Teachers’ Pedagogical Adaptations and Professional Demands Across Elementary and College Classrooms in the Philippines
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Abstract
Teachers who work across elementary and college settings must adapt their instruction to different expectations for guidance and learner independence. Yet how they navigate these pedagogical differences alongside professional demands remains insufficiently understood. This study aims to examine pedagogical adaptations, challenges, and sources of professional support among teachers with cross-level teaching experience in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines. The study employed a qualitative case study design involving four licensed teachers, two Grade 6 pupils, and two college students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes, and were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that teachers reported using simplified explanations, repetition, interactive activities, and close guidance in elementary classrooms, whereas college instruction emphasized independent assignments and reflective discussion. Reported challenges included learner readiness, classroom management, engagement, lesson preparation, and time allocation. Teachers identified classroom routines, contextualized examples, reflection, time management, and peer collaboration as strategies for managing these demands, while workshops and webinars were recognized as professional learning resources. These findings contribute context-specific insights into how pedagogical adaptations intersect with professional demands, with implications for responsive elementary lesson planning, teacher professional development, and collegial support.
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