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Karen Joy Bahatan-Umila, Martin County Schools District, United StatesAbstract
While international teachers in the United States often encounter adjustment challenges related to language nuances, varied classroom management expectations, and the need for building student-teacher rapport, there remains a need for reflective inquiry into the specific instructional adaptations required within the English Language Arts curriculum. This reflective study explores the instructional experiences of a cultural exchange teacher from the Philippines teaching English Language Arts at a public high school in the United States. The primary purpose is to engage in reflective practice to enhance teaching and to gain a deeper understanding of classroom cultural dynamics, which are essential for adapting to the American educational context. Using a qualitative approach, open-ended survey responses were collected from Grade 9 students as part of a professional development initiative. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring ideas in student feedback, providing meaningful insight into instructional practice. Key findings focused on student perceptions of clarity in lesson explanations, engagement in classroom activities, and the impact of the teacher’s personal connection. The study discusses these findings in relation to existing literature on reflective practice and culturally responsive teaching, providing helpful insights on navigating United States classroom expectations. Significance includes practical suggestions for fellow cultural exchange educators and pinpoint areas for future research into cross-cultural teaching effectiveness.
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Conference: WCE2026Stream: Teaching Experiences
This paper is part of the WCE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Bahatan-Umila K. (2026) Reflective Practice of a Philippine Cultural Exchange Teacher in a United States Classroom ISSN: 2760-7259 The Washington DC Conference on Education 2026: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 97-110) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2760-7259.2026.10
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2760-7259.2026.10
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