ABSTRACT
The study delves into the experiences of Filipino-Canadian teachers in selected Elementary Schools in the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba in their quest for professional development. It further investigates how they cope with the challenges and the educational insights to improve the quality of teaching. The study employed the qualitative design utilizing a phenomenological approach in which the primary instrument of data gathering was through in-depth interviews with eight (8) Filipino Canadian teachers as participants. The findings revealed that participants described their experiences as challenging, fulfilling, and overwhelming learning opportunities. Unique challenges, including cultural and language barriers, credential recognition issues, lack of representation, and financial constraints, mark their journey in pursuing professional development. The challenges are crucial for creating an inclusive and diverse education system that harnesses the full potential of all its educators. Filipino Canadian teachers overcome these obstacles by intensifying the support system, work-life balance, and a sound mindset for career advancement. They can contribute their valuable skills and perspectives to the Canadian education landscape. The ongoing journey on their quest for professional development empowers educators to grow, adapt, and excel in their roles. To support this quest effectively, educational institutions, policymakers, and teachers should prioritize continuous learning, personalized development plans, and collaborative practices while keeping the evolving needs of students at the forefront. Therefore, the Local Governments of the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba should formulate policies for teachers' certification and comprehensively review the available policies on professional documents within and across Canada. Furthermore, it is suggested that the survey be conducted in larger sample groups to serve as a springboard for future improvement of the school's existing programs and teachers' professional development guidelines.
Keywords: Filipino-Canadian teachers, professional development
CHAPTER 1
The Problem and Its Setting
Rapid globalization brings substantial change to the world. The changing times in education systems engage in severe and promising educational reform. The beginning teachers encounter problems such as the “theory-practice gap,” where the discrepancy between the nature of their teacher preparation program and their experiences as licensed professionals—considering a plethora of research to formalize professional development to meet the learning needs and opportunities of teachers in this new era. With this, the nation is moving quickly to adopt common core standards and challenge schools to move more aggressively to provide continuous professional development for teachers. As the saying goes, “quality of education depends on the quality of teachers.”
Teaching is a complex professional responsibility requiring continuous development to support diverse student needs in a changing society. The growing area of studies exploring the influence of teacher professional development in the US, Australia, and the UK is through educational policies, politics, curriculum, and licensing specific to a geographical context, like requiring earning credits to maintain their teaching license. While there are commonalities across geographical settings, each situation is unique and differs concerning external factors, values (e.g., teacher's pedagogical philosophy), and beliefs (e.g., teacher’s educational view may depend on their years (Parsons et al., 2019).
International migration for teachers emerged in the early 2000s for teaching positions in America's public schools. Teacher migration is a worldwide phenomenon between countries with strong language, cultural, and historical links. Teacher movements usually occur from developing or underdeveloped to developed countries where teachers' pay is often considered inadequate. Thus, teachers from developing countries or third-class nations such as the Philippines moved mainly to earn more and to gain new work and life experiences (Slethaug, 2007).
Darling-Hammond (1993) argues that with the continuous global professional development initiatives and the rapidly changing demands of students in China, teachers hold themselves accountable to the highest possible standard in addressing their learning and teaching needs. Responding to these needs, teachers must be committed to professional development and a lifelong learning journey (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012).
In Canada, according to Campbell et al., 2017 ninety percent (90%) of Filipino-Canadian teachers engaged in various forms of professional development to meet the demands of the teaching profession. On the other hand, practicing teachers require professional development that is accessible, interest-driven, research-informed, and directly connected to their current practice. In addition, Campbell said that since teaching is a highly complex professional responsibility, it requires continuous learning to support diverse student needs across all subject areas. Consequently, Filipino-Canadian teachers engage in some form of professional development (PD) regularly to learn new content, gain insight, and apply new understandings (Canadian Teachers’ Federation, 2014).
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