TEACHING READING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: VOICES FROM THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

Teaching reading in the early years is simultaneously an incredible gift and a car-ride full of potholes, a gift in that you have the power to encourage, inspire, and equip a child to read, a bumpy road in that if not done thoughtfully it can lead a child to think they simply cannot be a reader. In the Philippine setting, in rural settings such as the Alcoy District, Kindergarten teachers might be walking down this road, or a portion of it, with few materials, a wide variety of learning levels, and emotions to translate, relevant to very young learners. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experience of Kindergarten public early reading teachers, specifically, the pedagogical, emotional and contextual elements that shape their day-to-day practice. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological design was chosen and ten Kindergarten teachers were involved in semi-structured interviews that included reflective space and storytelling. The data was transcribed, coded and then analyzed using the inductive approach, patterns were described. After being coded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed, the data revealed patterns that naturally arose from the voices of the participants and the realities of the classroom. Six major themes emerged: Climbing the Mountain of Early Learning detailed the difficult but deliberate endeavor to teach literacy in the face of systemic barriers; Storms of Tiny Explorers explored the emotional and behavioral challenges young learners bring to the reading space; The Teacher's Compass spoke to the reflective practices and adaptive decisions teachers make on a daily basis; Bridges Built at Home highlighted how family involvement deepens the impact of classroom teaching; and Crafting Wings in the Wilderness honored teachers' resilience and resourcefulness when teaching with limited support. The Garden of Playful Beginnings reflected the teachers' dedication to play-based, joyful instruction. These findings underscore that early reading instruction grow when it is grounded in play, emotional understanding, reflective teaching, and home-school collaboration. Kindergarten teachers find strategies to nurture literacy with intention and care even in the most challenging environments. This study proposes the development of a Compendium of Teaching Strategies in Reading for Kindergarten, shaped by real life classroom practices and drawn from the real stories of teachers. It is both a tribute to their work and a roadmap for future literacy efforts. These undertakings seek to honor the child, the teacher, and the community as co-builders of learning.