlying theory of social
interdependence and the guiding principles of
cooperative Learning. Professional Learning
Communities are strategically developed, and
findings suggest Professional Learning Communities
take time to developed and have significant impacts
on adults and students outcomes (R. DuFour, 2010;
Levine, 2011, Schmoker, 2006). They developed
norms, routines and a shared vision. These
professional groups are intentionally created and
are associated with positive change, having an
impact on student learning. Levine (2011) points
out that these Communities exist only where they
are intentionally developed. They are usually
created with a trained coach and individuals
interested in a common goal. Generally, these
professional learning Communities happen with
educators determined to grow their practice, and
they generally focus on student work.

SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

The result of the study is of a great help to the

following:
Principal: The result of the study may provide
information to the school principal. Through this,
the principal may be able to determine the
difficulties facing by the newlyhired teachers and
help them to to develop strategies and improve
professional learning.
Teachers : This study is a great help for the teachers
to be aware the differences between them and the
newlyhired. Helping them to reach out the different
learning styles may bring students into collaborative
and interactive with each other.

Newlyhired Teachers : This study is a great help for

the newlyhired teachers in voicing out their
difficulties and challenges as a new in teaching.

Students : The result of this study may help

students to realize the importance of education and
to understand that learning is a continuous process.

Researchers : The result of this study may reveal

insights that would hel future researchers to realize
the goal of their studies. The date gathered may
able to motivate further researchers to conduct
similar or related study. This may serve as their
reference.

SCOPENAND LIMITATION
This study focuses on the lived experiences of five
(5) newlyhired grade school teachers. This was
conducted using the newlyhired elementary school
teachers in Guilungan Elementary School,
Guilungan, Cauayan, Negros Occidental. The study
will use the qualitative research to find out the lived
experiences of the newly hired teachers.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
To have a better understanding on the study, the
following terms are defined.

Collaboration. The ability to recall on one another

to discuss the mutual development of skills related
to new accomplishments in practice to generate
knowledge, ideas or program that help advance
expertise pr contribute to school performance
(Louis, Marks, & Kruse, 1999).

Mentor. Someone who is trusted and respected

counselor of orders (ASRF, 2012).

New Teacher. Teachers with two years or less of

teaching experience (Talis, 2008).

Lived Experiences. As used in the study lived

experience is the experience which orient's a
person self-conception and around which an
individual life organizes itself.
Professional Development. Traditional means of
adult development within the educational context
of individual development (Frank. et al., 2011).

Professional Learning Communities (PLC). A group

of people working interdependently toward the
same goal (DuFour, 2010)