`Teaching through Spiral Progression: Experiences of Newly Hired Junior High School Teachers

Glaiza G. Manginsay
Bukidnon State University
Malaybalay City, Bukidnon
[email protected]

Keywords: spiral progression, experiences, K-12

INTRODUCTION knowledge. In short, learners continuously build

upon what they already know.
Rationale In the K-12 Program, the spiral
The K to 12 Basic Education Program is progression approach (SPA) is used to teach
a major education reform implemented in 2012 subjects like Science, Mathematics, Araling
in the Philippines. It serves as a response to the Panlipunan (Social Studies), MAPEH (Music,
urgent need to improve the quality of the Arts, Physical Education, and Health) and
Philippine basic education. The K-12 program Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (Values Education).
aims at “decongesting and enhancing the basic Furthermore, the spiral progression of topics in
education curriculum for learners to master basic the said subject reveals how lessons are
competencies, lengthening the cycle of basic intertwined in every year level per subject.
education to cover kindergarten through year According to some studies from the
12” (SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2012). United States, American schools follow a spiral
The seventh-year running curriculum curriculum in mathematics; that is, they spend
includes smooth transition between grade levels such a substantial proportion of time on review
and continuum of competencies through the each year that only limited progress can be made
approach of observing levels of complexities with new material. Students who perform poorly
where learning of knowledge, skills, values, and in arithmetic are subject to a special form of the
attitude increase in depth and breadth. This spiral curriculum, which might be termed the
approach ensures integrated and seamless circular curriculum. They repeat arithmetic over
learning. and over until they stop studying mathematics
Such basic education cycle revolve (Gamoran, 2001).
around the universal kindergarten, six (6) years When school subjects like mathematics
of elementary and six (6) years of secondary fail to provide a solid foundation in elementary,
education. All of which are compulsory. Prior to many basically capable learners simply give up
the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education when faced with shock of high school subjects
Program, basic education in the country only like algebra, which would be the doorway to
had four (4) years of secondary education. advanced technical training at all levels. High
The K-12 curriculum follows the spiral school teachers cannot make up Grades 1 to 7
approach. Jerome Bruner is the proponent of this topics while teaching Grade 8 (Philippine Basic
approach with principles derived from John Education, 2012).
Dewey. Bruner (1960, 1977) argues that According to the Philippine Basic
curriculum should be designed in a way that Education (2012), in high school, the spiral
pursues a spiral progression that starts from progression approach or spiral curriculum not
simple to complex and requires revisiting prior only requires good teachers who could handle
multiple disciplines, but also a different type of
textbook. Students cannot have four textbooks discussions for higher and complicated learning.
each year for example, for the sciences to cover Another disadvantage of the design is the means
all four areas of the spiral curriculum: biology, of reviewing lessons. It would be
chemistry, physics, and earth sciences. Using disadvantageous if students would review
four separate textbooks will not define how each lessons taken at a certain grade level and relearn
of these areas will be covered in each year of them in the next level. The time allotted for
high school. In fact, one of the materials in reviewing can also be disadvantageous for
school that operationally defines what will be learners. Finally, an important disadvantage is
covered is the textbook. Thus, without a its sensitivity to cultures and backgrounds.
textbook, the content of these science courses Considering the students have different
will be unclear. backgrounds, sometimes the teacher tend to
The public is not made aware of the neglect the fact that not all students come from
details about the spiral progression approach of the same background, and therefore do not build
the K-12 curriculum. Present problems cited up the students specific background
above could add up not to the solutions but to appropriately
the problems in the Philippine education. With
this research study, lived experiences of newly THE PROBLEM
hired junior high school teachers will be
consolidated being recruited to work in a newly Statement of the Problem
established high school, belonging to an This study seeks to explore the lived
integrated school. experiences junior high school (JHS) teachers at
According to Hasna (2012), the design Magsaysay Integrated School (MIS),
can be held with its weak points and Magsaysay, Bukidnon in order to address
disadvantages. As gleaned from the design, one common concerns related to teaching and
of the disadvantages is the use of time in learning.
teaching the lessons. When subjects are taught in Specifically, it sought to answer the
such manner, the tendency is that there maybe following questions:
too many repetitions that would reduce teaching 1. What are the lived experiences of newly
and learning time. hired JHS teachers during their first year
Learners may be also find the design a of teaching in terms of
bore or may not stimulate their interest in the a. articulation of learning
subject since it was taught to them the previous competencies;
grade. Learning can also be better assessed if b. mastery of the subject matter;
students are expected to learn certain concepts c. teaching strategies; and
and skill in a certain grade level than assessing d. availability of instructional
learning for the same concepts or skills at materials?
different levels. Another disadvantage of the 2. What are the problems encountered
design is that when students are taught to master upon the implementation of SPA? and
specific concepts or skills, it can also reduce 3. What is the possible intervention for the
topics that can be covered. There would be identified problems?
lesser topics to be discussed and sometimes at a
superficial level only. Significance of the Study
The spiral design can also develop in The result of the study can help new
student’s lesser adaptability and coping skills in educators in the field of teaching embracing new
perspective in the teaching and learning being newly integrated elementary and secondary
the last batches of the prior curriculum. school with one (1) School Head and 24
With this research study, administration teachers. Seven (7) of which are newly hired
and especially teachers, may be given the chance Junior High School teachers; experiences
to study carefully what concept they wish to be ranging from 0 to 3 years of teaching. With a
emphasized. Other stakeholders could allot more learner population of almost eight hundred
discussions and time so that understanding and (800), 18 per cent comprises the Grades 7 and 8
learning by students are not superficial. learners. High school learners and teachers hold
Teachers can also make adjustments for teaching classes in modified-roofed walk classrooms
time to give emphasize to certain topics that are while others in a borrowed office from the
more significant than others. Barangay. Learners are from the different nearby
barrios, travelling as early as possible to get to
Definition of Terms school as early as possible.

Spiral Progression Approach. The Participants

spiral progression approach (SPA) is the
approach embraced by the K-12 Basic Education Informants
Program (BEC) aiming an integrated and Teachers, with the permanent or regular
seamless teaching and learning process, form status with an experience in teaching the Grade
simple to complex way of presenting school 7 and 8 learners of MIS, being a newly
subjects and disciplines. integrated elementary and secondary school, will
Experiences. The lived experiences of be considered teacher-respondents of the study.
newly hired teachers include perception and
problems encountered while teaching in the Sampling Technique
education field for years ranging from 0 to 3 The sampling technique to be used in
years of experience. this study will be the purposive sampling. It is a
K-12. The K-12 Basic Education nonprobability sampling useful for this study
Program (BEC) includes compulsory with small population. The seven participants
Kindergarten, 6 years in the elementary and 6 will be purposely visited by the researcher for
years in the high school. the conduct of the data collection. The
researcher will explain to the participants their
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND rights and responsibilities, presenting the
PROCEDURES consent.

Methods Date Gathering Procedure

The research study will consider the There will be three (3) instruments to be
qualitative research that aimed to gather the used for the data collection in this study,
necessary data and information regarding the namely: structured interview which aimed to
implementation of SPA by the newly hired gather the teacher-respondents’ perceptions on
teachers in teaching. the implementation of the SPA; focus group
discussion (FGD) which will be guided by a
Locale developed and validated questionnaire; and
This study will be conducted at interview/FGD questionnaire which will be
Magsaysay Integrated School (MIS) being a
designed to guide the respondents on the de Ramos-Samala, H. (2017). Spiral
conduct of the structured interview and FGD. progression approach in teaching: a case study.
The researcher will conduct an interview DOI: 10.18502/kss.v3i6.2404 in IRCHE
to the seven (7) JHS teachers of MIS with the DepEd Order 31 s. 2012 “Policy
structured interview teaching the Grades 7 and 8 Guidelines on the Implementation of the Grade 1
learners. A random schedule of the interview to 10 of the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum
will be done since the teacher-respondent (BEC) Effective School Year 2012-2013”
observes their individual teaching loads and Gamoran, A. (2001). Beyon curriculum
free-time. Answers will be recorded and will be wars: Content and understanding in
transcribed later (Ramos-Samala, 2017) in the mathematics. In T. Loveless, Ed., The gReat
long run of the data collection. Themes on Curriculum Debate pp. 134-162. Washington,
articulation of learning competencies; mastery of D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
the subject matter; teaching strategies; and Philippine Basic Education (2012).
availability of instructional materials will be Department of Education’s Spiral Curriculum II.
observed. SEAMEO INNOTECH. (2012). K to 12
Toolkit: Reference Guide for Teacher Educators,
References School Administrators and Teachers. Quezon
Bruner, J. (1960, 1977). The Process of City: Philippines
Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Hasna, T. (2012) Spiralling through a
Press spiral curriculum. Culture of Education.