Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 43 no. 7 (2025)

Hometown Return: An Exploration of Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences After the J-1 Program

Jeeny Liza Dalanta

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to explore the professional and personal reintegration experiences of Filipino mathematics teachers upon returning to their home country after completing the J-1 Teacher Exchange Program in the United States. The research aimed to explore the challenges faced, adaptation strategies employed, and the broader implications of international teaching experiences on re-entry. Through in-depth interviews with former J-1 teachers, the study uncovered themes related to reverse culture shock, shifts in professional identity, career advancement and professional development, professional and interpersonal relationships, professional and cultural re-entry challenges, and the reintegration process and the policies adoption. Findings reveal that while participants gained valuable skills and global perspectives during their time abroad, many encountered difficulties in re-establishing their professional roles and navigating cultural readjustment. Nonetheless, their resilience, reflective practices, and commitment to educational excellence enabled them to adapt and continue making meaningful contributions in their local contexts. The study offers insights for policymakers, educational institutions, and returning educators in developing more supportive re-entry pathways and maximizing the benefits of global teaching experiences.



References:

  1. Archer, A. et al (2011). Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching. New York: Guilford Press.
  2. Bauml, M. (2023). I Do, We Do, You Do: Teaching Map Skills in Early Grades. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 28-32.
  3. Benjamin, Z. (2023). I Do We Do You Do. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/i-do-we-do-you-do
  4. BridgeUSAPrograms | BridgeUSA. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://j1visa.state.gov/programs
  5. Brinia, V. et al. (2022). The Impact of Communication on the Effectiveness of Educational Organizations. Education Sciences, 12(3), 170.
  6. Butcher, A. (2002). A grief observed: Grief experiences of East Asian international students returning to their countries of origin. Journal of Studies in International Education, 6(4), 354–368.
  7. Chand, G. B. (2024). Narrative Inquiry: A Critical Examination of Its Theoretical Foundations and Methodological Applications. Far Western Review, 2(1), 135–152. https://doi.org/10.3126/fwr.v2i1.70514
  8. Celik, et al. (2024). Technology and innovation in shaping the future of edcuation. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 54. Doi:10.1186/s40561-024-00339-0
  9. Cochran-Smith, M. et al. (2019). Educating Teacher Educators: International Perspectives. 5-24, 16(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/1547688X.2019.1670309
  10. Cox, C. (2019) Reflections on Reentry: A Qualitative Study of Cross-Cultural Reentry Experiences of International Cultural Exchange Students. Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice. 40. https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/edd_capstones/40
  11. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
  12. Cruz U. (2025, February 25). Ten Best Tips to Implement Scaffold Learning in the Classroom. SplashLearn.  https://www.splashlearn.com/blog/how-to-use-scaffolding-strategies-in-the-classroom/
  13. DepEd Teachers Salary Grade | Amazing Increase this 2024 - Salary Grade PH. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://salarygradeph.com/deped-teachers-salary-grade/
  14.  Dr. Brubaker. Helping Returnees. Small Planet Studio.     https://www.smallplanetstudio.com/be-a-reentry-advocate/
  15. Gaw, K. F. (2000). Reverse culture shock in students returning from overseas. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 24(1), 83-104.
  16. Geeraert, N. et al. (2022). Returning home: The role of expectations in re-entry           adaptation. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 14(1), 1–22.
  17. Harrison, J. (2018). Cultural Exchange in Education: Motivations and Benefits. . International Review of Education, 64(4), 487-501.
  18. Harrison, D. J. (n.d.). Hennessy etal FINAL. Retrieved January 16, 2025, from https://www.academia.edu/3784514/Hennessy_etal_FINAL
  19. Hitt, A. M., & Smith, D. (2017). Filling in the Gaps: An Explicit Protocol for Scaffolding Inquiry Lessons. Science Educator, 25(2), 133–141.
  20. How to Apply SPIMS Program - Sa Pinas Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir | OWWA Member. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2025, from https://owwamember.com/spims-program/
  21. Jackson, C., Vaughan, D. R., & Brown, L. (2018). Discovering lived experiences through descriptive phenomenology. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(11), 3309–3325. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2017-0707
  22. Kagan S & Kagan M. (2015) Kagan Cooperative Learning. Kagan Publishing
  23. Kagan S & Kagan M. (2017) Kagan Cooperative Learning. Kagan Publishing
  24. Kagan S & Kagan M. (2021) Kagan Cooperative Learning. Kagan Publishing
  25. Martin, J. N., & Harrell, T. (2004). Reentry training for intercultural sojourners. Handbook of Intercultural Training, 3rd ed., 309-336.
  26. McGrath, M. (2019). Exploring the Impact of International Education Programs on Teacher Development. . International Journal of Teacher Education, 36(2), 189-204.
  27. Melissa. (n.d). Strategies for teaching retelling. The Reading Roundup. https://thereadingroundup.com/strategies-for-teaching-retelling/
  28. Naderifar, M., Goli, H., & Ghaljaie, F. (2017). Snowball sampling: A purposeful method of sampling in qualitative research. Strides in Development of Medical Education, 14(3).
  29. Peck, K. (2014). Issue 1 Article 4 2014 Part of the International and Comparative Education Commons, and the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Peck. Psi Sigma Siren, 8. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/psi_sigma_sirenAvailableat:https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/psi_sigma_siren/vol8/iss1/4
  30. Pitts, M. J. (2016). Sojourner reentry: A grounded elaboration of the integrative theory of communication and cross-cultural adaptation. Communication Monographs, 83(4), 419–445.
  31. Returning Home After Your Experience Abroad: Challenges & Solutions | FSU Global. (n.d.). Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://global.fsu.edu/undergraduate-students/
  32. Robinson, V. (2011). Student outcomes and the role of school leadership. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(3), 221-238.
  33. Robinson, J. (2011). Assessing the value of using an online discussion board for engaging students. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 10(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.3794/JOHLSTE.101.257
  34. Ryan, G. W., & Bernard, H. R. (2009). Techniques to identify themes in qualitative data. Field Methods, 15(1), 85-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X02239569
  35. Sanders, C. (2003). Application of Colaizzi’s Method: Interpretation of Meaning and Validation of Results in a Study of the Lived Experience of Women With Breast Cancer. In Nursing Research: Methods and Critical Appraisal for Evidence-Based Practice.
  36. Smith, P. &. Green (2021). Teacher Collaboration and Professional Growth in International Exchange Programs. International Journal of Education and Practice , 19(2), 91 - 102.
  37. Speziale, H. S., Streubert, H. J., & Carpenter, D. R. (2011). Qualitative Research in Nursing: Advancing the Humanistic Imperative (5th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  38. Stolz, S. A. (2023). The practice of phenomenology in educational research. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 55(7), 822–834. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2022.2138745
  39. Suryani, I., Suswandari, M., & Suryadi, B. (2020). Relationship between teaching motivation and teaching behaviour of secondary education teachers in Indonesia. Culture and Education, 32(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.2020.1722413
  40. Szkudlarek, B. (2010). Reentry—A review of the literature. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 34(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2009.06.006
  41. Tufford, L., & Newman, P. (2012). Bracketing in qualitative research. Qualitative Social Work, 11(1), 80–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325010368316
  42. Palinkas, L. et al. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544.
  43. U.S. Department of State. (n.d.). J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program. Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Retrieved from https://j1visa.state.gov
  44. Vivar, C. G., McQueen, A., Whyte, D. A., & Armayor, N. C. (2007). Getting started with qualitative research: Developing a research proposal. Nurse Researcher, 14(3), 60–73.
  45. Washburn, B. (2002, September 7). How to Use Quizizz in the Classroom. Technology Teaching Resources.

Tools


Copyright © 2025  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic