<![CDATA[Field study courses are part of the university’s curriculum, which pre-service teachers are required to take. These courses allow them to apply what they have learned from their chosen programs and gain real-world experience in the teaching profession. The journey in field study is an excellent way to learn about the responsibilities of a teacher and to develop one’s growth in professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes. This study described the challenges and opportunities encountered, as well as the coping mechanisms used, by pre-service teachers during their field study journey. Seven pre-service teachers from a Philippine state university, enrolled in the Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English during the academic year 2023-2024, were purposely chosen as participants of the study. A qualitative narrative inquiry research design and validated researcher-made, open-ended interview questions were used. The findings revealed that the student teachers were most challenged in adjusting to a new environment, lesson planning, adjusting to their role as practicing teachers, dealing with personal struggles, and managing personal expenses. Meanwhile, the study revealed that the pre-service teachers encountered opportunities primarily through learning from resource teachers, trying out the teacher's role, handling students, adapting to various teaching-learning environments, using technology in teaching, and learning from students. The coping strategies they used included personal motivation or willingness to learn, effective time management, balancing personal struggles as student teachers, applying learning theories, applying previous learning and life experiences, and personal ingenuity. These findings may provide educational institutions with opportunities to intensify and improve their practice teaching curriculum.]]>
