LEARNING AND SHARING: UNDERSTANDING EXPERIENCES IN TEACHING INDIGENOUS LEARNERS OF MINDORO

Changing school culture requires building professional learning communities that aim to improve and empower teacher's competence, complete well-being, and impact on student learning. This qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to determine the purposes, expectations, challenges, and learning and sharing experiences of teachers educating indigenous learners of Mindoro, Philippines. Data were obtained from pre-structured interview of faculty handling multi-grade levels of IP learners delivered essences and emerged themes. Study indicates that teachers' main goal is to transfer understanding and make a difference, they strongly affirmed to deliver significant influence among learners. Meanwhile, learners divergent behavior and learning styles were amongst shared challenges that steered faculty to become progressivists implementing learner-centered approaches. Teachers best realization posited that teaching is a never-ending commitment and education must be inclusive. Based on these results, improving various sources of learning, providing a holistic program for teachers and strengthening the implementation of inclusive education reforms are recommended.