A Reflective Journal
Being a Physical Education teacher, teaching Practical Research I was both a challenge and a
learning opportunity for me. While it is not my area of expertise, I am somewhat familiar with the subject
and fully committed to assisting and guiding my students effectively. Here are some of my struggles with my students and strategies to cope with the demands of learning, curiosity and harmonious teacher-student relationship building.
1. Overcoming Student Anxiety Toward Research
Issue: Lack of Understanding of the Qualitative Research Process
Strategy: At first, my students felt overwhelmed and anxious when introduced to research concepts. Many
struggled with where and how to begin, often confused by terms such as problem statement, hypothesis, and methodology. I encouraged students to put themselves in the shoes of others to better understand how things work-whether in starting a business or designing scientific inquiries. I asked them to think about the kind of experience they want their future clients, consumers, or research participants to have. This approach helped them grasp the purpose and real-world application of research, making abstract concepts morerelatable.
2. Enhancing Critical Thinking and Curiosity
Issue: Lack of exposure and curiosity with the things around them
To promote deeper thinking, I built rapport and trust with students by adapting my communication style to their preferences. I asked them what topics they were genuinely curious about or eager to explore anything that they love to do, they are amazed with and what the common topics heard about the people they are with by analyzing their interests, I was able to identify their learning styles. I also encouraged peer collaboration, allowing them to share their ideas and sentiments one-by-one, allowed them to work in groups to enhance both communication skills and social interaction.
To help them connect research with real-life scenarios, I asked them to observe the people around them. For example, I challenged one of my students in ordering meals for his parents on their family day to feel the pressure and adrenaline rush in that moment as a way to better understand consumer behavior and decision-making under stress and to feel confident about deciding.
3. Difficulty in Choosing a Research Topic
Issue: Students often chose topics that were too broad, too narrow, or lacked relevance.
Strategy: I guided my students through structured brainstorming sessions, where they listed topics based on their personal interests. We then narrowed these down using criteria such as relevance, feasibility, and
availability of resources. I encouraged them to frame their ideas as specific research questions and provided sample topics to serve as models.
One of the most unforgettable research topics came from a student’s curiosity about the life of a student who is also a cosplayer. It was a quantitative study entitled, “Unmasking the Cost Player: A Narrative Study of a Grade 11 Student Cosplayer.”, I asked the students to observe some student who wore and how they enjoy wearing such attire on their free day in school, when they see cost players in the mall and how the people around them react to them.
4. Fear of Making Mistakes
Issue: Many students were hesitant to participate or initiate ideas due to fear of being wrong.
Strategy: On the first day, I opened up about my own challenges in writing research papers, including mistakes I made during my Master’s journey. I shared my limitations and showed vulnerability, which made students feel more at ease. I encouraged them to share their interests in writing the concept in tagalog or English to express themselves freely, and only use tools like ChatGPT and search engines suited for refining grammar and context. To boost confidence and critical thinking, I facilitated idea-generation activities under time pressure, with real-life scenarios that required them to analyze, explain, and suggest solutions. I also encourage eye-to-eye conversation, with simple smile so that they will not feel intimidated.
5. Simulation for field work
Issue: Students struggled with creating effective survey tools and approaching respondents for fieldwork.
Strategy: Before allowing them to go to the field, I trained them in basic etiquette, such as how to introduce themselves to respondents and how to structure their questioning. I also taught important verbal and non-verbal cues to help them communicate respectfully and professionally. This helped them stay confident even when faced with rejection.
6. Difficulty in Interpreting Data
Issue: Despite collecting quality data, students had difficulty drawing meaningful conclusions.
Strategy: I introduced them to basic data interpretation tools and explained concepts like frequency tables and thematic analysis in simple terms. I encouraged group analysis sessions where they could collaborate, compare findings, and help one another make sense of their data.
7. Lack of Guidance of Feedback
Issue: Without timely support, students often felt lost and unsure of their progress.
Strategy: Whenever I felt confused or overwhelmed myself, I openly acknowledged it to my students. While holding my paper and ballpen, I practiced self-regulation—showing them that it’s okay to pause, reflect, and seek help. I modeled a growth mindset by asking for assistance from colleagues and our subject group head, I also read some articles related to their topic and guide questions as well. Prompting the use of Chatgpt for clarification assisted me to construct the ideas and reconstruct it to more simplified way for my students to grasp.
Reflection: A Unique Experience under the Mango Tree and Steep Stairs of the School Building
This experience, though outside my usual PE expertise, allowed me to grow alongside my students. I am truly thankful to have made it through the semester—teaching in an outdoor classroom under the shade of a mango tree and along the steep stairs of the school building, where students would gather to discuss their research during recess, free time, lunchtime, and even after class. It was in these informal spaces that some students stumbled, struggled, and eventually pushed through to complete their research tasks.
With humility, I also asked my students to teach me—sharing how their previous teachers explained certain concepts in the simplest way. It became a nurturing and life-changing experience for me as a teacher, as I learned to create a space for accommodation and patience and vice versa—not only for academic tasks but also for building confidence, resilience, and a shared journey of teacher-student learning, fostering creativity and guidance as well.
