Challenges faced by Nigerian-Trained Teachers Teaching in Schools in Southwestern Ontario, Canada: A Case Study

Abstract

Canada is a multicultural country, and its classrooms and teachers reflect this reality. However, many immigrant teachers struggle when adjusting to Canada’s cultural and pedagogical environment. This is especially true of Nigerian-trained teachers in Southwestern Ontario’s secondary schools, whose experiences provide important insights into this issue. The current study focuses on Nigerian-trained teachers, how these teachers react to and handle such challenges and how these experiences affect their professional lives. This study uses a sample of five intermediate teachers (Grade seven to ten), who have three to five years of Canadian experience in the profession and had obtained their teaching certification from their country of origin. It uses an interpretivist approach to collect data through in-depth interviews and reflective journals maintained by participants over a three-month period. This study revealed how these challenges vary with respect to cultural differences in the classroom, curriculum implementation, qualifications and discipline. Thus, it provided a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of Nigerian-trained teachers in Ontario.