DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN TEACHING AGRICULTURE AS A CORE PART OF T.L.E. IN THE PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLSIN GUINOBATAN, ALBAY

This study was conducted to determine the difficulties encountered in teaching Agriculture as a core part of Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) in the Public Secondary Schools in Guinobatan, Albay. It discussed the profiles of 10 Agriculture teachers, the activities being conducted, the difficulties encountered, the extent of difficulty, the solutions applied by the teachers to address the difficulties encountered in line with classroom instruction and practical agriculture, and the proposed solutions to address the difficulties encountered. The study made used of questionnaire - checklist and rating scale as the instrument in data gathering. The data gathered were subjected to statistical analysis using frequency count, percentage and weighted mean to analyze the data obtained. The activities conducted by the Agriculture teachers during classroom instruction include oral recitation, paper and pencil test, and group activity. During practical agriculture, Horticulture teachers let their students plant crops but it was found out that none of them ever conducted soil sampling activity. For Animal Production, it was revealed that the activities conducted by the teachers were mere familiarization rather than actual demonstration of the subject. Moreover, teachers encountered numerous difficulties that serve as hindrances in their teaching profession. The difficulties they encountered during classroom instruction were the unavailability of resources, short time allotment, financial constraints and inability of the students to understand the lesson. On the practical agriculture, teachers encountered difficulties because of short time allotment, financial constraints in providing the needed materials to be used for hands-on laboratory, and lack of land, farm tools, equipment and facilities to support the practical aspects of the subject. As teachers, they applied solutions to address the difficulties encountered by consulting the principal/department head with regards to the unavailability of learning resources and farm resources. Teachers also used different teaching strategies so that slow learners can cope up in the class discussion and they extend time for hands-on laboratory.