A Study on the Professional Status of Elementary School Teachers: the Effect of Eligibility and Other Factors of Teaching as a Profession

A STUDY ON THE PROFESSIONAL STATUS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS: THE EFFECT OF ELIGIBILITY AND OTHER FACTORS OF TEACHING AS A PROFESSION

RHUSINIE G. COSME

2014

INTRODUCTION

        The teacher is the key person in molding the children socially, intellectually and morally. Whatever the teacher does will produce significant impact on the children.

        The key to success in the teaching-learning program lies in the people. The procedure is only as good as the people who use it. Hence, in the instructional system, the teacher as a leader is the main factor that can spell the difference between success and failure in the classroom. As vital components of the classrooms, the responsibilities of the job demand that teachers should not be mere spectator of change nor participants to change. They should rather be effective leaders of change.

        It is a known fact that teachers have to carry all the burdens in disseminating the change in the school system. The teacher needs to extend her job outside the four walls of the classroom. The school is an institution with a complex structure. It is composed of administrative staff, teachers, pupils and non-teaching personnel. Teachers are expected to perform varied functions. The students, the parents, the community and the school itself expect teachers to perform their many roles. It is necessary for teachers to have a regular in-service training to prepare them more adequately for the new demands of their changing role.

        In view of these, it becomes urgent that teachers cope with the demands of the educational system. It is sad to note however, that the very important factor is itself under great strain. The hiring procedure, misfits, low salary, little chance for advancement due to budget and promotion are among the many reasons why teachers are not satisfied in their job. Indeed, if education is to perform its function, it must take the teacher’s problems into serious consideration.

The educational problems that the educators are facing today are basically the same problems which educators through the years have been encountering and solving. However, this is not to say that reforms cannot be done at all. The advances in knowledge and technology for the past years reveal that certain capabilities are within reach. The teachers, with the help from the management should continue to pursue programs, trainings and seminars supporting to their professional development.

The work of a teacher is different. The everyday changing of situations inside the classroom, the different behavior of pupils encountered every day, the passing of knowledge to knowledge, these and many more things these makes the teaching profession the noblest of all profession.

It is for these reasons that this study is made. Consequently, knowing the perceptions of teachers regarding professionalization, a remedy can be secured for its realization.

METHODOLOGY

        The normative-descriptive type of research was utilized in this study. The study aims to determine the perception of teachers regarding teaching profession. The descriptive method tells “what exists” or “what is” about a certain phenomenon.  

Sources of data

        The following are the sources of data for this study:

1. Elementary school teachers in selected 5 public elementary schools. Table I presented the distribution of the teacher respondents by school.

As shown in Table I, there were 5 public elementary schools that were identified to be the venues of the study. The expected number of teachers from each school was five (5). Thus, the expected respondents from the selected five (5) public elementary schools were twenty-five (25). As shown in the table, twenty-five (25) or 100% of the respondents have returned the questionnaire.

TABLE I

DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENT BY SCHOOL (PUBLIC) QUEZON CITY

1. Reference Books

The researcher perused related thesis in order to come up with the theoretical framework of the study. Likewise, these sources of data were made the basis in formulating statements of the problem of the study.

Data Gathering Instrument

The main instrument used in this study is the questionnaire-checklist.

Questionnaire- Checklist. The researcher made use of a questionnaire checklist to gather the vital information needed in the study.