From Secondary to Primary: Lived Experiences of Non-Elementary Education Graduates Teaching Elementary Learners

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of non-elementary education graduates who taught elementary learners in Tibungco District, Division of Davao City.Ten teachers participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews, and the transcripts were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis to surface shared meanings across participants.Three clusters of challenges emerged: sustained behavior management demands that required close attention and consistent routines, constant parental monitoring that interrupted instruction and increased pressure, and the need to adapt curriculum and teaching approaches to younger learners.Teachers responded through coping practices that included proactive routines and positive reinforcement, clear boundary-setting for parent communication, and childcentered instructional adjustments such as chunking content, using visuals, and integrating brief interactive activities.Participants also described insights that reflected professional growth in flexibility, stronger appreciation of developmental differences, and strengthened resilience.Findings highlight how out-offield deployment across year levels reshapes teacher identity and daily practice, and they point to the need for targeted induction, mentoring, and professional development that supports elementary pedagogy and home-school partnership protocols.