Lived Experiences of Grade 7 Mathematics Teachers in Teaching Fundamental Operations on Integers: A Descriptive-Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This qualitative, descriptive‑phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of fifteen Grade 7 mathematics teachers in Bukidnon, Philippines, as they taught fundamental operations on integers. The aim was to shed light on the 'front-line' realities and post-pandemic context of teaching. Data collection involved brief online screening conversations and open‑ended digital prompts in English and Cebuano Visayan, producing detailed narratives of classroom experiences. Through thematic analysis and cross‑case synthesis, four main themes emerged: (1) The Cognitive Strain of Fragile Foundations, describing teachers' struggles with arithmetic deficiencies from elementary school; (2) Navigating the “Sign Rule” Confusion, focusing on students’ dependence on memorization, errors, and difficulty understanding operations and signs; (3) Resilience through Concretization and Gamification, showing teachers’ adaptations using kinesthetic, visual, and contextual strategies like the “Integer Walk” and “Kwarta ug Utang” (Money and Debt); and (4) The Emotional Weight of Affective Barriers, highlighting issues such as overcrowded classrooms, math anxiety, and the emotional effort needed to keep students engaged in resource-limited settings. The results revealed that students often enter junior high with unresolved gaps in fundamental operations, leading to cognitive overload and emotional stress for teachers when abstract integer rules are introduced. In response, teachers displayed resilience and pedagogical adaptability by redesigning lessons, contextualizing concepts, and using gamification to address learning gaps. The study emphasized that effective instruction depends on teacher flexibility and empathy, along with systemic support such as structured remediation, smaller classes, and better learning environments to enable teachers to serve as dynamic instructional leaders in remote and underserved schools.