CAPACITATING OUT-OF-FIELD PUBLIC SECONDARY TEACHERS IN BATANGAS PROVINCE

The unavailability of specialized teachers for specific learning areas has provoked school heads to hire junior high school out-of-field teachers or teachers teaching not their specialization. Thus, the major thrust of this study was to identify how out-of-field teachers are supported to meet the demands of their work assignment. It aimed to determine the extent of manifestation of capacity building mechanisms along the pedagogical content knowledge, performance monitoring and evaluation, professional development, and personal development. It also considered the difference of assessments when group according to profile variables. Issues and challenges encountered by out-of-field teacher were also considered. The descriptive type of research was used. Researcherconstructed questionnaire was the primary data gathering instrument complemented by focus group discussion (FGD) to substantiate the data gathered. The descriptive statistical tools used to test the hypothesis posited in this study were weighted mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, t-test and Scheffe’s test of pair wise comparison. Based on the findings, the existing capacity building mechanisms in schools lack the framework to support the desired changes in out-of-field teachers’ practice. Issues and challenges occur in the workplace if the organization fails to acknowledge the unique needs of out-of-field teachers. Contributory to out-of-field teachers’ overall efficacy are the gains in experience and access to updated firsthand information from further studies, training, and active involvement in professional learning communities. Based on the findings and conclusions, the researcher developed an instructional support system plan for junior high school out-of-field teachers which embodies responsive professional and personal development activities to enhance their instructional capacities and overall efficacy.