Multigrade Elementary School Teachers: Best Practices in Teaching IP Students

This phenomenological study explored the best teaching practices, challenges, coping mechanisms, and insights of multi-grade teachers assigned in the six different indigenous schools in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, Philippines. An in-depth interview was conducted with the six teachers of Gatong Elementary School, Igang Elementary School, Napunong Elementary School, Naseco Integrated School, Ibuyag Lamburan Elementary School, and Lambid Elementary School. The thematic analysis revealed that the teachers' best practices organizing students into groups, differentiated instruction, translating lessons to the local language, indigenizing lessons, positive reinforcement, discovery approach, heterogeneous grouping, and activity integration. They also incorporated self-invented best teaching practices such as talk to me, atong ginikanan atong katimbayayong sa kaalam (AGAKK), gabay sa pagbasa, and gabay sa kaalaman, science intervention material, drive reading intervention or drive program, and Friday karaoke session. Their challenges included language barriers and lack of resources, facilities, and contextualized materials. Their coping mechanisms were proper time management, seeking stakeholder’s help, language translation, introducing games, discovering new strategies, and thinking positively. Teachers shared their valuable insights about cultural sensitivity to IP learners, resourcefulness, and passion to provide substantial education despite cultural and language barriers to students, and teachers’ presence and providing quality education to indigenous students are of paramount significance. Training on teaching strategies, lesson planning, instructional materials development, and capacitating school heads must be administered. Hence, the study recommended that government and education sectors’ support is vital to address the emerging problems of the multi-grade teaching approach and the indigenous schools and to realize the envisioned quality education in rural communities.