Benjamin L. Genove III
New Era University
How to cite:
Genove III, B. L. (2024). Thriving amidst challenges: resiliency of Quezon City (District II) public secondary school teachers. NEU Likha Journal: A Refereed Journal of the New Era University School of Graduate Studies, 1(2), 32–46.
Abstract
Resiliency and Self-Care Inventory (SPPRSCI) to measure resilience levels among 220 teachers evenly distributed across the five schools. On average, teachers reported a high level of resilience (M = 163.86, SD = 14.96). The result of one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in mean resilience levels across schools, F (4, 215) =2.758, p = .029, small effect size (𝜂2 = 0.05), observed power = .75. Following the result of Levene’s test that showed equal variances across schools, p = .161, Tukey was used for multiple comparisons. The mean rating of Commonwealth High School (M = 169.20, SD = 13.48) was significantly higher than that of Holy Spirit National High School (M = 159.98, SD = 16.56), p = .029, with medium to large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.61).
Keywords: teacher resilience, self-care, well-being, secondary school
Introduction
Teachers have an essential task in shaping the academic, social, and emotional development of students. In the multifaceted world of education,
teachers are entrusted with a profound responsibility. They are called upon not merely to meet the basic requirements of their profession but to consistently deliver their very best efforts. Their role extends far beyond the traditional classroom setting, encompassing the delivery of high-quality instruction, fostering a positive learning environment, and nurturing holistic student development (Sheela, 2023).
The profession of teaching is not without its challenges, and these challenges can be incredibly demanding. The very nature of teaching, which involves catering to the unique needs and learning styles of diverse students, can lead to immense pressures (Marquez & Ching, 2023). The weight of expectations, curriculum changes, classroom management, and the ever evolving educational landscape can create a crucible of stress for teachers (Fabelico & Afalla, 2020). This relentless demand for excellence can exact a toll on their emotional, mental, and physical well- being, affecting not only their personal lives but also their professional effectiveness. Teacher resilience is, therefore, not a mere peripheral concern, it is at the core of their ability to fulfill their daily tasks of educating and shaping the future of society. Numerous studies have delved into the factors that contribute to teacher resilience. Factors such as personal characteristics, coping strategies, and external support systems all play a role in building resilience (Bagdžiūnienė et al., 2022). Understanding these factors and their connection play a key role in enhancing educators’ overall well-being, warding off burnout, and ultimately culminating in improved classroom performance (Abu Hasan et al., 2022).
Studying the relationship between teacher resilience and the schools
they are affiliated with is paramount for several compelling reasons. Firstly,
teaching is acknowledged as a challenging profession, with educators often
encountering stress, burnout, and emotional exhaustion (Seibt & Kreuzfeld,
2021). Examining how resilience varies across different school contexts can
illuminate the dynamics of stress and coping mechanisms within the education landscape. Also, teacher resilience directly influences the quality of education within schools (Peimani & Kamalipour, 2021). Resilient educators are better equipped to provide effective instruction, maintain positive attitudes, and foster conducive learning environments. Investigating the relationship between resilience and respective schools can offer insights into how school environments shape educators’ ability to meet the diverse needs of students and navigate professional challenges. Furthermore, studying this relationship enables the development of targeted interventions and support programs tailored to specific school contexts (Limberg et al., 2021). By identifying strengths and challenges within different schools, educators and policymakers can implement strategies to cultivate resilience among staff and enhance overall school culture.
Thus, exploring the relationship between teacher resilience and
respective schools is crucial for promoting educator well-being, job satisfaction, and student success. By gaining a deeper understanding of how resilience manifests across diverse school settings, stakeholders can collaborate to create environments where educators thrive and students receive high-quality education tailored to their needs.
The purpose of this study was to compare the level of resilience among
public secondary school teachers in Quezon City (District II) according to their
respective schools (Batasan Hills National High School, Commonwealth High
School, Holy Spirit National High School, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High
School, and Judge Feliciano Belmonte Sr. High School) during the School Year
2023-2024. By examining the variations in their resilience levels, this study
determined the schools that demonstrated higher levels of teacher resilience, as well as those that may require additional support or resources to enhance resilience among their teaching staff and improve the overall quality of education.
Specifically, the study addressed the following research question:
RQ: Are there significant differences in the level of resiliency of Quezon
City (District II) public secondary school teachers, according to
their respective schools (School Year 2023-2024)?
In hypothesis format:
H0: The mean levels of resiliency of public secondary school teachers
are the same,
𝜇1 = 𝜇2 = 𝜇3 = 𝜇4 = 𝜇5.
Ha: At least one of the means is different.
Method
Population and Sample
The target population was public secondary school teachers from five (5) public schools in District II of Quezon City during the School Year 2023-2024. An a priori power analysis was conducted using G*Power version 3.1.9.6 to determine the minimum sample size required to test the study hypothesis. Results indicated the required sample size to achieve 85% power
for detecting a medium effect (f = 0.25), at a significance criterion of α = .05,
was N = 220 for one- way ANOVA.
A stratified random sampling technique was used in which the schools
served as the strata. The sample size was evenly distributed among the five
selected schools, resulting in 44 respondents per school. Respondents were
selected from each school using a simple random sampling method facilitated
by Google’s Random Number Generator extension. The process involved
assigning ascending numbers to all teachers in the school and generating 44
random numbers to determine the respondents. However, refusals occurred,
such as one each from Batasan Hills National High School and Judge Feliciano
Belmonte Sr. High School. In such instances, where initially selected teachers
declined participation, replacement numbers were randomly generated. The
teacher corresponding to the replacement number filled the vacancy to ensure the required 44 respondents per school.
The demographic profile of the respondents is similar for all schools.
In general, Commonwealth High School had the largest representation in both
the 41-50 years old (31.8%) and 51-60 years old (27.3%) categories. In terms
of gender and marital status, there are more female than male respondents,
and there are more married than single respondents at the time of the survey
correspondingly. The majority of the respondents from each school have a Bachelor’s degree as the highest educational attainment. Commonwealth
High School reported the highest percentage of respondents with a Master’s
degree (36.4%), while Judge Feliciano Belmonte Sr. High School reported the
least with 20.5%. As for the years of teaching experience, Commonwealth
High School had the highest proportion (38.6%) of teachers with 21 years or
more of teaching experience (Table 1).
Source of Data
The researcher used, with permission, the Skovholt Practitioner
Professional Resiliency and Self-Care Inventory (SPPRSCI), developed
by Skovholt (2016). This inventory comprises 38 statements, with each
statement designed to evaluate various aspects related to professional
resiliency employing a Likert scale, featuring five response options: Strongly
Disagree (1), Disagree (2), Neutral (3), Agree (4), and Strongly Agree (5).
The instrument underwent content and face validity assessment. It was also
checked for and able to pass the reliability test with Cronbach’s Alpha equal
to 0.918 and the split-half reliability reported a coefficient of 0.828.
Data Gathering Procedure
The initiation of the research survey involved several crucial steps.
Before obtaining approval from the Schools Division Office of Quezon City
for the survey, the researcher made inquiries to determine the precise count
and names of the Public Secondary Schools in District II, as well as the number of secondary school teachers associated with each school. Subsequently, the principals of selected schools were informed of their school’s inclusion, then selected teachers were approached, and their informed consent for participation was solicited. With collaboration from the School Principal and Department Heads, a schedule was arranged for gathering the selected teachers. Their assistance was invaluable in ensuring the attendance of the sample teachers. Subsequently, the researcher personally facilitated the survey activity. Initially, the objective of the study was briefly discussed, followed by the distribution of the survey inventory to the teachers. Upon completion which took them approximately 15-20 minutes, the researcher collected and secured the survey data for analysis.
Data Analysis
The researcher tested the null hypothesis using one-way ANOVA at .05 level of significance. The data from the sample provided evidence that the assumption of normality and homogeneity of variances were satisfied.
The result of the Shapiro-Wilk test showed that the resiliency levels of teachers from each school were normally distributed: Batasan Hills National
High School (p = .430), Commonwealth High School (p = .084), Holy Spirit
National High School (p = .310), Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High School (p= .148), and Judge Feliciano Belmonte Sr. High School (p = .112). Nonsignificant
result of Levene’s Test showed homogeneity of variance, p = .161.
Results and Discussion
On average, teachers reported a high level of resiliency (M = 163.86,
SD = 14.96) as shown in Table 2. Commonwealth High School emerged with
the highest mean score (M = 169.20, SD = 13.48) while Holy Spirit National
High School had the lowest mean score (M =159.98, SD = 16.56). Whether
there was a significant difference in resiliency levels among schools was
determined using one-way ANOVA.
The result of one-way ANOVA showed that there was a significant difference across schools, F (4, 215) = 2.758, p = .029, small effect size (𝜂2 =
0.05), observed power = .75. A post hoc test using Tukey HSD revealed that
the mean rating of Commonwealth High School (M = 169.20, SD = 13.48)
was significantly higher than that of Holy Spirit National High School (M =
159.98, SD = 16.56), p = .029, with medium to large effect size (Cohen’s d =
0.61; see Tables 3 & 4).
Examining each item in the inventory answered by the teachers, out
of the 38 items, item number 5 (“The principal at my school is dedicated
to teacher welfare”) revealed a notable difference among the schools,
particularly between Commonwealth High School and Holy Spirit National
High School. In Commonwealth High School, 35 teachers (79.5%) responded
“strongly agree”, with no dissenting responses. In contrast, in Holy Spirit
National High School, only 18 teachers (40.9%) responded “strongly
agree” and 2 teachers (4.5%) disagreed, as shown in Table 5. This suggests
that supportive school leadership, as evidenced by a principal dedicated
to teacher well-being, may greatly impact teacher resilience (Madalińska-
Michalak, 2021; Bagdžiūnienė et al., 2022).
Furthermore, from the demographic data on teachers’ years of experience (Table 1), Commonwealth High School notably leads with 17 out of its 44 sampled teachers (38.6%) having 21 or more years of experience, compared to only 5 out of 44 teachers (11.4%) at Holy Spirit National High School. Additionally, Commonwealth High School has a higher representation in the 41-60 age bracket, with 14 teachers (31.8%) aged 41-50 and 12 teachers (27.3%) aged 51-60, while Holy Spirit National High School has fewer teachers in these age groups, with 9 teachers (20.5%) and 6 teachers (13.6%) respectively. These findings complement various studies (Whipple, 2022; Barnová et al., 2023; Papazis et al., 2023) that suggest that as teachers accumulate more years of experience, they tend to develop higher levels of resilience.
The study underscores the critical importance of assessing the resilience levels of public secondary school teachers in Quezon City (District II), particularly in light of the intensified challenges brought about by the pandemic and its lingering effects. Despite the demanding nature of their profession and the heightened risk of adverse psychological outcomes,
the findings reveal a commendable level of resilience among teachers,
indicative of their ability to navigate through difficult scenarios while
maintaining their professional effectiveness and well-being. The significant
difference in resiliency levels found between schools suggests that factors
within each school environment may influence the resilience levels of teachers as supported by several research. Subosa (2021) highlighted that
school climate can act as a protective factor for teacher resilience, while Ainsworth & Oldfield (2019) found a strong correlation between positive
school climate and teacher resilience. Similarly, Duke et al. (2020) observed
that a positive school culture can buffer against burnout. Moreover, research
conducted by Al-Bdeerat et al. (2020) and Keller-Schneider et al. (2020) indicates that experienced teachers exhibit heightened resilience, showing
increased proficiency in stress management, adaptability to educational
changes, and maintenance of a positive mindset – factors of significant
consideration. Nonetheless, future studies are recommended to explore
specific factors contributing to teacher resilience in Quezon City schools
and investigate broader impacts on various educational aspects while
considering additional relevant factors. Furthermore, future researchers
may consider analyzing the data using multilevel modeling to address
potential dependency among teachers within the same school, thus ensuring
a comprehensive understanding of resilience in educational settings.
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