Discovering the Realities of Teaching Exploring the Practice Teaching Experiences of Pre-service Teachers

Practice Teaching is a crucial element in the pre-service education of would-be teachers. It provides authentic experiences in an actual classroom and school environment and provides the pre-service teacher a smooth role transition from student to teacher. This paper looked into the difficulties experienced by pre-service teachers in their Practice Teaching in terms of planning teaching-learning activities, teaching strategies, classroom management, assessment of students’ learning, communication skills, personal competencies, and occupational skills. This study also identified the extent of the contribution of various factors to the Practice Teaching experiences. The quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through a survey and focus group discussion from 156 pre-service teachers in a state college in the Philippines. Difficulties encountered primarily focused on planning activities relevant to the lesson, particularly the choice of teaching methods and strategies appropriate for the learners and the subject matter. Another area of difficulty was on classroom management, specifically on maintaining the discipline of learners and handling their misbehaviors. Pre-service teachers expressed that the demonstration teaching opportunities during the pre- practicum phase, the actual teaching during the practicum phase, and the exit conference with the cooperating teachers and school heads during the post-practicum phase have contributed much to their Practice Teaching. The Practice Teaching program can be enhanced through pre-service seminars, additional Practice Teaching coordinators proportionate to the number of pre-service teachers, and a well-organized mentoring program.

Keywords –cooperating teachers, practice teaching, teacher training, teaching-learningactivities