OUT OF FIELD

TEACHING
“MISMATCHING”
EDUC.509-CURRENT ISSUES & PROBLEMS
PROFESSOR: DR. MARIA THERESA ASUNCION,
DISCUSSANT: MS. ARIANE CARLA B. CAWALING

out-of-field
It is defined as qualified teachers assigned
teaching
to teach subjects and year levels for which
they are not qualified. It includes trained
teachers who teach outside of their area.

 Out-of-field educating has been a

worldwide concern.
OUT-OF-FIELD TEACHING

-CONSEQUENCES OF
TEACHERS
 a. INTRODUCTION
Out of field teaching - They call it “education's dirty little
secret” (Brodbelt, 1990, p.1). The number of instructors who are
teaching outside of their field is considerable. Budget cuts seem
to be one reason for the high number of unqualified teachers in
some school systems. Poor school management and other
challenges in the education system are also to blame. The issue
of careless assignment of teachers is not new, but in the past two
decades it has come to be seen as one of the major hindrances to
quality education. To one degree or another no school is spared,
from private to public, from religious to secular schools, from
rural to urban schools: Teachers assigned to teach lessons in
which they are not experts is a universal problem.
 Now, how can we expect teachers to be clear and persuasive
in fields with which they are not familiar, and how can we expect
their students to be high achievers? The problem of out-of-field
teaching is one that definitely needs attention, not just for
educators or school boards, but also for parents and the
community at large. Teachers have a hard time with a subject
with which they are unskilled or inexperienced. They lack the
necessary background knowledge that is required to teach
effectively (Archer, 1999). This means that they have to do extra
research and work to be prepared for the class, adding stress to
their already busy schedules, which can contribute to the
problem of teacher burnout due to work overload (Pillay,
Goddard & Wilss, 2005).
Indeed, several studies have illustrated that out-of-field
teaching also affects teachers’ self-esteem, sense of identity,
and overall wellbeing (Barlow, 2002; Hobbs, 2012; Mathews,
Boon, Flisher & Schaalma, 2006; Pillay et al., 2005). Moreover,
increased stress among faculty places extra pressure on
school administrators who then have to provide additional
support to these teachers (Hobbs, 2012). Of course, the harm
is not only to teachers and administrators, but trickles down
to students in the end—those who are the recipients of the
lessons being taught. Qualified teachers are certainly one of
the major influences on the growth of students, yet when they
are placed in the wrong classroom, any teacher can quickly
become unqualified (Ingersoll, 2001).
OUT OF FIELD TEACHING -
THEit createsCONSEQUENCES
Perhaps the worst consequence of out-of-field teaching is the
fact that a vicious cycle. A teacher who is not
satisfied with his/her job will resign (Ingersoll, 1998), which
leaves an urgent vacancy at the school. The administrators of
that school then scramble to assign another teacher to fill the
position—often an instructor who has no background in that
particular terrain. This teacher, in turn, becomes frustrated
and eventually decides to leave as well…and the pattern
repeats (Ingersoll, 1999).
This is precisely why it is crucial to find solutions to the out-
of-field teaching problem. If we want our students to reach
their highest potential, they must start with being taught by
qualified and knowledgeable teachers.

Knowing that assigning teachers incorrectly impedes

education and staff retention, one might wonder why the
matter remains unresolved. The problem is that the issue is
complex, and thus needs to be addressed on numerous
different levels (Archer, 1999). There are several reasons why
out-of-field teaching persists. In order to attempt to solve the
issue, it is first essential to look at the underlying causes.
 B. CURRENT ISSUES OR
PROBLEMS
Causes: about the topic:
 Shortage of Funds
 Shortage of Teachers
 Lack of the accurate data
 c. possible solutions or
 Salaryrecommendations
increase, system of
regular rewards and incentives
 Be honest with the Parents
without degrading the teacher/s.
 Invest in technology.
In conclusion, the issue regarding out-
of-field teaching is complex and requires
to be assessed and resolved from
different levels. Each school, each
city/town and each type of course will
present different types of issues and will
require different types of solutions.
 RESOURCES
https://www.deped.gov.ph/1994/03/08/do-13-s-1994-guidelines-for-matching-specialization-in-
teaching-preparation-with-teaching-assignments-for-public-school-teachers/
THANKS!
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