Experiences of Non-Social Science Majors Teaching Social Science Subjects

Abstract

This study determines the experiences of non-social science majors teaching social science subjects. Utilizing a descriptive-narrative research method, it delved into the intricacies of individuals' lives by gathering personal stories and examining their significance. Respondents comprised five (5) junior and senior high school teachers from St. Paul University Surigao, during the 2023-2024 school year, in which each teacher was purposefully chosen to participate in the study, ensuring representation from those outside their specialized field. The study concludes that out-of-filed teaching is a common occurrence in schools yet there is little action done to address this even in a private school like St. Paul University Surigao. In cases such as these, the initial reactions of the teachers assigned a non-major subject to teach is anxiety, doubts, and hesitation of being able to teach effectively a subject that is not their expertise. In which when this happens, the teachers do their best to find resources, search the internet, and find help from their colleagues in order to at least understand the subject that they are going to teach which also shows their openness in teaching the subject. During teaching the subject, they find that social science is relatable however, there are instances where there are terms or even lessons in which they find hard to comprehend.