Lived Experiences of ECD Teachers on Teaching Practices and Professional Development: A Phenomenological Study in Rupandehi District, Nepal

Abstract

Teaching staff for Early Childhood Development (ECD) are essential for providing learning opportunities to young learners, but there is hardly any information regarding the lived experiences of teaching and professional development of the teaching staff in the decentralized educational context of Nepal. In the current qualitative phenomenological study, eight ECD teachers from urban, semi-urban, and rural municipalities in the Rupandehi district of Lumbini province, Nepal, have been interviewed during the period of April to May 2021 for collecting data on their teaching experiences and professional development. The results revealed that the teachers used adaptive, developmentally appropriate pedagogy even though they faced many limitations with regards to availability of resources and institutional support. These kinds of professional development were sporadic and came from outside, unevenly available across different municipalities, and included limited mentoring at schools or any form of professional learning. The results indicate that ECD teachers perceive their job as a series of pedagogical adaptations, requiring professional judgment and emotional involvement and being responsive to classroom environment although lacking institutional recognition. The research adds contextual knowledge about experiences of ECD teachers in Nepal and the importance of continuing professional development, allocating resources equally, and giving more recognition to ECD teachers’ profession. Since the research was carried out among eight teachers from one district only, the results are meant to be qualitative and not quantitative.