Authors : Nichol Jordan L. Medel; Remigilda Gallardo

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2b7ea7mm

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jun795

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of teachers in the delivery of basic education to Indigenous Peoples (IP) learners in Jose Abad Santos District II, Davao Occidental using a phenomenological approach. Ten public school teachers were purposively selected to participate in in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD). The study aimed to investigate their experiences, coping mechanisms, and educational management insights. Findings revealed four major themes: Cultural Responsiveness in Teaching, Teaching Amid Resource Scarcity, Community Engagement and Trust Building, and Learners’ Barriers and Strengths. Teachers integrated Indigenous culture and language in lessons, adjusted to multigrade settings, and established strong links with tribal leaders and parents. Their coping strategies included Personal Resilience and Mindset, Instructional Adaptation and Flexibility, and the Utilization of Improvised and Local Materials. Educational management insights emphasized Inclusive Educational Planning, Resourcefulness and Innovation, and Learner-Centered Teaching Management. These findings showed that effective education for IP learners depends on cultural integration, creativity, and community collaboration. The study has significant implications for improving inclusive practices, strengthening teacher support, and enhancing culturally relevant instruction. Future directions include enhancing teacher training, fostering school-community partnerships, and promoting participatory research involving IP stakeholders.

Keywords : Indigenous Education, Teacher Experiences, Cultural Responsiveness, Coping Mechanisms, Phenomenological Study

References :

1. AbuRaya, R., & Gomaa, Y. A. (2020, December). Philosophical assumptions, methodological choices and research design: E-learners versus non e-learners. In 2020 Sixth International Conference on E-Learning (Econf) (pp. 374-380). IEEE.
2. Acharibasam, J. B., & McVittie, J. (2023). Connecting children to nature through the integration of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge into Early Childhood Environmental Education. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 39(3), 349-361.
3. Adler, R. H. (2022). Trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Human Lactation, 38(4), 598-602.
4. Ahmed, S. K. (2024). The pillars of trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health, 2, 100051.
5. Boddy, C. R. (2016). Sample size for qualitative research. Qualitative market research: An international journal, 19(4), 426-432.
6. Boyd, J. (2023). A Phenomenological Study Examining the Collaborative Community Experiences of Veteran Special Educators.
7. Bishop, M., & Vass, G. (2021). Talking about culturally responsive approaches to education: Teacher professional learning, Indigenous learners and the politics of schooling. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50(2), 340-347.
8. Buenaflor, N. B., Adiaton, J., Ancheta, G. J., Balading, J., Bravo, A. K. B., & Tus, J. (2023). The Lived Experiences and Challenges Faced by Indigenous High School Students Amidst the New Normal of Education.
9. Cansino, J. A., Maulad, R., Magbata, S., Alvarez, D. J., Excija, Z. & Kuwih, J. (2022). Teachers' Experiences in the Implementation of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education in Indigenous People Learner Dominated School in Southern Palawan, Philippines. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 32(2), 33-45.
10. Casas, M. E., & Quiambao Jr, V. G. (2023). Academic Challenges of Indigenous Peoples: A Qualitative Study. Southeast Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 3(3).
11. Chaudhary, N. (2022). Quest for an Indigenous Pedagogy: Learning from Tharu Festivals of Western Nepal. Journal of Tikapur Multiple Campus, 109-127.
12. Cherubini, L. (2020). Education in the post-pandemic era: Indigenous children and youth. The International Indigenous Policy Journal, 11(3), 1-11.
13. Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches.
14. Dadulo, E. P., & Canencia, O. P. (2019). Welfare benefits and working conditions of teachers in the schools division in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research, 4(1), 47-61.
15. Dizon, M. A. (2020). Inside the island of Manila: mobility and friction in an eighteenth-century hinterland (Doctoral dissertation, European University Institute).
16. Dodgson, J. E. (2017). About research: Qualitative methodologies. Journal of Human Lactation, 33(2), 355-358.
17. Du Plessis, P., & Mestry, R. (2019). Teachers for rural schools – a challenge for South Africa. South African Journal of Education, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.15700/ saje.v39ns1a1774
18. Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. Sage.
19. Hoa, C. & Vien, T. (2019). The integration of intercultural education into teaching English: What Vietnamese teachers do and say. International Journal of Instruction, 12 (1), 441- 456.
20. Husband, T. (2019). Using multicultural picture books to promote racial justice in urban early childhood literacy classrooms. Urban Education, 54(8), 1058– 1084. Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ 10.1177/00420 85918805145.
21. Kumarsir, L. A., & Shah, P. M. (2020). Teachers Motivation towards Teaching in Rural Indigenous Schools. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications (IJMRAP), 3, 20-29.
22. Kyngas, H., Kaariainen, M., & Elo, S. (2020). The trustworthiness of content analysis. The application of content analysis in nursing science research, 41-48.
23. Landertinger, L., Tessaro, D., & Restoule, J. P. (2021). We Have to Get More Teachers to Help Our Kids: Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Teacher Education Programs to Increase the Number of Indigenous Teachers in Canada and Abroad. Journal of Global Education and Research, 5(1), 36-53.
24. Lariosa, E. J. I., Diendo, M. P., & Espinosa, F. (2022). Lived Experiences of Teachers in Far-Flung Schools. Retrieved from https://www.novelty journals.com/upload/paper/LIVED%20EXPERIENCES%20OF%20TEACHERS-15092022-10.pdf.
25. Lubembela, H. A., & Mwila, P. M. (2024). Factors contributing to retention of teachers in public secondary schools in rural areas in Tanzania: a study of Lindi district. Journal of Educational and Management Studies, 14(2), 36-49.
26. Magdadaro, J. M. D., & Sacramento, N. J. J. E. (2022). Community engagement in the Indigenous education discourse: Unravelling policy lessons from Lumad’s alternative school in Mindanao, Philippines. Thammasat Review, 25(1), 57-81.
27. Manuel, M., & Queroda, P. (2018). Implementation of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Framework in Mapita Integrated School, Philippines. Southeast Asian Journal of Science and Technology, 3(1), 207-217.
28. Maynopas, J. M., & Escote, M. J. (2024). Multigrade Elementary School Teachers: Best Practices in Teaching IP Students. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 20(5), 610-620.
29. McFadyen, J., & Rankin, J. (2016). The role of gatekeepers in research: learning from reflexivity and reflection. GSTF Journal of Nursing and Health Care (JNHC), 4(1).
30. Mercado, M. G. M. (2021). Culturally responsive curriculum: A case study of IP school in the philippines. Journal of Community Development Research (Humanities and Social Sciences), 14(3), 1-9.
31. Niure, D. P., Upadhyaya, I. R., Paudel, M., & Poudel, P. P. (2024). Embedding indigeneity in formal schooling: a case of tharu teachers’ indigenous pedagogy in Nepal. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 1-14.
32. OECD (2020), Linking Indigenous Communities with Regional Development in Canada. OECD Rural Policy Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/fa0f60c6-en.
33. Orbeta, A. C., & Paqueo, V. B. (2022). Philippine education: Situationer, challenges, and ways forward (No. 2022-23). PIDS Discussion Paper Series.
34. Orcales-Tabile, D. (2024). Lived Experiences of Non-Indigenous Teachers in an Aeta Community: A Phenomenological Study. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research, 5(5), 1492-1500.
35. Oxtero, I. A. (2022). Problems Encountered in the Implementation of Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program in Agusan del Sur: Basis for Proposed Intervention Program. Asian Journal of Research in Education and Social Sciences, 4(2), 98-125.
36. Pace, D. S. (2021). Probability and non-probability sampling-an entry point for undergraduate researchers. International Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, 9(2), 1-15.
37. Peacock, H., Prehn, J., Guerzoni, M. A., Aitken, W., & Andersen, C. (2021). Upholding heightened expectations of Indigenous children? Parents do, teachers do not. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 50(2), 331-339.
38. Pedroso, J. E. P., Tumabotabo, A. M., Alvarez, G. J., China, M. M. D., & Futotana, K. (2023). Contextualized Strategies of Elementary School Teachers in Teaching IP (Indigenous People) Learners. EIKI Journal of Effective Teaching Methods, 1(3).
39. Peria, A. T., & Torres, B. R. R. (2019). Aspects of Classroom Lived Experiences of Newly-hired Teachers. Liceo Journal of Higher Education Research, 15(2).
40. Pietila, A. M., Nurmi, S. M., Halkoaho, A., & Kyngas, H. (2020). Qualitative research: Ethical considerations. The application of content analysis in nursing science research, 49-69.
41. Poetsch, S. (2020). Unrecognized language teaching: Teaching Australian Curriculum content in remote Aboriginal community schools. TESOL in Context, 29(1), 37-58.