TRANSITIONAL EXPERIENCES AND MOTIVATION

OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS IN DEPED NAGA CITY DIVISION

CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter includes the introduction, theoretical framework, conceptual framework,

statement of the problem, hypothesis, scope and limitation, significance of the study and the
definition of terms used.

Introduction

Public and private academic institutions offer different experiences for teachers. Such

differences often cause a certain level of anxiety, especially to those teachers who shift from

private school to public school teaching. The ability to cope with demands is a critical part of

our existence. Individuals adapt to a changing environment in different ways and such situation

affects the level of our mental well-being. However, the more important question is this: Why is

it that some people flourish in the face of struggle and adversity, while some fail miserably at it?

Indeed, there is a pressing need for the assessment of teachers’ coping strategies and the limitless

potential for positive growth especially in times of intense trial. Transition to public school

education is an appropriate context for studying coping flexibility because it involves a wide

array of new life tasks such. With this, the teachers employ different coping strategies to aid

them in their transitional experience. The aim of this research is to explore the experiences of

private junior high school teachers in their first three years of teaching under the Department of

Education and to assess how such experiences impact their degree of motivation towards work.

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Theoretical Framework

The basic tenets of Schlossberg’s transition theory provided the theoretical framework

guiding this study. Schlossberg developed a transition model to give light to the study of adults

undergoing transition. Transition is defined as “any event that results in a change in

relationships, routines, assumptions or roles with the setting of self, work, family, health and/or

economics (Schlossberg, 1984). There are three types of transitions namely: anticipated,

unanticipated, and nonevents (Chickering and Schlossberg, 1995). Anticipated transitions are

major events that are expected, such as graduating from high school or starting a career. Such

events give the individual a chance to plan ahead. Meanwhile, unanticipated transitions are

unexpected such as an accident. These events are uncalled for, barely giving the individual the

opportunity to make a decent plan. Nonevent transitions are events which are expected but never

actually happen such as failure to win a lottery or top an examination.

Schlossberg, Waters, and Goodman (1995) cited the factors influencing the transition

process as the “4 S’s”: situation, self, support, and strategies. These factors provide a structure in

determining an individual’s capacity to manage the transition. Goodman, et al,(2006) argued

that an individual’s response to a transitional event is dependent upon the interaction of the

situation, self, support and strategies. At some point in our lives, whether we like it or not, each

one of us shall go through a transition. How the individuals then respond to the transition will

largely depend on the coping strategies they would adopt. This theoretical framework can be

applied to the thesis that coping strategies adopted by teachers undergoing transition influence

their degree of motivation towards work.

According to Lazarus & Folkman, (1984), coping is the interplay between a person’s

internal resources and external environmental demands. Coping includes ways on how to lessen

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the perceived gap between demands of the situation and personal resources available (Lazarus,

1993). Coping strategies that individuals employ in particular situations are of interest to

cognitive theorists in order to ascertain if a particular coping strategy adopted under a given set

of circumstances affect them in a functional or dysfunctional manner (Aldwin, 1994). Each

individual then has the potential to turn stressful situations for their own benefit or harm

depending on the coping strategy used.

Pinder (1998) described work motivation as a set of internal and external forces that

initiate work-related behavior; determine its form, direction, intensity and duration. It can be

defined as the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals, conditioned

by the person’s ability to satisfy some individual need.

Conceptual Framework

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Statement of the Problem
Using Schlossberg’s transition model as the framework, this study examined the specific

coping strategies used by the respondents. Within the parameters of this study, this research

seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the adaptive coping strategies of junior high school teachers undergoing transition
from private to public school education as to:

1.1 problem-solving
2.2 cognitive restructuring
3.3 seeking social support
4.4 physiological strategies

2. What are the maladaptive coping strategies of junior high school teachers undergoing
transition from private to public school education as to:

2.1 problem avoidance

2.2 social withdrawal
2.3 behavioral disengagement
2.4 wishful thinking

3. What are the levels of motivation of teachers undergoing transition from private to public
school education as to:

3.1 remuneration
3.2 working environment
3.3 work load
3.4 opportunities for professional growth

4. Are there significant relationship between:

4.1 adaptive coping strategies and levels of motivation

4.2 maladaptive coping strategies and levels of motivation

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Research Hypothesis

On the basis of the foregoing overview, the following hypotheses were formulated:

Hypothesis 1

It is predicted that junior high school teachers undergoing transition who report greater adaptive
coping strategies report high work motivation.

Hypothesis 2

It is predicted that junior high school teachers undergoing transition who report greater
maladaptive coping strategies report low work motivation.

Assumptions

The study rests on the assumption that:

1. Facts and data gathered from the interviews conducted are true and may be taken in for
analysis and inference.

2. Teachers’ assertions made on the questionnaire are to the best of their ability; hence
inferences can be made from their responses.

Scope and Delimitation

This study was conducted to analyze how junior high school teachers coming from the

private schools handled their transition experiences, as perceived by the teachers themselves,

during the first three years of service under the DepEd Naga City Division as well to determine

the effect of such experiences to their level of motivation towards work.

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 The respondents of the study were composed of 45 randomly selected junior high school

teachers from the nine (9) public secondary schools in Naga City namely: Camarines Sur

National High School, Cararayan High School, Concepcion Grande High School, Concepcion

Pequena High School, Carolina High School, Leon Mercado High School, Naga City Science

High School and Tinago High School.

The data were self-reported responses and were based on junior high school teachers

only. Therefore, it is not possible to extrapolate these findings to other occupational groups.

Significance of the Study

Results of this study may prove beneficial to the educational system as a whole.

Teachers can use the information obtained to better understand the struggles relative their

transitional experiences in order to improve their current situation. School administrators can

use these data to provide a smooth transition for their newly-hired teachers through improved

transitional programs (e.g Teacher Induction Program) which are relevant and responsive to

identified teacher needs. The findings of this study may also serve as a reference and guide for

future research undertakings of the same kind.

Definition of Terms

Theoretical Definitions

 Transition - any event, or non-event that results in changed relationships, routines,

assumptions, and roles. (Schlossberg et.al, 2006)

 Motivation – process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behavior

 Coping – realistic and flexible thoughts and acts that solve problems and thereby reduce

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 stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1991)

 Coping Strategies – actions an individual uses to prevent, alleviate, or respond to stress

 Adaptive Coping Strategies – healthy ways of dealing with stressful situations that

improve an individual’s level of functioning;

“positive” coping strategy

 Maladaptive Coping Strategies – unhealthy ways of dealing with stressful situations

resulting to a a higher level of dysfunction in

individuals; “negative” coping strategy

 Situation – the context in which the event occurs

 Self – personal and demographic characteristics which impact the perception of the event

 Support – enables a person to mobilize resources necessary to share or eliminate stress

Operational Definitions of Coping Strategies used in the Study:

 Problem-Solving – taking steps to try to remove the stressor to improve its effects by

initiating direct action, increasing one’s efforts and trying to cope in a

systematic way

 Cognitive Restructuring – changing the meaning of the stressful episode as less

threatening; examining for its positive aspects or viewed

a new perspective

 Social Support - getting moral support, sympathy or understanding on a problem at hand

 Physiological Strategies – engaging in relaxing activities that ease stress such as

meditation, exercise, music therapy and the like

 Denial or Distancing - refusing to acknowledge that an event has occurred

 Problem Avoidance – denial of problems or avoidance of thoughts or actions about a

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 stressful event

 Social Withdrawal - blaming and criticizing oneself for the situation

 Behavioral Disengagement – withdrawing efforts or nor engaging in any actions to cope

with the stressful situation

 Wishful Thinking – hoping for the best without taking ways to ensure it

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