ABSTRACT
The study determined the lived experiences, challenges, coping strategies, and job opportunities of Filipino teachers teaching abroad for the school year 2022-2023. The interview with the participants was done through Google Meet and Zoom. The participants of the study were twenty (20) teachers from selected countries, five (5) from the USA, five (5) from Bahrain, five (5) from Thailand, and five (5) from Singapore. It was found out that their lived experiences revolve around these themes: In search for greener pastures, living away from home, living conditions, and educational settings. The challenges experienced by the teachers teaching abroad include emotional challenges, cultural challenges, language barriers, and psychological and work-related challenges. The coping strategies of the participants include recreational activities, rest and sleep strategy, developed a support group, educating one-self, professional development, and mentorship. The job opportunities they mentioned during the interview include tutoring, coaching, online teaching, and professional growth with stipend.
Keywords: Lived Experiences, Job Opportunities, Filipino Teachers Teaching Abroad
INTRODUCTION
Teaching is considered to be the mother of all professions. No learner becomes successful professionals without the sacrifice, dedication, and wisdom of a good teacher.
Among the teachers all around the world, Filipino teachers are some of the most highly-rated professionals because of their academic competence, exceptional work ethic, and impeccable use of the English language (Cañedo, 2014). Because of this, there is a continuous upward trend in the demand for Filipino teachers abroad (Novio, 2022).
Teaching abroad offers numerous advantages such as higher salaries, opportunities for advanced studies and promotion, and immersion in new cultures (Gamlan as cited by Victoria et al., 2018). However, a number of disadvantages were identified such as the deskilling of the best and brightest Filipino teachers (Cruz, Tan, & Yonaha, 2015).
Based on OFW Guide (2019), some of the countries that offer teaching jobs to Filipinos include those in Asia: China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Further, western countries like the United States of America and New Zealand also hire competent Filipino teachers.
A survey in 2019 by the Overseas Filipinos by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reports that the Philippines has been deploying an average of 1,500 teachers worldwide every year.
Filipino teachers are paid 10 times their salaries in the Philippines. Because of this, Filipino teachers pursued careers overseas. As a result, the Philippines is losing many of its scientists, mathematicians, linguists, and other experts (Ubalde, 2007).
Filipino teachers’ experiences are a rich tapestry of unique stories that narrate both the advantages and disadvantages of teaching abroad especially during the new normal school year (GMA network, 2021). These stories either provide a cautionary or an inspiring tale to future teacher applicants.
Serbes (2017) identified academic and social developments as two of the most identifiable advantages. Through their international exposure, Filipino teachers have the opportunity to develop their teaching, communication, and classroom management skills. Further, because teachers immerse in a new speech community, they have the opportunity to learn new languages and other cultures. With this, teaching internationally broadens teachers’ efficiency and effectiveness especially in dealing with multilingual and multicultural classrooms.
Most of the teachers who are leaving the Philippines to teach abroad were usually employed in the Department of Education (DepEd) or in private institutions in the country. The researcher, who was a DepEd employee and now working as a teacher abroad, learned first hand how it is to teach abroad. The study sought to delve into the lived experiences, challenges, coping strategies, and job opportunities of other Filipino teachers’ teaching abroad. It was hoped that through their stories, future applicants would be properly guided to the realities they will experience if they pursue their dreams to teach abroad.
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