Navigating Conceptual Struggles in Physics Teaching: Narratives of Junior High School Science Teachers

Abstract

This study explored the lived experiences of secondary science teachers in teaching Physics, focusing on their conceptual struggles, coping strategies, and professional identity development. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 15 Junior High School science teachers assigned to teach Physics in selected public secondary schools in Samar, Philippines. The narratives were analyzed using thematic narrative analysis guided by Clandinin and Connelly's three-dimensional narrative inquiry framework of temporality, sociality, and place. Findings revealed that teachers' conceptual struggles were multidimensional and shaped by disciplinary misalignment, mathematical demands, difficulties in representing abstract Physics concepts, and structural constraints, including limited instructional resources and inadequate laboratory facilities. The findings also showed that these challenges generated emotional tension and professional vulnerability among teachers. Despite these difficulties, participants demonstrated resilience and professional agency through adaptive strategies, including independent preparation, pedagogical simplification, contextualized instruction, simulations and demonstrations, and collegial and digital support systems. Moreover, the narratives revealed that teachers' struggles contributed to the development of growth-oriented professional identities characterized by reflective practice, continuous learning, and commitment to student understanding. The study concludes that conceptual struggles in Physics teaching are not merely indicators of individual inadequacy but reflections of broader instructional and systemic challenges that also contribute to teachers’ professional growth, resilience, and reflective practice. The findings highlight the need for aligned teaching assignments, strengthened content-focused professional development, improved instructional support, and sustained institutional assistance for teachers teaching Physics in resource-constrained contexts.