Philippine E-Journals

Unveiling the Experiences of Young ESL Educators in an Open Admission Academe

Maico Demi B. Aperocho | Jennifer S. Payot

 

Abstract:

Many people consider teaching a noble profession. Teachers enter the education profession and are attracted to teaching as a career be- cause of what they view as the role of the teacher. Also, teachers find their professions very rewarding. However, educators, specifically those who are new in the profession, encounter challenges too. This study seeks to understand the lived experiences of young college teachers handling English as a Second Language (ESL) courses in an open admission academe. In this study, a qualitative-phenomenolog- ical inquiry is employed. Seven young faculty members aged 20-25 years old with less than five years of teaching experience share their rewarding experiences, challenges, and hopes with ESL education in open admission academe. Triangulation is used in this study through three data-gathering and verification modes: in-depth interview, fo- cus group discussion, and checklist. The experiences of the partici- pants show that they have love for the profession, that they see teach- ing as a rewarding profession, and that disconnect still exists between teaching and their prior training. The participants also shared their stories on student learning and their experiences with the prepara- tion programs and some practical elements in teaching. Participants also expressed that they too experience burdensome workload, stress, and burnout. It has been concluded that these faculty partici- pants view their teaching career as fulfilling, challenging, and life- changing.