Abstract
This main objective of this qualitative study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences of novice teacher teaching students with special needs. Using purposive sampling and inclusion criteria, the participating 14 novice teacher from public schools in Davao region were identified. All of them participated in the in-depth interview. Results revealed the lived experiences of the participants: Dealing with challenges in interaction with students with special needs, implementing teaching strategies to meet the needs of students, effectiveness in adapting teaching, and using diverse instructional materials. In response to the challenges they have encountered, they deemed the following novice teachers cope with the challenges in teaching students with special need. The following themes were: individualized support and differentiation, building rapport and relationships, collaboration and professional development, flexibility and adaptability and strong motivation from one’s students. Upon reflecting on their entire experience, they arrived at the following insights: The value of perseverance and resilience, establishing positive relationship with students with special needs, empathy and compassion, continuous learning and collaboration and importance of strong parents’ support. The results of this study were deemed significant by the participants, teachers, students and researchers.
