Experiential Learning Through the Eyes of Teacher-Dreamers: A Phenomenology

Abstract

Teaching internship provides pre-service teachers with opportunities to experience the realities of the teaching profession beyond theoretical preparation. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms of pre-service teachers during their teaching internship and how these experiences shape their professional identity, perceptions of teaching, and career intentions. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach involving fifteen fourth-year Bachelor of Elementary Education pre-service teachers from a non-sectarian institution. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion using a semi-structured interview guide and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings unearthed how pre-service teachers experienced complex classroom realities, including diverse learner behaviors, the gap between theory and practice, multiple subject demands, and independent classroom management. They also encountered challenges involving institutional expectations, limited instructional resources, and emotional and instructional pressures. To cope, participants practiced emotional regulation, sought support from peers and mentors, adapted their teaching strategies, and engaged in reflective practice. Overall, teaching internship fostered professional growth and strengthened commitment to teaching among some participants, while prompting others to reassess their readiness and future career intentions.