Surviving the New Normal: Perspectives of Future Teachers

Abstract

It seemed to be just like a snap of a finger when our lives nearly turned upside down when Covid-19 came into the picture at the beginning of 2020. As it hit the economy, health status, education sector, and the rest of the country, we experienced a change in almost the total norm of our lives. One of the most affected sectors is education, which is visible in how the administration, teachers, parents, and students adjusted to the new normal. This case study investigated the lived experiences of thirty-two future teachers studying at a State University as they prepare themselves and try to cope up with the changes that the Covid-19 pandemic brought in their lives. After meticulous analysis, the researcher found out how the participants prepared and still coping-up with the current situation and summarized their responses using the acronym SOUL. S for ‘Searching for answers’ – the participants kept looking for answers on how to cope up with the new normal. O for ‘being Optimistic’ despite the challenges at home, internet connection, allowance, time management to name a few. U for ‘Understanding’ not only themselves but the people around them as well. And L for ‘Looking forward to better days’. The study emphasizes how the future teachers prepare themselves in the new normal, thus, it is recommended for future researchers to conduct studies on the perceptions of teachers or both.