Looking Back to Move Forward: Lived Experiences of Chemistry Teachers on Early Career Teaching

Abstract

Beginning chemistry teachers often struggle to balance abstract content, diverse learners, and classroom management demands, yet little is known about how veteran chemistry teachers make sense of these early-career challenges over time.This study investigated how veteran chemistry teachers in Bukidnon interpreted their initial teaching experiences, the difficulties they encountered, and the ways these experiences shaped their current practices. Fifteen veteran chemistry teachers teaching at the senior high school and college levels in different schools in Bukidnon were selected through criterion-based purposive sampling and participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design. Analysis revealed that early-career teaching brought excitement, anxiety, and “reality shock,” as participants realized that content knowledge alone was insufficient for effective chemistry teaching. They described difficulties in aligning lessons with the curriculum, simplifying complex chemical concepts, managing student behavior, addressing diverse learning needs, and coping with limited laboratory and instructional resources. Over time, they shifted from teacher-centered approaches to more student-centered, active-learning strategies, supported by mentoring, collegial guidance, reflection, and professional development. The findings underscore the importance of structured mentoring, practical preparation in classroom and laboratory management, and discipline-specific professional development for beginning chemistry teachers.