Transitioning K to 12 Modifications to Matatag Curriculum: Perceptions of Basic Education Teachers in Focus

This study explored the lived experiences, challenges encountered, coping mechanisms and insights of public elementary school teachers on transitioning to MATATAG curriculum in schools. The participants were coming from Paquibato District, Division of Davao City, DepEd Region XI. There were ten (10) elementary school teachers who participated in the study. This study made use of a phenomenological approach to extract the ideas from the participants. The participants were purposely selected as representatives from the group of elementary school teachers. The face to face in-depth interview was employed to gather significant information with regard to their respective lived experiences. Using the thematic analysis, the following themes emerged pertaining to their lived experiences: shift toward learner centered instruction, emotional investment in teaching, and rediscovery of purpose. Further, there were three sub-themes that emerged from the challenges by the participants. These are technological and resource limitations, curriculum overload and time, parental and community disconnect and hurdling transition challenges. The three coping mechanisms of teachers as participants in the challenges they experienced were collaboration and support systems, mindset shifts, and self-initiated professional learning. The three educational management insights drawn from the participants were emphasis on curriculum mastery, the significance of values integration and collaboration and support as success enablers. Thus, it is crucial for DepEd administrators to cultivate a culture of collaboration, innovation, and emotional support by organizing regular LAC sessions, supplying teaching resources, and enhancing teacher well-being.