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CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Education contributes to the country's economic growth because it is

about acquiring knowledge and being able to apply it wisely to our lives while

improving the lives of others. Students may learn physical and emotional abilities,

good manners, brotherhood, patriotism, and religious tolerance through

education. Education aims to ensure that students have the knowledge and skills

necessary to work and succeed and the compassion and emotional means to be

part of a safe and peaceful society (Bhat, 2018). A teacher plays a vital role in

the entire process of education. Teachers are social engineers. They broaden

the young minds of the pupils to build up a society embedded with social values.

The teacher encourages the curiosity and imagination of the pupil to create a

magical learning experience. They give children a purpose, prepare them for

success as citizens of our world, and inspire them to succeed. The role of the

teacher in society is of paramount importance in securing a promising future for

the nation. Thus, teaching is a service rather than an occupation or profession.

Many factors influence the teachers to play a pivotal role in society. Society

needs whole-hearted, committed teachers to bear the fruit of education. Thus, it

is critical to understand the motivational factors that influence an individual's

decision to pursue a teaching profession.

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Recent research findings reveal that teachers' broader perceptions towards

teaching are critical to their ability to teach effectively. Instructors' beliefs,

perceptions, and attitudes impact their practice and, in turn, influence their

students' performance. (Eggen & Kauchak, 2001). It was also found that teacher

burnout is linked to a teacher's positive outlook on the teaching profession, which

impacts their classroom performance and practice. (Ispir, 2010). Teachers'

psychological experiences and their views of their job may be causes of stress,

which might reduce their effectiveness as educators. (Ransford et al., 2009). The

demanding nature of teaching can be a deterrent. Teachers often work beyond

regular school hours, preparing lessons, grading assignments, and participating

in extracurricular activities. The workload can be overwhelming, leading to high

stress levels. Additionally, the responsibility of shaping young minds and dealing

with diverse student needs requires significant emotional and mental energy.

Some individuals may prefer professions with more predictable working hours

and less emotional intensity (Profile, 2024).

Teaching is a challenging profession, requiring a high level of

accountability and selflessness. Being a teacher is a very misunderstood and

hard job. A lot of kids laugh in the faces of teachers and act like it's easy but in

reality it's actually pretty rubbish to be a teacher (Bankova, 2022). However,

owing to misunderstandings about this profession, it is seen as a vocation rather

than a nation-building process. (Watt, 2012).

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Review of Significant Literature

This section presents the literature, readings and articles that have

bearing on the present study as taken from books, journal articles, magazines

from the internet with reliable websites. The readings were carefully chosen as to

its significant contribution to the purpose of this study that was focused on

student motivation to pursue teaching profession in terms of personal fit, job

security, job flexibility, altruism, personal development, easy option and

professional values of teachers in terms of passion, patience, creativity, flexibility

and dedication.

Student motivation to pursue teaching profession

Motivation constitutes a crucial factor related to affective characteristics.

Motivation, defined as an internal condition that guides and maintains behavior

(Woolfolk, 2016; Adiguzel and Karagol 2022) or a force that drives an individual

towards a specific goal (Eren, 2000; Adiguzel and Karagol 2022), is one of the

most essential factors that shape human behavior, and is a basic concept that

psychology frequently emphasizes and tries to explain. When considered in

terms of choosing the teaching profession, it is significant to determine the

motivation factors of teacher candidates enrolled in education faculties to

understand why they made the choice to become teachers and to explain these

factors. Further, study of Adiguzel and Karagol (2022) found these reasons are

altruistic reasons (reasons for a desire to help society improve, a desire to help
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children succeed), intrinsic reasons (reasons including the specific features of the

profession), and extrinsic reasons (status, long holidays, level of pay) (Kyriacou

et al., 1999).

Meanwhile, study of Oliveira, Rufini and Bzuneck (2023) revealed that

teacher’s motivation is associated with his/her achievements, health and well-

being, which reflect on the quality of teaching. Motivation in the educational

framework is a topic of academic and scientific interest that is marked by a

considerable increase in the number of published studies in recent years (Patall,

2021, Ryan & Deci, 2021). Although the teachers’ motivation for their work is of

outstanding importance (Ahn et al., 2021; Orsini et al., 2020; Ryan & Deci, 2016),

the investigation have focused mainly on student motivation. Teachers’

motivation has important consequences for them, which include a sense of

accomplishment, health and well-being, besides providing commitment and

diligence in their teaching practices. Additionally, motivated teachers tend to

support their students’ motivation, nurturing their basic psychological needs for

autonomy, competence, and belonging (Abós et al., 2018; Han & Yin, 2016). Han

and Yin (2016), supported by other authors, conceptualized the teacher’s

motivation as the reasons that drive the decision for an activity, the intensity of

the effort spent and the persistence in the teaching activity, under the influence of

contextual factors. In this connection, Abós et al. (2018) add that the teachers’

motivation is clearly revealed in their teaching behaviors. Just like what has been

observed in studies on motivation in other human areas – such as school

learning, sports, health and organizations, investigators on teachers’ motivation

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have adopted established theories as a reference, with a prevalence of social-

cognitive theories, exploring constructs such as self-efficacy beliefs, teachers’

satisfaction for teaching and autonomous motivation (Ahn et al., 2021; Gorozidis

& Papaioannou, 2014; Han & Yin, 2016; Li et al., 2015; Ryan & Deci, 2019;

Stupnisky et al., 2018; Oliveira, Rufini and Bzuneck 2023).

Moreover, study of Fokkens-Bruinsma and Canrinus (2014) posited that

working with children and adolescents was in the top three of important motives

to become a teacher. As well, this motive predicted many factors relevant for the

engagement to the profession (e.g., planned effort, planned persistence, and

leadership aspirations). Motives that have been mentioned in this study are

material reasons, such as job security; professional reasons, such as love for a

specific subject; and altruistic reasons, such as feelings of responsibility towards

children (Bastick, 2000, Rinke, 2008, Roness and Smith, 2010). The most

common categorisation of motives is based on (1) intrinsic motives, such as

focusing on teaching as an interesting and important profession, (2) extrinsic

motives, that is, focusing on the benefits of teaching or other external rewards,

and (3) altruistic motives, which concerns viewing teaching as a socially

worthwhile profession (Bastick, 2000). Satisfaction with choice, professional

engagement and involvement (i.e. effort and persistence in the profession),

career aspirations and leadership aspirations, professional commitment, and

teaching self-efficacy have all been found to positively affect teacher retention

(Eren and Tezel, 2010, Roness and Smith, 2010, Rots et al., 2007). Studies have

shown, for instance, that teachers with higher self-efficacy show more
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enthusiasm, feel more involved in teaching, experience more support from their

peers and faculty, feel healthier, and drop out of teaching less often (Canrinus et

al., 2012, Darling-Hammond et al., 2002, Rots et al., 2007, Tschannen-Moran

and Woolfolk Hoy, 2001). Furthermore, teacher self-efficacy has been related to

the expectancy to remain in the profession (Bruinsma and Jansen, 2010, Rots et

al., 2007, Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) and even to teacher

burnout (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007; Fokkens-Bruinsma and Canrinus 2014)).

Personal Fit

Personal fit in pursuing a teaching profession refers to how well an

individual's characteristics, values, skills, and preferences align with the

demands, responsibilities, and rewards of being a teacher. It's a crucial factor in

determining whether someone will find satisfaction and success in the teaching

field. Everyone has to have a passion for education. A deep interest in the

subject matter and a genuine desire to share knowledge with others are

essential. Teachers who are passionate about education are more likely to

inspire their students and find fulfillment in their work. One must have patience

and empathy. Teaching often involves working with students who have varying

levels of understanding and different learning styles. Patience and empathy help

teachers manage classroom dynamics and support students' individual needs. A

good communication skill is a skill to be a good teacher. Effective teachers can

explain complex concepts in a way that is accessible to their students. Good

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communication also involves listening to students and understanding their

perspectives. To be adaptive is also a skill need to be a teacher. The ability to

adjust teaching methods to meet the needs of different students and to respond

to unexpected challenges is crucial. The educational environment can be

dynamic, requiring flexibility and creativity. Resilience and stress management

are also present in the teaching field. Teaching can be demanding, with long

hours, heavy workloads, and emotional challenges. A personal fit for teaching

includes the ability to cope with stress and maintain a positive outlook even

during difficult times. A faculty must have collaboration and teamwork. Teachers

often work as part of a team with other educators, administrators, and parents.

Being able to collaborate effectively and contribute to a positive school culture is

important. Every teacher has to be committed to lifelong learning. Education is a

field that requires continuous professional development. Teachers need to be

committed to learning new techniques, understanding educational research, and

staying updated on changes in curriculum and pedagogy. Many successful

teachers are motivated by a sense of purpose, whether it's the desire to make a

difference in students' lives, contribute to society, or advocate for education. This

intrinsic motivation can sustain them through challenges. If these above qualities

resonate with someone considering teaching, they may have a strong personal fit

for the profession. Conversely, if there's a significant mismatch between these

aspects and a person's traits or values, they might find teaching less fulfilling or

more challenging than anticipated (Adiguzel and Karagol, 2020).

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Additionally, study of Bradley (2023) reviewed that some college students

merely enrolled education to find out if they fit to their chosen profession.

Education serves as a powerful tool for individuals to explore their interests and

passions. Since education explores interests and passions, this exposure allows

them to discover areas that spark their curiosity and ignite their passion. Through

exploring various academic disciplines, participating in extracurricular activities, or

engaging in hands-on experiences, education provides individuals with the

opportunity to delve into different domains and uncover their genuine interests. By

nurturing these interests, education encourages individuals to pursue their

passions, leading to personal fulfillment and growth. Another factor in education

has the ability of discovering strengths and weaknesses. Through various learning

experiences and assessments, individuals gain insight into their abilities and

areas for improvement. Education provides a platform for individuals to engage in

diverse tasks and challenges, allowing them to observe their own performance

and receive feedback. This self-reflection and evaluation process enables

individuals to recognize their areas of expertise and areas that require further

development. By understanding their strengths and weaknesses, individuals can

make informed decisions about their educational and career paths, maximizing

their potential for personal growth. Fostering self-awareness and personal

reflection is the third factor. Education fosters self-awareness and personal

reflection by encouraging individuals to contemplate their thoughts, beliefs, and

experiences. It provides opportunities for introspection through discussions,

writing assignments, and collaborative projects. Education prompts individuals to

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critically examine their own perspectives and biases, fostering a deeper

understanding of themselves and the world around them. This self-awareness

allows them to make conscious choices aligned with their authentic selves and

contributes to personal growth and transformation. As a tool for self-discovery,

education enables individuals to explore their interests and passions, identify their

strengths and weaknesses, and engage in self-reflection. By facilitating these

processes, education empowers individuals to better understand themselves,

make informed choices, and embark on a personal journey of growth and

transformation.

Meanwhile, Vallerand and colleagues in (Ruiz, 2016) define passion as “a

strong inclination toward a self-defining activity that one likes (or loves), finds

important, and in which one invests a significant amount of time and energy”.

This review indicates that the most shared features of passion's

conceptualization are dedication, persistence, identification with and love for the

activity. Passion research in education revealed a diversity of consequences,

such as engagement, creativity, the subject's election or mastery goals, and a

diversity of promoters, such as positive relationships, supportive context or an

innovative cognitive style. An understanding of passion is important in fostering

students' adjustment and knowledge.

Further, study of Santoro, N., Pietsch, M., & Borg, T. (2012) suggested that

the pre-service teachers drew inspiration from the older teachers’ emotional

connection to the profession, and their own passion for teaching developed or

intensified as they came to understand teaching as a rewarding lifelong career. It

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is suggested that mentor relationships between pre-service teachers and those

from an older generation have the potential to support novice teachers in

developing a passion for teaching and, ultimately, resilience and longevity in the

profession. Furthermore, study of Funda (2022) found that although student

teachers viewed teaching as a difficult, poorly-paid job that requires expertise,

they were satisfied with their choice of teaching.

Furthermore, study of Suryani, Watt and Richardson (2016) revealed that

social utility values, prior teaching and learning experiences, intrinsic career

value and religious influences were the main motivations for choosing teacher

education, followed by secure progression prospects and 'second job'. Choosing

teacher education as a fallback career was lowest rated, and correlated positively

with all teacher education factors. Teaching was perceived as a highly expert

career, with high social status.

Moreover, study of Fokkens and Canrinus (2012) found that the main

motivation for becoming a teacher was the self-perception of teaching-related

ability. Affective commitment was predicted by the motivations of teaching ability,

working with children, prior teaching and learning experiences, and time for

family, as well as satisfaction with the choice of teaching and perceived task

demand. Lastly, preservice teachers at the end of their teacher education

considered social influences and teaching ability to be more important

motivations for becoming a teacher.

Likewise, study of Perkmen, Cevik and Alkan (2012) revealed a result that

the pre-service teachers value achievement most followed by autonomy, which

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suggests that they would like to have a sense of accomplishment and control in

their future job. The degree to which their values fit their predictions about future

work environment was found to be highly correlated with vocational satisfaction.

These results provided evidence that the vocational theories used in the current

study offers a helpful and different perspective to understand the pre-service

teachers' satisfaction with becoming a music teacher in the future. We believe

that researchers in the field of music education may use these theories and MIQ

to examine the role of values in pre-service and in-service music teachers' job

satisfaction.

Additionally, the study of Panoy (2024) found most notable finding is that

person-organization and person-group fit significantly influenced teachers' work

engagement and motivation. This suggests that teachers who fit well with their

organization and workgroup are more likely to be motivated and engaged. These

findings have implications for human resource management and organizational

leadership practices, highlighting the importance of considering P-E fit when

hiring and managing teachers. Overall, this study contributes to the growing

literature on P-E fit and its impact on work engagement and motivation. It

provides valuable insights for school administrators and policymakers on creating

a work environment that fosters teacher engagement and motivation, ultimately

improving the quality of education for students.

Job security

Security is one of the second fundamental needs of man as postulated by

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Langbert (2002) asserted that security needs are
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essential needs; for physical safety and the desire to be free from the fear of

deprivation of the physiological needs. It is largely observed that once an

employee on the job passes the probationary period, the need for job security

quickly appears to recede its importance. As this is achieved, the individual

becomes relaxed and complacent in a job situation. Lankford (2002) opined that

job security is both intrinsic and extrinsic values. It is a paramount consideration

of most workers in deciding how long they intend to stay on a job. Lankford

(2005) further emphasized that job security is indispensable in any work

organization. This is because it guarantees staff members’ retention in the

system and its absence threatens stability and spells doom for the organisation.

The finding of the study revealed that job security significantly relates with

teachers retention in private secondary schools. The positive correlation

indicated that the more teachers’ employment is secured, the higher the

teachers’ retention in private secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. The

explanation for this study is that the job security is the assurance an employee

has about the continuity of his gainful employment for the work life. When there is

certainty in the stability of teacher’s job, the teacher becomes happier.

Hence the chances of retaining the job become very high, this leads to career

satisfaction. However, when the teachers’ job is threatened, the chances of

retaining the job become very low. The absence of job security can result in

disenchantment with a job. Further, this finding agrees with earlier findings

of Lankford (2002) that job security is both intrinsic and extrinsic factor which

most workers consider in terms of how long they intend to stay on a job. Lankford
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(2005) maintained that the absence of job security is equally responsible for high

turnover rate of teachers, this also agrees with the finding of this study. The

finding is also in line with Candle (2010) study which revealed that employers

related factors such as teachers’ job security, salary and working condition had a

significant effect on teachers’ turnover (Umosen & Oleforo, 2019).

According to scholars, job insecurity is an employee's perception that his

or her job is uncertain and may end sooner than expected. From what has been

theorized and inferred, it is understandable that job insecurity is highly

threatening to employees given the prospect of losing the positive material,

social, and psychological benefits associated with employment (De Witte, 1999).

The notion that job insecurity may produce negative effects among individuals is

well established. Research in job insecurity across firms, industries, and

countries has provided consistent evidence that job insecurity is associated with

negative employee attitudes, behaviors, and health. This logical connection is

not surprising considering that it goes back to an earlier proposition of job

insecurity theory (Greenhalgh,1983, p. 433). This theory predicts that employee

behavior and attitude will decline as job insecurity increases. Specifically,

employees will be less productive, resist change, and leave. Employees who

stay infer, on the basis of on-going organizational decline, that their own jobs are

less secure (Yahchouchi and Bouldoukian, 2014).

Further, study of Paul, Kasivu and Mulwa (2022) found that teachers‟

job security practices and teacher retention have a strong influence on

teacher retention in public primary schools in Machakos County. This was

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based on the study objectives. Teachers‟ job protection can be achieved

in the learning institutions through induction and mentorship of the newly

employed teachers and even the experienced ones. Job security issues would

involve areas such as financial protection, social-economic protection,

institutional performance mentorship, health and professional ethics protection

among other related professional areas. Also, results of the study of Ching

(2022) showed that in terms of job security, the respondents rated all

indicators satisfied. In terms of work environment, job responsibilities,

community linkages and job security , they rated the indicators much

satisfied. In terms of challenges in the lack of teaching strategies, personal

and attitude self- learning and resourcefulness seeking help and openness

and acceptance, they rated all of them often encountered.

Furthermore, study of Alrashadan (2020) sought that job security level

among private school teachers was high. It was found that job performance level

was moderate. The result of the study indicated a positive, but insignificant,

correlation between job security and job performance. In light of the results, the

study recommended the need for developing some performance appraisal

measures that are based on clear indicators able to reflect the true job

performance level among private schools teachers. Similarly, study of

Yahchouchi and Bouldoukian (2014) revealed that giving managerial

responsibilities to academic human resources does not influence negatively the

quality of teaching and learning as perceived by students on the opposite side it

suggest a positive impact as observed by senior peers. This will also mean that
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additional compensation may influence academic human resources motivation

and the quality of job performance. Additionally, it can therefore be encouraged

to take advantage of empowering academic human resources opposing to some

traditional thoughts that faculty members should be only dedicated to teaching

and research. The results also show that job security influences positively the

quality of job performance (teaching and learning) as perceived by students.

Educational institutions are recommended to promote job security for their faculty

to promote more organizational commitment to teaching and learning. Faculty

empowerment combined with job security may have positive impact on job

performance.

In contrast, study of Umosen and Oleforo (2019) found that job insecurity

can be seen as one of the socio-psychological problems which are predominant

in the developing countries such as Nigeria. It is characterized by poor wages,

loss of pay, issue of downsizing, lack of accommodation, lack of consideration for

promotion, possibility of dismissal and application of dragonian rules. Job

insecurity tends to result in a sense of worthlessness and bleak future for an

individual worker or teacher in such a system. The absence of job security is

responsible for the high turnover rate of teacher. Research findings abound

which indicate that when teachers are dissatisfied with their jobs as a result of

lack of job security they respond to the situation by seeking other jobs and

leaving teaching profession. Likely, several studies were found similar results like

Blazer (2006) study indicated that 20% of new teachers in Miami-Dade county

public school in Florida, United States of America leave the teaching profession
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after three years and close to 30% left after five years due to perceived job

insecurity. In addition, Coulter and Abney (2009) reported that the trend in

Canada indicates that teachers are leaving the profession and at higher rate than

any other job. In parallel, study of Kamara (2002) asserted that a massive

number of teachers exit the teaching profession due to many reasons including

lack of adequate salaries, lack of job security, houses and promotion

opportunities.

Moreover, study of Mukumbira (2001) reported that Zimbabwe lost about

2000 newly qualified teachers who left for greener pastures in year 2000

because of perceived lack of job security. Chaika (2002) advocated that lack of

teachers’ mobility, lack of job security, inadequate induction programme and poor

working conditions as sources of teacher turnover. The same with the study of

Candle (2010) carried out a study on teacher turnover in private secondary

schools in Wakiso District in Kampala, Uganda. The study revealed employers

related factors such as teachers’ low salary, lack of job security and poor working

conditions as having positive significant effect on teachers turnover. However,

studies reviewed revealed that most works were conducted outside Nigeria.

Other studies also revealed that many other works were conducted in firms and

public schools outside Nigeria. This is the existing gap in the literature. Hence,

the researcher is poised to determine whether there is existing relationship

between personnel job security and teachers’ retention in private secondary

schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

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Job Flexibility

According to a research by Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard (2014), flexibility in

work positively influences work-life balance and that employee wellbeing is a

positive outcome of work-life balance. According to Frank and Lowe (2003), most

of the employees have a need of flexibility in their work schedule to strike a

balance between their work and family issues. In a study of (Gregory and Milner,

2009), it has been found that organizations have an important role to play for

improving the employees’ balance between work and life as individual choice

regarding work life balance is constrained by organizational culture and national

gender cultures. Workplace practices emphasizing on flexibility that can facilitate

employees by reducing work-family conflict have recently received a great

amount of interest among the researchers and practitioners (Hammer et al,

2005).

Also, from the employer’s point of view, if the employees can fulfill both

their working and non-working roles properly, they will be highly satisfied

resulting in better performance, greater commitment, lower absenteeism and

lower turnover, however, trust between the employer and employee is the key

here as, if not monitored, flexible working practices might create even more

difficulties (Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard, 2014). In addition, although flexible

working practices are being widely embraced by employees as they allow them

to prioritize, some of the cons of the system, if not controlled and monitored

carefully might include errors due to communication problems, minimized staffing

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levels, isolation of work and so on (Maxwell et al, 2007). Intriguingly, it has been

found that men generally perceive flexible working practices as a means of

developing their organizational commitment, whereas women see flexibility as an

opportunity to improve work-life balance (Hofäcker & König, 2013).Since a lot of

women are now interested to work, yet maintain their family roles, it is important

to understand how the women balance their professional and domestic lives

(Narayana and Neelima, 2017). Also, it has been found that some women

working in organizations with a paternalistic culture and high structural

constraints, disruptive to their family maintenance, tend to find loopholes to

bypass organizational norms. Although several male employees are now utilizing

flexible time schedules, it is still much more prevalent among the women in the

workplaces and it results in increased employee loyalty and engagement as well

as higher job satisfaction; however, proper controlling mechanisms are required

to prevent further difficulties in the workplace (Shagvaliyeva and Yazdanifard,

2014). Researchers also suggest that, there is a positive relationship

The study of Edwards, Clarke, Harrison and Reeve (2001) suggested that

insofar as increased ‘busyness’ is associated with shifting roles and

responsibilities with consequent shifts in identity, for those who have worked in

further education for some time there is a tendency to certain forms of nostalgic

narratives about the good forms of flexibility in the past, compared with the

present. The interview data suggests a complex picture of the ways in which

flexibility is experienced in further education.

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The study of O’Sullivan, Lavelle, Turner, McMahon, Murphy, Ryan and

Gunnigle, (2021) expected that higher-level occupations would have greater

sources of occupational power to resist employer-led flexibility. We find varying

levels of employer-led flexibility through non-standard employment across and

within occupations. We conclude that trade unions have achieved varying levels

of success in negotiating regulations on casualisation, but that the effectiveness

of union responses is likely to be dependent on the particular conditions which

gave rise to casualisation amongst occupations. In terms of the propensity for

each occupation to have standard or non-standard employment over a lifetime of

employment, we conclude that school teachers can be categorised as an ‘insider’

occupation, that school secretaries have evolved to an ‘outsider’ occupation,

while lecturing academics are most at risk of transitioning from an insider to an

outsider occupation.

Meanwhile, study of Otaki and Rahdarpour (2023) reviewed that another

aspect affecting the performance of young teachers is their

flexibility. Education needs flexibility and the ability to adapt to

environmental uncertainty in many aspects. Especially in the aspects of

human resources, this ability to adapt is obtained from various

forms, which are generally defined as human resource flexibility. In an

uncertain environment, having the flexibility of human resources through

creating a sustainable competitive advantage in the long term is valuable

for the organization. The flexibility of teachers includes many different

natural procedures and can generally be categorized into task, skill,

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and behavioral flexibility. The study showed that flexibility and competence

have a significant effect on work performance according to the mediating role of

job satisfaction among young teachers in Sistan and Baluchistan province. The

results of the research further showed that examining the role of job flexibility and

competence on the work performance of young teachers with the mediation of

job satisfaction can lead to efficient and satisfactory performance in the field of

education. Furthermore, young teachers' flexibility is much more flexible than

teachers with high work experience because they usually look for

innovation and changeability. Experienced teachers are very resistant to

change. Therefore, investing in young teachers is important. Improving

the competence of these teachers also increases their work and

professional performance. Competence is in various personal, social, skill, and

educational fields. Job satisfaction will also be provided by improving the

flexibility and competence of young teachers in Sistan and Baluchistan

province.

Work flexibility is concerned with granting freedom to staff to decide their

job schedules and approaches. According toDwianto, Darka and

Widayatmoko (2023), work flexibility is the extent to which members of staff

have the freedom to tailor their work arrangements to accommodate personal

needs and preferences within the operational framework of organization.

Work flexibility allows members of staff to carry their duties outside the

normal job schedules. Anaja and Peter (2022) described work flexibility

practices as arrangements that allow staff to exercise control over their job
 21

scheduling, location, procedures and time. It gives teachers the opportunity to

choose where and when to carry out some duties within the framework of

official job description. Work flexibility practice is defined by

Tamunomiebiand Bassey (2020), as liberty to make arrangement in terms

of working time, working location and pattern of working. Work flexibility is

the process of granting autonomy to staff in carrying out their official

responsibilities and activities. In modern workplaces, Chiekezie, Ohue and

Ikhide (2024) noted that work flexibility entails providing employees

(individually or collectively) with options and autonomy in managing their work

schedules, location, and tasks. Work flexibility is conceptualized by Vito

and Mekuri-Ndimele (2021), as act of granting authority to staff to choose

where to work, for how long and the people to work with. Work flexibility

practices involve allowing members of staff to decide when, where, and how to

carried out the official duties. Work flexibility practices could be considered in

terms of time, place and amount of work to be done. Mekuri-Ndimele (2020)

posited that the three major forms of work flexibility practices are: flexibility

in the scheduling of hours, the place of work, and the numbers of work hours.

Flexibility in the scheduling of hours is deciding tasks and periods to execute

them either in a day, week or more. Flexibility in the place of work is

carryout official duties at home and any location other than the school

environment. Flexibility in the numbers of work hours is concerned with having

control of the amount of work to start and complete task at a given time. Prasad

and Mishra (2021) maintained that work flexibility covers hours to carry out
 22

tasks, the location and also includes the following; shift working, part-time,

remote working/telecommuting, sabbatical/career break, flexi-time, job

sharing, self-roistering, time off in lieu, vacation-time working among

others. It enables the employees to adjust their personal and professional

commitments according to the circumstances. Teachers who are granted work

flexibility require the organizational supports to excel in discharging their duties,

(Chidi, Adaobi and Uchenna, 2024).

The findings of the study of Chidi, Adaobi and Uchenna (2024) revealed

that among others work flexibility practices is a strong and significant predictor of

teachers’ job performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. It was

also found out that organizational supports is a strong and significant predictor of

teachers’ job performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. Based

on the findings, it was recommended among others that Ministry of Education

should develop policy that encourages principals to improve work flexibility

practices for high job performance of teachers. This supported the finding of

Mekuri-Ndimele (2020) which showed that there is a strong positive relationship

between work flexibility and employee performance. The possible explanation

for this finding is that work flexibility practices create work-life balance

which motivates teachers to improve their job performance Work flexibility

makes teachers feel valued which could boost their morale to work hard

to improve their job performance in public secondary schools in Anambra

State. Work flexibility enhances the use of initiatives which could account

for the strong predictor of teachers’ job performance. It was also discovered
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that work flexibility practices is a significant predictor of teachers’ job

performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State. This affirmed the

finding of Ajayi, Olaniyi and Abubakar (2022) which indicated that a significant

relationship existed between flexible work practices and employee

performance. This agreed with the finding of Anaja and Peter (2022)

which revealed that there was a significant relationship between work

flexibility and employee performance. Work flexibility practices which allow

teachers discharge their duties at their own pace could encourage them to

put their efforts in discharging their duties to improve their job performance. It

was found that work flexibility practices and organizational supports are

strong predictors of teachers’ job performance in public secondary schools

in Anambra State. This agreed with the finding of Dwianto, Darka and

Widayatmoko (2023) which showed that job flexibility and organizational

supports have strong relationship with employees’ job

performance/commitment. Work flexibility practices and organizational

supports which help teachers to satisfy their physical, social and emotional

needs could be responsible for strong prediction of their job performance

in secondary schools in Anambra State. It was also revealed that

work flexibility practices and organizational supports are significant predictors

of teachers’ job performance in public secondary schools in Anambra State.

Teachers who exercise control over their work schedules and provided with

required resources feel happier, fulfilled and more willingness to perform

their duties in public secondary schools in Anambra State.

 24

Altruism

Altrusim is an important aspect in a teacher. Altruism is an attitude to pay

attention on other's well-being without concerning the self (Baston, 1987).

Teachers need to pay more attention on their students' well-being rather than

their personal well-being. Altruism, based on Batson (1987) consider motivations

for benefiting others, altruism is a way that includes benefiting another as a

means to benefit oneself, as long as the self-benefits are internally rather than

externally administered. Altruism is a concept used for identifying individuals who

are self-sacrificing and directing their concern toward others. According to some

theoreticians, altruism is helping others without an external award (Macaulay &

Berkowitz, 1970). Mayers (1993) defined altruism as helping others without any

expectations and concerning others. Altruism as caring for no obvious reward

other than the belief that someone else will benefit or avoid harm (Fung, 1988).

Altruism represents an amalgamation of intrinsic and extrinsic factors which

either permit or coerce individuals to take responsibility for or care for another

and to sacrifice things dearly held. Traditionally the caring professions have been

characterized by a self-professed altruism, that is, a selfless service on behalf of

or for others (Thompson et.al, 1994). standard of goodness or morality. The link

between altruism and morality appears to be based on the juxtaposition of each

to self-interest, as helping in order to gain internal rather than external rewards.

Altruism, based on Batson (1987) consider motivations for benefiting others,

altruism is a way that includes benefiting another as a means to benefit oneself,

 25

as long as the self-benefits are internally rather than externally administered,

(Olitalia, Wijaya, Almakiyah and Saraswati 2013).

Altruism is distinguished by feelings of loyalty and obligation (de Waal,

2008). Altruism focuses on motivation to help others and the willingness to

conduct good without considering the rewards, meanwhile the duty focus on the

moral demands of certain individuals, such as God, kings, special organizations,

such as government, or abstract concepts, such as patriotism, and so on. Some

people can feel altruism as well as duty, while others don't. Altruism has a close

relationship with feelings of empathy (Sesardic, 1999). An altruistic person has

an altruistic motivation and a desire to always help others. The altruistic

motivation arises because there are internal reasons within self that lead to

positive feelings. So, they can raise actions to help others (Gintis, Bowles, Boyd

& Fehr, 2003). The aspects of altruism refer to Myer (2012, p.205-229) stated

that in altruism consists of five things: (1) Empathy; (2) Belief in a just world; (3)

Social responsibility (4) Internal locus of control (Internal self-control) (5) Low

egocentrism. Altruism is the concern for the welfare of others without consider to

self (Campbell, 2006). Altruism describes a selfless concern for the needs of

others. In the world of inclusive education, students may have certain limitations,

such as physical, mental, emotional abilities and in an effort to adjust to outside

parties or the surrounding environment. In this case, the teacher's duties become

more severe with skills and certain skills required both in the field methodology

and in the field of therapeutic services. This is not easy and often can affect the
 26

competence of teachers who teach in inclusive schools. So, the teacher is also

hoping to have an attitude of altruism.

Altruism is a human nature that is willing to do something for other without

hoping to get any reward. In contrast, egoism prioritizes its own interests over the

interests of others to pursue pleasure (Sears, Freedman, Peplau, & Adryanto,

1994). Altruism based on a consi derable empathy towards others. Someone

with altruism tends to be more willing to care and pay attention to other people

who need help. Teachers with high altruism will be willing and sincere in

providing services to students in the learning activities. So, it will give positive

results to increase teacher competency. Based on the statement and completed

with the research results, it showed that there is a significant influence on

teacher's altruism on teacher competency. This result based on the Pearson

correlation test with a significant value of 0.00 rtable (0.244). Then, Ho rejected

and Ha accepted. Based on theory and research results, found out that self-

efficacy has an influence on mutual teacher competencies. With the results, it

may provide references for teachers, especially inclusive elementary school

teachers with high self-efficacy, then teacher competencies will also increase

which ultimately improve self-quality, improving the quality of students, knowing

difficulties in teaching, determining learning methods and selecting media in

learning. And, it is expected that teachers on the inclusive elementary school can

optimize the students' learning activities which are main responsibilities as

teachers. In short, it concluded that the higher among emotional intelligence, self-

efficacy, and altruism, the better the teacher's competency. In other words, it may
 27

state that the increased emotional intelligence, self-efficacy and altruism

variables together in a positive direction, then it may predict contributing

positively to the teachers’ competence on the inclusive elementary school in

Karanganyar Regency. In line with the purpose of this study, it aimed to

determine the influence of emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and altruism on

the teachers’ competence on the inclusive elementary school in Karanganyar

Regency. The findings showed that the factors of emotional intelligence, self-

efficacy, and altruism have a positive and significant influence on teacher

competence. The findings showed that teacher competence will increase

proportionally when there is an increase in emotional intelligence, self-efficacy,

and altruism (Septiana, 2018).

Altruistic is a characteristic to be expected in every teacher. All of this

time, Indonesia's government assumed that the declining of moral in students

such as bullying and school fighting are the responsibility of their own teacher at

school. The background of symposium is also because Indonesia's government

wants to educate the teacher to be more loving and caring, so they can be a

teacher who teach with awareness from their heart, with the hope when the

teacher teach, they also transferred the good communication with the students.

But, this research results describes that the score of teacher altruism level are

high, and they have the connectedness with their students. The assumed from

Indonesia's government about Jakarta's teacher does not fit. Teachers who teach

the primary school (from toddler to elementary) have the highest altruism among

all. To fit the job description of this level of profession requires more caring
 28

knowledge, skills and abilities, because students at this level still needs adults for

their dependency supervision. Their dependency caused by their stage of

development, they still in the early development stage. The highest altruism

teachers are also to those who work as teacher for 16 to 20 years. In this group,

the teachers age range between 35 to 45 years. In human development, these

age ranges to those who were in the late young adulthood and early middle

adulthood. The issues are generativity versus stagnation. The generativity people

are the caring people, their self-actualization are developing by developing their

self. It can be expressed by caring its own child or grandchild, mentoring others,

teaching others, productivity or creativity, re-generate them self, and still doing

the activity to enhance their personal growth (Papalia, Old & Feldman, 2007).

The altruism teacher who spent others time with their students are at their

highest level of altruism. These teachers are able to spend their time to the

students without no frequencies boundaries and rules. Furthermore data taken

from the inquiry section, generally said those teachers (altruistic teacher) asked

for changes in increasing moral education section, and supporting teaching and

individual material equipment. It includes benefits, training, health benefits,

housing, transportation, salary increase, etc. The altruist teacher that have the

connectedness with their students can be the protective factor for students,

which in resiliency theory the protective factor is the importance factor to build

the resiliency in school, teacher, and self. Resiliency is an interaction process

between the individual factor with the environment (Banaag, 2002). Resiliency is

the capacity to adapt successfully in the face of threats or disaster. People can
 29

improve their capacity for resilience at any time of life (Grotberg, 1993).

Automatically, the teacher with altruist and connect with their students became

the protective factor in students and school. Resilience (Grotberg, 1993) is a

basic human capacity, nascent in all children. Parents and other caregivers

promote resilience in children through their words, actions, and the environment

they provide. Adults who promote resilience make family and institutional

supports available to children. They encourage children to become increasingly

autonomous, independent, responsible, empathic, and altruistic and to approach

people and situations with hope, faith, and trust. They teach them how to

communicate with others, solve problems, and successfully handle negative

thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Children themselves increasingly become

active in promoting their own resilience. Children need these abilities and

resources to face many common - and some not so common - crises (Grotberg,

1993). When the altruist teachers have the connectedness with their students,

they build students resilience, and its impact to the school resilience. One of the

characteristic of resilience school is able to become the protective factor for their

students. When teachers develop their altruist characteristic in school

environment and have the connectedness with the entire school element;

students, partner, school staff and parents, then the resilience school are build.

With resilience school, the entire elements have the extra protective solid factor,

and it will give big impacts in child development, especially children with

troublesome background. What's next after we can create the resilience

students? We create the student school connectedness. When students feel their
 30

caring teacher, they feel connected with them as individuals. And after they feel

connected with the individuals, the will feel connected with the institutions. So

with this link, we hope we can create a better future, a world who filled with love

and positive connections. Teachers are the heart of education. They are the tools

to facilitate the development of a nation. They should be the role model of

educating with love, compassion and caring without limits, if we want to make a

better generation, (Olitalia, Wijaya, Almakiyah and Saraswati 2013).

The results show that although teachers’ judgement of the quality of life in

their workplaces reflects the strengths of their altruistic values and their capacity

to fulfil these values, such judgement is adversely moderated by their income

satisfaction. The research adds new evidence to current debate on the quality

retention of teachers.

Study of Li and Guo (2024) found that altruistic motivation in choosing

teaching as a career presents its necessity and importance when dealing with

teachers’ attrition issues and fostering teachers’ positive perception of career

satisfaction. Achieving a better understanding of altruistic motivation in pre-

service teachers’ career choices would not only help increase the retention of

future teachers but also provide an innovative angle in teachers’ professional

education to nourish teachers’ altruistic content in their education career

motivation. To investigate and promote pre-service teachers’ altruistic motivation,

it is vital to provide a clear definition of altruistic motivation in the context of pre-

service teachers’ career choices. Social-cognitive factors impact altruistic

motivation through engagement with social issues and reflections on practical

 31

educational challenges. The emotional factor is manifested through the

participants’ positive and negative emotions. The realistic factor comprises

familial influences and personal career preferences, which play a role in the

decision to pursue teaching as a lifelong vocation. This study proposes a

structured and functional model that can serve as a foundation for future

research into the development of altruistic motivation. It also offers insights into

nurturing altruistic motivation among both pre-service and practicing teachers in

their career decision-making process.

Similarly, study of Mori (1965); Li and Guo (2024) revealed that one of the

first to identify factors that contribute to the choice of teaching as a career, with

social, interpersonal, and ethical reasons being indicative of altruistic motivations.

In the early 1990s, some scholars mentioned that altruistic goals should be

regarded as one of the primary reasons for choosing teaching as a career

(Brookhart and Freeman, 1992). Another scholar (Yong, 1995) conducted a

study of gathering components, such as working with children and contribution to

society/country, as altruistic motivation. Later on, a three-factor motivation theory,

extrinsic (such as stable income), intrinsic (such as feeling intellectually

stimulated), and altruistic motivations (such as wanting to make a difference in

society) (Rutten and Badiali, 2020; Wang and Wang, 2023), was gradually

acknowledged and the concept altruistic motivation presenting the altruistic

elements in pre-service teachers career choice started to prevail in the academic

field. Another model, Factors Influencing Teaching Choice (FIT-Choice) (Watt

and Richardson, 2007), focuses on specific values and expectancies, which

 32

includes social utility value being regarded as content of altruistic motivation.

Former definitions are variants. Friedman (2016) put forward that ‘teachers’

expectations for self-expression through teaching are directed toward the

fulfillment of altruistic needs (instilling knowledge, caring, bestowing friendship),

Heinz (2015) suggested that ‘Individuals entering teaching for altruistic reasons

see teaching as a socially worthwhile and important job; they want to contribute

to society and work with/help children and adolescents. Many researchers prefer

to list out what altruistic motivation contains as the definition of altruistic

motivation. Exemplary lists or phrases include ‘service to others’, ‘the desire to

help and support students’, ‘make a difference’, ‘contribute to society’, and

‘answer a calling’ (Fray and Gore, 2018).

Personal development

Personal development is looking inward and focusing on ways to better

yourself. Personal development increases your self-awareness, your self-

esteem, increases your skills, and fulfills your aspirations. It is the act of looking

inward to achieve a purpose or result, especially in the pursuit of clarity, purpose,

and passion in life. Personal development is much larger than just career

development or self-development. It encompasses all aspects of your life where

you’d like to see personal growth — and it doesn’t discriminate on where it shows

up for you, (Miles 2022). Personal development is the continuous process of

improving yourself in various aspects of life, including but not limited to career,

relationships, health, spirituality, and creativity. It involves taking intentional and

strategic actions to overcome limitations, develop new skills, and achieve

 33

personal and professional goals that align with your values and passions. The

goal of personal development is to reach your full potential, to live a more

fulfilling and meaningful life, and to make a positive impact on the world.

Personal development is a life-long journey that requires a commitment to

learning, growth, and self-discovery, and can lead to greater happiness, success,

and fulfillment in all areas of life. Personal development as the conscious pursuit

of personal growth, learning, and improvement in various areas of one’s life,

including but not limited to career, relationships, health, spirituality, and creativity.

The importance of taking personal responsibility for one’s life and investing time

and effort into self-discovery, self-improvement, and the acquisition of new

knowledge and skills. Personal development is an ongoing process of growth

and evolution that requires continuous effort and a willingness to learn from

experience (JD, 2023).

Personal development is the process of improving oneself through

purposeful effort and expanding capabilities and potential. It encompasses self-

improvement across many areas including: Building valuable life skills: Personal

development helps strengthen skills such as time management, critical thinking,

public speaking, leadership, emotional intelligence, perseverance, and

more. Mastering these skills leads to greater success. Setting and achieving

goals: Creating short and long-term personal and professional goals and then

working purposefully to achieve them. Setting measurable goals is crucial.

Learning and gaining knowledge: Gaining insight into personal

strengths/weaknesses and acquiring wisdom. Then applying that knowledge to

 34

reach your potential. This can be done through courses, books, mentorship and

continued experiential learning. Improving behaviors and habits: Assessing

unhelpful habits and behaviors, then making focused changes. Common areas

include health habits, financial habits, relational habits, organization and time

management. Building self-confidence and esteem: Taking actions to gain self-

assurance in your abilities and skills and improve your opinion about yourself.

Techniques like positive affirmations, reframing negative thinking and pursuing

meaningful accomplishments can help (Profile Tree, 2023).

In educational perspective, It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be

an effective teacher. Like other careers, there are those who are more natural at

it than others. Even those with the most natural teaching ability must put in the

time necessary to cultivate their innate talent. Personal growth and development

is a critical component that all teachers must embrace in order to maximize their

potential. Personal development for teachers can be achieved through the

following ways. Advanced Degree: Earning an advanced degree in an area within

education provides a fresh perspective. It is also an excellent way to learn about

the newest educational trends. It provides tremendous networking opportunities,

can lead to a pay increase, and allows you to specialize in an area where you

may have more interest. Advice/Evaluations from Administrators: Administrators

can offer valuable advice for teachers. Teachers should not be afraid to seek

help from an administrator. It is essential that administrators are accessible for

teachers when they need something. Administrators are typically experienced

teachers themselves who should be able to provide a wealth of information.

 35

Experience: Experience is a great teacher. No amount of training can truly

prepare you for the adversity that a teacher can face in the real world. Each day

and year brings about new challenges, but experience allows us to adapt quickly

and make changes ensuring that things continue to operate efficiently.

Journaling: Journaling can provide valuable learning opportunities through self-

reflection. It allows you to capture moments in your teaching career that may be

beneficial to reference at other points along the way. Journaling does not have to

take a lot of your time. 10-15 minutes a day can provide you with a lot of valuable

information. Literature: Staying informed about educational literature. There is an

overabundance of books and periodicals dedicated to teachers. You can find a

plethora of terrific books and periodicals to help improve in any area you may

struggle with as a teacher. Mentoring Program: Participating in mentoring

programs. Every young teacher should be paired with a veteran teacher. This

relationship can prove to be beneficial for both teachers so long as both sides

keep an open mind. Young teachers can lean on a veteran teacher’s experience

and knowledge while veteran teachers can gain a fresh perspective and insight

into the newest educational trends. Professional Development

Workshops/Conferences: Attending workshops and conferences. Every state

requires teachers to earn a certain number of professional development hours

each year. Great professional development can be critical to the overall

development of a teacher. Teachers are presented with professional

development opportunities covering varying topics throughout the course of each

year. Social Media: Connecting with other educators on social media platforms.
 36

Social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and Pinterest have created a

global exchange of ideas and best practices amongst teachers. Personal

Learning Networks (PLN) are providing teachers with a new avenue for personal

growth and development. These connections provide teachers with a vast array

of knowledge and information from other professionals across the globe (Bradley,

2023).

The study of Danijela (2018) discussed that the role of a teacher is defined

by cultural and social events and the environment, and they influence the

differences that occur in the concept of teacher roles within different cultures,

societies, including the geographic environment. The study showed that factors

such as teachers’ beliefs about their own qualifications, as well as years of work

experience and subject area, statistically significantly influenced the development

of the teachers’ professional identity. The main findings of the study are that

teachers with several years of service experience feel better qualified to perform

their duties (tasks related to planning and teaching were rated the most highly)

than teachers with less work experience, and that teachers with more work

experience evaluated the claims related to their educational activity statistically

significantly higher. An important finding is that teachers define their professional

identity and consequently, their role through their personality traits, which shows

that we must not ignore teachers’ personality traits, as they play an important role

in teachers’ professional development and identity.

The teachers described different characteristics during identifiable periods

in their careers. Developmental changes seemed to occur in an ordered,

 37

hierarchical sequence with each year characterized by different types of

changes. The changes occurred gradually and were cumulative. Distinct

characteristics were displayed in the first year; the second, third, and fourth

years; and the fifth year and beyond. At each phase or stage, there seemed to be

an increase of knowledge, leading to a change in attitude, which increased

ability, and subsequently changed job performance. The major influences on

professional development were other teachers and prior contact with children.

Recommendations arising from this study are provided in the areas of: research,

undergraduate teacher education, graduate teacher education, in-service teacher

education, and supervision and administration. Study of Malm (2009) found that

teacher training programme helped teachers developed personally. The diversity

and complexity of the post‐modern era places new and important challenges on

teacher education. The crucial role that personal dispositions have for

professional learning needs to be better understood and acknowledged. Teacher

training programmes need to focus more on objectives such as promoting conflict

literacy, self‐awareness, empathy; leadership and collaborative skills, i.e. taking

into account not only the cognitive but also the social and emotional aspects of

human development. In this article, Swedish lecturers' descriptions of what they

consider to be competences and qualities necessary for future teachers

constitute the starting point for a wider discussion on the decisive role of beliefs

and emotions in being and becoming a teacher. Issues raised here should be

able to contribute to a better understanding of what it means to be a teacher and,

 38

consequently, result in improvements in the planning of teacher training

programmes.

Further, study of Kirkwood (2019) sought that the use of matrices and

strategies in mapping personal (professional) development in an individual’s

career. In order to optimize opportunities, identify positive steps, and make

impactful career moves, we must first employ strategies to understand and reflect

on who we are, where we want to go, and why. Utilizing matrices and lived

experience, this paper argues that there are ways to maximize what we can give

to a given situation, opportunity or challenge to equip us with the skills, mind-set

and wherewithal to achieve a greater sense of fulfilment.

Furthermore, study of Jitaru, Roxana and Vatavu (2022) found that

activities involves personal development through creativity and socio-emotional

education within the project represent punctual educational interventions on the

factors that influence school dropout and academic performance. The evaluated

program, the results of which we present here, was subordinated to the

objectives related to the motivation of the students and their relationship skills

and pursued personal development through creativity and socio-emotional

education in students. This dimension of the programme was chosen because a

major need existing on the labor market is the need to educate young people to

have the attitude of a winner and to find solutions to problems .The behavioral

acquisitions of the students, within the personal development programme

through creativity and social-emotional education were: flexible, generative

 39

thinking in solving problems; acquiring coping strategies; optimization of personal

and academic life.

In health perspective, study of Komiya (2014) found that basic research is

an attempt by physicians themselves to solve clinical questions, fostering the

ability to think things out for themselves. The process will lead to enhanced

clinical skills, which will yield significant returns to those physicians. Research

often generates results that lead to further research, continuously bringing the joy

of research. As a physician and researcher, when your name appears in articles,

you feel you have made a contribution, albeit a small one, to history, enhancing

your feeling of self-worth. The significance and pleasure of basic research lie in

pursuing well-established truths and to even physically feeling the insatiable spirit

of inquiry. In the pursuit of knowledge through research, you have the ambition to

generate results that could lead to a Nobel Prize, or an international patent that

may yield enormous economic returns. Research is not an overnight

phenomenon and requires continuity. Although values have diversified, some of

you surely must be highly research oriented. In fact, this may truly be the best

time for personal development and great achievement.

Easy Option

Being a teacher is one of the most meaningful careers one can pursue.

Few people have the influence that teachers do when it comes to shaping the

lives of young people and helping them mature into productive members of

society. When you decide to be a teacher, choosing the right teaching degree

program is a crucial step toward a rewarding career as an educator. Whether you

 40

aspire to become an elementary school teacher, a high school math instructor, or

a university professor, finding the best program that aligns with your goals and

needs is essential. When people have no choice, life is almost unbearable. As

the number of available choices increases, as it has in our consumer culture, the

autonomy, control, and liberation this variety brings are powerful and positive.

But as the number of choices keeps growing, negative aspects of having a

multitude of options begin to appear. As the number of choices grows further, the

negatives escalate until we become overloaded. In other words, having choice is

vital, but, too many options to choose from is destructive.

According to Westman (2021) the notion that teaching is an "easy" profession

is a common misconception. In reality, teaching can be incredibly challenging

and demanding. Here are a few reasons why it might seem like an easy option to

some, but is far from it: Perceived Simplicity: To outsiders, teaching might appear

straightforward because it often involves familiar tasks like explaining concepts,

giving assignments, and managing a classroom. However, the reality involves

much more complexity, including lesson planning, grading, addressing individual

student needs, and managing classroom dynamics. Impact and Responsibility:

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping students' academic and personal growth.

This responsibility requires a deep commitment, creativity, and patience. Work-

Life Balance: While teachers typically have vacations and weekends off, many

spend additional hours outside of class preparing lessons, grading, and attending

professional development sessions. Balancing these responsibilities with

personal life can be demanding. Emotional Labor: Teachers often deal with a
 41

range of emotional issues, both from students and their families. Providing

support, encouragement, and handling difficult situations can be emotionally

draining. Resource Constraints: Many teachers work with limited resources and

support, which can add to the difficulty of the job. Managing a classroom with

insufficient materials or support staff can be very challenging. In essence, while

teaching might appear easy from the outside, it involves a high level of

dedication, skill, and hard work. It's a profession that requires a genuine passion

for education and a commitment to making a positive impact on students' lives.

The findings revealed that early exposures to the role of teachers and

influence of close family members contributed to the preference to pursue

education as a program in tertiary education . Moreover, the student-participants

had positive regard for teachers and the teaching profession. The students

described their teachers as having positive personal characteristics, which

served as model for them. On the other hand, the positive and negative

perceptions regarding the teaching profession surfaced. Lastly, the study

recommends that orientation programs include parents of students and model

teachers of the schools to strengthen the students’ interest to pursue teaching

(Abulencia, Mangaoil, Reyes, Rungduin, 2017).

In the field of education, choice is a commodity frequently cited as one

most valued by teachers. The 2014 study Teachers Know Best: Teachers’ Views

on Professional Development conducted by the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation, found: “those [teachers] who choose all or most of their professional

learning opportunities are more than twice as satisfied with professional

 42

development as those with fewer options.” Additionally, there has been quite a bit

written, both formally and informally, on educators’ desire to discontinue “one-

size-fits-all/sit and get” professional development as this method is met with

resistance and is ineffective at producing change. Instead, self-directed

professional development options are being promoted for teachers. Choice in

professional development allows educators to learn more about areas of interest

and tap into perceived strengths. Both of these factors build teacher self-efficacy

and in turn positively impact student growth. Fortunately, in today’s educational

landscape there is not a shortage of choice (for professional development and

otherwise). Let’s take a look at some numbers (Westman, 2021).

The study of Onyefulu, Madalinska and Bavli (2023) showed that extrinsic,

intrinsic, and altruistic motivation, roles and responsibilities, and opportunities

were the main reasons teachers in the three countries chose the teaching

profession. Teachers in the different stages of their careers remain in the

profession because of a strong sense of vocation, a passion for teaching, a need

to make a positive difference in students’ life, job satisfaction, and connected with

its rewards of being a teacher. It was recommended that researchers interested

in this area could use a more representative sample size to generalize the

findings. It is currently noticeable that many countries seek to improve their

schools in order to respond to higher social and economic expectations. As the

most significant and costly resource in schools, teachers are seen as a priority

for public policy and are likely to become even more so in future years. Improving

the quality of schools mainly depends on ensuring that competent people want to
 43

work as teachers and their teaching is of high quality. Motivation for choosing

teaching as a career is considered an essential effective premise for joining and

staying in the profession. According to Amos and Loko (2015), ‘...teachers need

supports that encourage their intrinsic, or internal, motivation; such as

achievement, recognition, and career development. Amos and Loko

(2015) stated that extrinsic versus intrinsic incentives are an important issue for

teacher motivation in the developing world.

Further, study of Alvariñas, Domínguez, Pumares and Portela (2022)

found that the main reasons that lead to choose teaching profession, despite

gender differences, are having influence in the educational children’s process,

the intrinsic value of the qualification, the fact that this profession contributes

socially, or working with children. In addition, students consider that teaching is a

demanding profession and they are satisfied with the degree choice. The most

important factors influencing the choice of education degree are intrinsic

motivations and perceptions as the vocation, in contrast to external reasons such

as economic incentives or social recognition. Supported in previous studies, the

reasons that can lead to considering being a teacher focus primarily on material

aspects, such as job stability, professional aspects, such as a taste for certain

subjects, or altruistic aspects, such as the responsibility toward children

(Fokkens-Bruinsma and Canrinus, 2012). Authors such as Bertomeu et al.

(2007) have pointed out the pleasure of teaching and working with children as

main reasons. Following the same line, Avendaño and González (2012) have

indicated as reasons to choose the teaching career the pleasure of teaching, the
 44

role of education in society, and the taste for the subjects taught. In any case,

extrinsic factors also have an impact, such as professional stability, prestige

associated with the teaching profession and the opportunities to acquire valuable

skills that can be transferred to other professions, including proficiency in English

for students doing training courses abroad (Gao and Trent, 2009).

Study of Padhy, Emo, Djira and Deokar (2015) pointed out that one’s

values and the expectation one has that a given choice will meet those values

are highly personal and are formed through past experiences, the stereotypes

that one holds, and the way a person self-perceives his or her abilities to perform

well in given situations (Eccles, Adler, & Meece, 1984). Good choices are the

result of understanding one’s personal values and how the array of options in a

given choice will allow one to meet those values. The theory has been

successfully applied to understanding choices made in academic school

disciplines and sports, as well as to specific types of careers (Watt,

2002, 2006). Watt and Richardson (2007) have contended that expectancy-value

motivational model was particularly useful in investigating motivating factors for

choosing a teaching career. Expectancy-value theorists argue that individuals’

choices, their persistence, and their performances can be explained by their

expectations of doing well in an activity and the extent to which they value that

activity (Atkinson, 1957; Eccles, 2005; Eccles et al., 1983; Wigfield,

1994; Wigfield & Eccles, 1992).

Their study showed that respondents’ highly valued career factors had

little relationship to their likelihood of teaching. Rather, students’ expectations of

 45

teaching and the influence of a variety of related previous experiences were the

strongest predictors of increased likelihood of considering teaching as a career

option. The highest positive (0.895) and significant regression path coefficient

from expectancy-environment to likelihood of teaching indicates that an

understanding of the teaching environment, including the items “Colleagues that I

can get along with,” “A career that I find enjoyable,” and “A pleasant working

environment,”, plays an important role in choosing a career in teaching. This

agrees with the findings of Kyriacou and Coulthard (2000) who did not use SEMs

for their study. Our results indicate that students must be confident that the

working environment of schools, including other faculty and staff with whom they

work, will provide a positive and collegial atmosphere, which they will enjoy. Prior

experiences such as having taught others, a self-perceived talent for working

with others, teachers whom they have known, and a desire to share their

knowledge with others contribute to students’ openness to teaching. In addition,

the positive support of parents and friends has a positive influence on students’

likelihood of considering teaching as a career. One possible explanation is that

students have low expectations of teaching to provide factors such as an

intellectual challenge, professional responsibility, a reasonable workload,

professional respect and career mobility, the ability to make positive contributions

to society, the opportunity to utilize disciplinary knowledge, and the opportunity to

care for others, to help others, and to work with children and youth, and to be a

career that combines easily with parenthood. These are the kinds of career

attributes that need to be addressed in a recruitment program so that students

 46

have accurate expectations of a career in teaching. It is possible that

respondents to this survey viewed teachers as classroom technicians with little

ability to exercise personal expertise and choice in working to bring about change

in the lives of students. The findings suggested that a good recruitment program

will educate potential teachers about the career so they know what to expect and

can make an informed choice as to whether teaching will be a fulfilling career.

Potential teachers benefit from the opportunity to experience teaching situations

to see whether they enjoy working with others in a teaching capacity. A

recruitment program could provide interested students with these opportunities

through such activities as volunteering in local school classrooms, working with

children in after-school programs, or tutoring younger students who are

struggling in their studies. Such opportunities would provide possible recruits to

experience teaching to better discern whether the profession is one they would

enjoy (Padhy, Emo, Djira and Deokar, 2015).

Professional Values of Teachers

Professional values are complex and they work to shape who we arer as

we professionals. The values are demonstrated through all our professional

relationships and practices. The connections between values and practices need

to be regularly considered over the course of an individual’s career. This is an

important part of being a critically reflective and enquiring professionals (Aitken et

al., 2013). Professional values are the principles that guide your decisions and

actions in your career. Although some values are considered more important

than the others in certain professions, there are some universal values that
 47

should be, and usually are, held and practiced in all of them. these universal

values are first, do no harm; keep it simple; and honesty is the best policy. While

these values may seem intuitive, failure to adhere to these principles is at the

root of much of the economic and social damage that brought the entire world

economy nearly to its knees (Argyris, 2012).

Professional values are the guiding beliefs and principles that influence

you work behavior. Professional values are usually an extension of your personal

values such as honesty, generosity and helpfulness. While these values may

change over time and around different life events, the core beliefs should stay

the same (Beauchamp and Thomas, 2014). A professional code of ethics

outlines teachers’ main responsibilities to their students and defines that their

role in students’ lives. Above all, teachers must demonstrate integrity, impartiality

and ethical behavior in the classroom and in their conduct with parents and

coworkers (Gu and Day, 2014).

Further, Hamilton and Corbett-Whittier (2012) discussed that prfofessional

values serve as a guiding compass as teachers seek to steer an ethical and

respectful course through their career in teaching and to uphold the honor and

dignity of the teaching profession. It may be used by the education community

and the wider public to inform their understanding and expectations of the

teaching profession. According to Hong (2010), professional values have

indicated the following: passion, patience, creativity, flexibility and dedication.

Passion. Intense desire or boundless enthusiasm. Passion is an emotion

to be acted upon. Whithout action, passion yields no worthwhile results. Passion

 48

is the fuel in the fire of action. When individuals have passion for something, they

love it even when they hate it (Carbonneau et al., 2012). Passion is a strong

inclination or desire towards an activity that one likes and finds important and in

which one invests time and energy. Passionate teachers are distinguish by their

commitment to achievement of their students (Fried, 2013).

Passion matters in that it motivates and inspires the teachers. Passion is a

motivational factor that affects teacher performance. It drives the teachers for a

better student accomplishment. Passionate teachers create an effective learning

environment and increase learning potential of students. passion leads to

creativity; therefore, passionate teachers have thr ability to think anf produce new

notions in an easy way. Passionate teachers are committed and dedicated to thei

schools and a good education achievement is an outcome of this commitment

and dedication (Hansen, 2014). A desire fueled by passion will bring about the

greatest results in life. Passion can push individuals through difficult times

because they don’t care what it takes to become better. People all have the

ability to create whatever kind of life we want. The secret to living the dream is

hidden in our passions and what we do because of them (Olson, 2013).

Study of Rowe (2015) found that if individuals have a burning desire to

make a real difference in the lives of young children, they have one of the most

important qualities of a great preschool teacher. There will be many days when

teaching feels extra difficult. Whether the pay seems too low or the parents act

ungrateful, getting through the low points of teaching can be overwhelming.

 49

However, when individuals have a true passion for educating young children,

their positive drive will sustain them through the hard times.

Further, study of Rosenholtz (2013) pointed that a passionate teacher is

someone in love with a field of knowledge, deeply stirred by issues that change

our world, drawn to the dilemmas and potentials of the young people who come

into class every day. Passion cannot be faked. The reality is that many teachers

are going to be forced to teach things that are outside their core interests. That

doesn’t mean the course has to be a failure through. Furthermore, study of

(Hargreaves (2014) revealed that teachers with passion inspire students. They

get students interested and even excited about what they are learning. Passion is

what makes students decide to study more. The reality is that many teachers are

going to be forced to teach things that are outside their core interests.

Moreover, study of Garrison and Liston (2014) found that passionate

teachers will find a way to get more interested in what they are teaching and to

make things more interesting for their students. It requires a little more work, a

little more imagination, and maybe even a little acting ability. Additionally,

passionate teachers make learning interesting, exciting and important. The

teachers who do that well deserve our support and most of all our gratitude.

Patience. According to Hooley (2014), patience is a virtue. The most

important quality that a teacher should have is patience. A great teacher is very

patient with their students and their parents to deal with the same questions and

problems over and over again. You never give up on your students and would try

out new ways to help them succeed in school. In addition, Johnson et. al., (2014)
 50

opined that along with an undying passion for teaching, great preschool

educators need plenty of patience. Every class has students with different

developmental skills. Especially with young children, constant reminders about

manners, hygiene and classroom procedures are part of a typical school day.

From slow learners to behavioral challenges, it takes patience to keep the

classroom environment balanced and in order. On top of that, working with

demanding administrators, difficult parents and other teachers requires additional

patience outside the classroom. Great preschool teachers understand how to

keep their cool under many different kinds pressure.

Study of Jones and Vesilind (2014) found that patience with students who

are tying to learn, however, is part and parcel of the teaching profession.

Impatience with sincere students is an indication of the teacher’s own

shortcomings. Patience is a trait every teacher should possess. Patience is an

important tool in overcoming frustration. Patience allows us to suspend judgment

long enough to make informed decisions, thus paving the path to a happy and

peaceful life. Further, study of Kagan (2015), accentuated that a patient teacher

will also have the willingness to adapt to different classroom situations. Students

vary from class to class. Some may be attentive, while others, trouble-makers.

Others aren’t disruptive, only because they may be busy texting their friends

while sitting in the back of the classroom. Different learning strategies may have

to be employed, depending on the students in each class. Some students excel

in role-playing, while others prefer to quietly write notes and listen. A good

teacher knows how to engage students in the learning process.

 51

Furthermore, study of Koro-Ljunberg et al., (2015) questioned that what

else to long-term retention of curriculum but takes patience to incorporate in our

instruction? Increasing our wait time after posing a question to the class and

before calling on a student to answer and allowing wait time for a student to

provide a thoughtful response once called upon to do so is a very effective

aspect in teaching. Most of the time, teachers become impatient when a student

delays to provide an answer and just go ahead to answer it if they don’t pass it

on to the next student. A good teacher patiently waits and may even give clues to

prompt the stuck students to encourage a free and fair classroom environment.

Creativity. According to Baines an Ruslan Slutsk (2012), creativity in the

classroom is more than making fun art projects for your students. For instance,

one may be asked to teach with limited resources or in a restrict environement.

The class may also require creativity on his part to teach children from different

cultures or backgrounds. One may also need to draw from his creative side to

take risks and make decisions outside the norm in the best interest of his

students. Of course, creativity is essential to make learning fun and exciting for

the preschool class. Also, Barbo et. al., (2015) averred that creativity gives them

that freedom to explore the surroundings and learn new things from them.

Students would always love a classroom setting that helps them to explore freely

without setting them any boundaries.

Eaton (2015) underscored that creative thinking involves students thinking

broadly and deeply using skills, behaviors and dispositions such as reason, logic,

resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in

 52

their lives beyond school. Das et. al., (2013) nited that creativity involves

students learning to generate and apply new ideas in specific contexts, seeing

existing situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations, and seeing

or making new links that generate a positive outcome. This includes combining

parts to form something original, sifting and refining ideas to discover

possibilities, constructing theories and objects, and acting on institution. The

products of creative endeavor can involve complex representations and images,

investigations and performances, digital and computer-generated output, or

occur as virtual reality.

Further, study of Montuori and Alfonso (2014) posited that creativity allows

you to express yourself. An integral part of the human condition involves learning

who are and recognizing how that fits into the rest of the world. Creativity allows

self-discovery, as well as the opportunity to share a hidden side of ourselves.

Moreover, creativity promotes thinking and problem-solving from technical details

of writing, drawing, or composing to the challenge of creating, problem-solving is

a required component of the creative process. Furthermore, study of Runco

(2015), opined that creativity reduces stress and anxiety. People usually pursue

creative projects because they enjoy the process or the outcome. Just the act of

creating inspires a sense of contentment. Moreover, creativity allows individuals

to enter their happy zone and have fun. Creativity is really another form of play,

and play is universally important to each individual’s sense of joy and well-being.

Moreover, study of Russ et. al., (2020) explained that creativity gives

individuals a sense of purpose. Writers, artists and musicians often identify by

 53

those words whether they make money at their craft or not. Their creative

method is their way of processing to the world and a way of describing who they

are. Furthermore, creativity can lead to feelings of accomplishment and pride.

The combination of brainstorming, the technical process, and a finished process

is often the perfect recipe for personal satisfaction. In addition, study of

Davidoditch and Milgram (2021), expounded that creativity can link someone to

others with the same passion, improves his ability to focus, promotes risk-taking

and iteration. Additionally, creativity is a prerequisite for innovation and

encourages us to be lifelong learners. Creativity requires the humbleness to

know that there’s always room for improvement and a commitment to continue

challenging your ideas and ability until new growth occurs.

Flexibility. Flexibility in the classroom is one of the most important qualities

that every teacher must possess. Flexibility is the idea that plans can change

very quickly, sometimes with notice and sometimes without. Receiving criticism

(good and bad) from advisers is extremely important in terms of flexibility

because it will force individuals to change up what they are used to doing. Study

of Eliot (2021) opined that being flexible means incorporating this feedback into

your teaching. Also, on-the-spot changes may also need to me made based on

certain situations in the classroom, often without prior realization. Flexible

teaching is accommodating of this curiosity, allowing lessons to have much

looser structure, letting discussions and thoughts play out and following them to

see where they go.

 54

Further, study of Finn (2022) found that individuals can everything planned

out for each lesson, but great preschool teachers know that unexpected turns

can happen at any time. When individuals remain flexible to deal with change,

they can handle almost anything. This could include something as simple as

having an alternative plan for rainy days or more drastic like adjusting your entire

curriculum to accommodate tor a reduced budget. Even the very nature of

teaching young children requires constant fine tuning and dealing with minor

issues. By staying flexible, individuals can tackle every kind of educational

challenge with poise and grace.

Furthermore, study of Walsh (2019) revealed that if people are

responsible for learners from a mix of backgrounds, or older students who study

part-time, and have other work and have family commitments, flexibility should

certainly be one of the most central tenets to individuals teaching style. The more

flexible a teacher’s approach, and the better able they are to think on their feet,

the higher the chances are of increase student participation ensuring that no

child gets left behind under the teacher’s watch.

Dedication. Dedication refers to a love of teaching or passion for the work,

which includes commitment to students’ success. Responses often referred to

loving the subject matter or simply being dedicated to the work. To a student, this

means a teacher should be always willing to help and give time (Thapan, 2019).

Great teachers re dedicated to their students and their career. When individuals

are determined to stand up for their beliefs on behalf of their educational values

or their student’s needs, they will gain respect from their colleagues, parents and
 55

students. Moreover, excellent educators are dedicated to the love of learning and

inspire their students to learn more. At the preschool level, making the classroom

a place where learning is fun can resonate with children for the rest of their lives.

Most of all, truly successful teachers are dedicated to bring out the best in their

students.

Further, study of Fox (2018) stipulated that dedication is an essential

element of successful teaching. Dedicated teachers are concerned with the

development of their students and they profoundly struggle how to keep students’

learning. They cultivate students’ curiosity and interest in learning. Showing

dedication to student learning can be important factor in motivating students.

Dedicated teachers recognize and endeavor to fulfill their responsibilities to their

students. The degree of loyalty of commitment teachers have, toward their

profession is one of their distinguished characters. Teachers, who are engaged

in their profession and commitment to students and their learning, play crucial

role in development of students.

Furthermore, study of Elliott and Crosswell (2020) revealed that dedicated

teachers have tendency to perform the roles effectively that their job requires and

to establish a good teacher-student relationship in accordance with the

professional values. This approach facilitates student learning and development

of terminal behaviors. However, in the clash of the career goals and values, and

the goals and values of school, the importance of dedication increases. The

basic goals and values of teaching profession effectively shape student behavior

change in accordance with the principles of education sciences.

 56

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

This study is anchored to the FIT-Choice theory which is based on the

expectancy-value model by Wigfield and Eccles (2000). Whereas previous

studies on the motivation for becoming a teacher tended to focus on values, the

FIT-Choice theory focuses on both values and expectancies concerning the

teaching profession. Watt and Richardson (2007) specified three sets of

variables that influence choices: (a) expectancy/ability beliefs, (b) subjective task

value, and (c) perceived task difficulty. These three sets of variables are divided

into the following five factors: (1) socialisation influences, (2) perceptions of the

task, (3) self-perceptions, (4) values, (5) fallback career. The authors identified

12 motivation factors effective in choosing the teaching profession based on the

expectancy-value theory and developed the “Factors Influencing Teaching

Choice Scale” (FIT-Choice scale). The theoretical model guiding the

development of FIT-Choice factors consists of social utility values (shape the

future of children/adolescents, make a social contribution, enhance social equity,

work with children/adolescents), personal utility values (job transferability, job

security, time for family), and five additional motivations (ability, fallback career,

intrinsic career value, social influences, prior teaching and learning experiences).

Watt and Richardson (2007) applied this scale to the students in three different

universities in Australia and concluded that intrinsic value, perceived teaching

ability, and social utility motivations were the most influential when choosing the

teaching profession as a career. The FIT-Choice scale furthermore measures

 57

fallback career as a negative motive to become a teacher. Finally, the FIT-Choice

scale focuses on how satisfied a person is with his/her choice for the teaching

profession.
 58

Input Process Output

Choosing A Non-
Teaching Jobs by
Education
Graduates

● Personal Fit
 Drafting of Survey,
● Job Security
● Job Flexibility
Validation &
● Altruism
● Personal Proposed minimize
Reliability
Development
● Easy Option irrelevant employment
 Data Gathering
among teacher
 Statistical Analysis
Career satisfaction education graduates

● Passion program
● Patience
● Creativity
● Flexibility
● Dedication

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

 59

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this mixed method study was to determine the extent of

student motivation to pursue teaching profession in terms of personal fit, job

security, job flexibility, altruism, personal development, easy option and

professional values of teachers in terms of passion, patience, creativity, flexibility

and dedication; as well as to know the relationship of the variables mentioned.

Additionally, the study dug deeper to determine what quantitative results need

further explanation to determine what school program will be suggested to

develop maximize enrollees in teacher education among Grade 12 learners of

Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC), Davao City.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the level of student motivation to pursue teaching

profession among Grade 12 learners of Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC), Davao

City.

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of performance of student motivation to pursue teaching

profession in terms of:

1.1 Personal Fit

1.2 Job Security

1.3 Job Flexibility

1.4 Altruism

1.5 Personal Development

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1.6 Easy Option

2. What is the level of professional values of teachers in terms of?

2.1 Passion

2.2 Patience

2.3 Creativity

2.4 Flexibility

2.5 Dedication

3. Is there a significant relationship between student motivation to pursue

teaching profession and professional values of teachers (Quantitative)?

4. What school program should be created to develop maximize enrollees in

education (Qualitative) to choose teaching career?

Hypotheses

The null hypotheses of this study were formulated and tested at 0.05

alpha level of significance:

HO1. There was no significant relationship among student motivation to

pursue teaching profession and professional values of teachers

The research findings of the study have made a valuable contribution to

the following beneficiaries included:

The Universities/colleges. This could have important implications for

policy. This can be basis for policy solutions to the dilemma such as how to

ensure sufficient supply without lowering the bar, which would

simultaneously upgrade the quality and attractiveness of the job and many other
 61

educational policies. This study could provide additional information on the

effects of enrolment of education degree. Moreover, core curricula for

educators too often fall short of the depth and detail needed to successfully serve

learner populations. Hence, the study could be a benchmark for further

practice the teaching profession after graduation and regularly conducting

seminars on becoming professional teachers to hear success stories from

alumni are the most feasible.

Dean/Program Head. The findings of the study will provide the

dean/program head a better understanding as to assist, support and give

technical assistance and encouragement to graduating senior high school

students, thus this will be the basis for policy academic planners of the school in

redirecting their school plan giving more emphasis on uplifting the desire and

high commitment to the teaching profession. There is a need to conduct

comparative studies (entrance and exit interviews) among college students to

determine the changes in the commitment level to teacher education.

Teachers. The findings of the study would hear their experiences and

sentiments in relation to their profession. This would give them a chance to voice

out the daily issues they face as well as the difficulties they encounter in their

career. The knowledge gained from this study would offer a clear understanding

of why teachers experience disparities between expectations of teaching and

realities of the current job, and how such disparities affect their performance and

the abilities that they could serve to the students.

 62

Graduating Senior High School students. The findings of the study will

help graduating senior high school students to actively participate to the

discussions and activities conducted to uplift their commitment to the teaching

profession. Engage in the classroom for more enjoyable and observation

situations.

Future Researchers. This finding of the study provide baseline data who

will conduct the same field of study but could focus on different variables as

presumably , there will other issues be worthy of further research.

The following operational definitions are provided to ensure that all terms

used in this study are to be understood:

Student motivation to pursue teaching profession. A motivating factor of a

person who is a graduate of a senior high school level, to choose or pursue

enrolling teacher education degree.

Personal Fit. It refers to how likely you are to excel in a particular job or

career path. It takes into account factors such as motivation, alignment with

strengths, and circumstances. It emphasizes that these characteristics are vital

for fostering a positive and conducive learning environment, and how they impact

teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes (Kumar, 2024).

Job security. Job security is a sense of knowing that your job is safe from

being cut. It is an assurance that you will be able to work in your current

employment for the near future. Job security comes with a feeling of protection

against things like layoffs, economic downfalls, and other factors that could

impact employment. Job security is the assurance an employee has that they
 63

can continue working their current job for the foreseeable future. It means you're

confident that your employment status with a company can stay consistent,

regardless of any external forces that might impact the business. Job security

means feeling safe from factors like layoffs, sudden changes in business

performance or economic factors (Indeed, 2023).

Job flexibility. Job flexibility is the ability to quickly adapt to new

circumstances as they arise. In a flexible workplace, both employers and

employees can change how and when they work when something unusual

occurs. For example, if an organisation shuts down its offices as a safety

precaution, its employees may still work from another location and complete their

assigned tasks. Job flexibility is essential in fast-moving and dynamic industries,

where the ability to respond to unconventional and unpredictable events is a

valuable asset (Indeed, 2024).

Altruism. Altruism is when we act to promote someone else’s welfare,

even at a risk or cost to ourselves. Though some believe that humans are

fundamentally self-interested, recent research suggests otherwise: Studies have

found that people’s first impulse is to cooperate rather than compete; that

toddlers spontaneously help people in need out of a genuine concern for their

welfare; and that even non-human primates display altruism (Greater Good,

2028).

Personal Development. According to Robert (2025) personal development

is the ongoing process of self-improvement, focusing on enhancing skills,

 64

mindset, and overall well-being to reach your fullest potential. It involves activities

such as goal setting, learning, and self-reflection, which contribute to personal

growth and success. By prioritizing personal development, individuals can

improve their confidence, productivity, and relationships while gaining clarity

about their life’s purpose. It empowers you to overcome challenges, adapt to

change, and lead a more fulfilling life.

Easy Option. "Easy option" is a term used to describe a decision or

choice that is easy to make. It is often used in a disapproving manner to

describe an easier way of doing something. For example, if someone

wants to go for the "soft option", they can get a qualification in three

years instead of two. The term is often used in the context of making

tough decisions, where there are no easy options (Cambridge, 2025).

CHAPTER 2

Method
 65

This section discussed the study’s techniques, such as the research

design, research respondents, research instrument, data gathering procedure,

ethical considerations, data analysis and sequence, emphasis and procedures.

Research Design

This research study employed explanatory sequential mixed method

design. This study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain a

comprehensive understanding on choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates and career satisfaction. This study used survey or questionnaire to

gather quantitative data and interviews to gather qualitative insights. This study

made use of two distinct phases: quantitative followed by qualitative (Creswell et

al. 2003). In this design, a researcher first collects and analyses the quantitative

(numeric) data. The qualitative (text) data are collected and analyzed second in

the sequence and help explain, or elaborate on, the quantitative results obtained

in the first phase. The second builds to follow the results on the first, quantitative

phase, and the two phases are connected in the intermediate stage in the study

for the interpretation. The rationale for this approach is that the quantitative data

and their subsequent analysis provide a general understanding of the research

problem. The qualitative data and their analysis refine and explain those

statistical results by exploring participants’ views in more depth (Rossman and

Wilson 1985; Tashakkori and Teddie 1998; Creswell 2003). In the first

quantitative phase of the study, the quantitative research questions focused on

 66

choosing a non-teaching job by education graduates served as predictors in

influencing their career satisfaction. Moreover, since the views and feelings of

these students were crucial in this analysis, the researcher used a qualitative

research design to document the experiences of the teachers with regards to the

variables of the study.

Research Respondents/Participants

The purpose of this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study was to

identify the level of choosing a non-teaching job by education graduates and

career satisfaction by obtaining quantitative results from a survey of 12 teacher

education graduates and then following up with five (5) purposefully selected on

education graduate teachers to explore those results in more depth through an

in-depth interview. For this study, certain inclusion criteria were implemented in

determining the teacher respondents of the study. The primary consideration of

this study was to choose teacher respondents who could provide information to

achieve the purpose of this study. Hence, only those teachers who were officially

alumni of Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC). Moreover, the study was delimited

only to the nature of the problem based on the research questions and thus it did

not consider performance of the teacher education graduates.

Research Instrument
 67

In order to gather the quantitative data, on adapted survey questionnaires

were used. The tools were subjected to content validity by panel of experts and

pilot tested to obtain its reliability. The first part of the instrument was choosing a

non-teaching job by education graduates, which was adapted from the study of

Panlaqui and Bardemorilla (2023). The questionnaire is composed of 5-item

statements for each indicator of choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates. The adapted questionnaire has a Cronbach alpha value of .865 which means that it

has a good reliability.

Range of Descriptive
Interpretation
Means Equivalent

4.20 – 5.00 Very High Choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates is always evident.

3.40 – 4.19 High Choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates is oftentimes evident.

2.60 – 3.39 Moderate Choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates is sometimes evident.

1.80 – 2.59 Low Choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates is seldom evident.

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low Choosing a non-teaching job by education

graduates is never evident.

Indicated above is the numeric and descriptive interpretation of the extent

of choosing a non-teaching job by education graduates.

The second adopted questionnaire was developed by Lopes and Oliveira

(2020) was used to measure the career satisfaction. The adapted questionnaire

has a Cronbach alpha value of .967 which means that it has a good reliability.
 68

Indicated below is the numeric and descriptive interpretation of the extent

career satisfaction.

Range of Descriptive
Interpretation
Means Equivalent

4.20 – 5.00 Very High Career satisfaction is always evident.

3.40 – 4.19 High Career satisfaction is oftentimes evident.

2.60 – 3.39 Moderate Career satisfaction is sometimes evident.

1.80 – 2.59 Low Career satisfaction is seldom evident.

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low Career satisfaction is never evident.

Additionally, a team of experts validated the content of these

questionnaires. These experts come from various institutions. Based on criteria,

the experts evaluated the questionnaire. The researcher considered the advice

and comments of the experts. The instrument underwent pilot testing prior to its

final administration.

Meanwhile, in the qualitative phase, a semi-structured in-depth interview

was used. The researcher interviewed each participant using a validated

interview guide in this study. With the participants’ permission, the interviewer

jotted down notes. According to Guion (2002) An in-depth semi-structured

interview is described as a positive discussion of a specific topics taking to

individuals with a similar background and common interest.

Data Gathering Procedures

 69

On the quantitative phase, necessary steps were undertaken in the

conduct of the study. These steps were indicated below to gather the quantitative

data needed:

1. Asking Permission to Conduct a Study. The researcher submitted a

survey request to the Dean of the Graduate School of Rizal Memorial Colleges

and to the Office of Division Superintendent asking permission to conduct a

study. After the approval, the approved letter was presented to the principals of

the respondent-schools where the teachers are teaching.

2. Content Validation and Pilot Testing. Prior to the administration of

the questionnaire, the questionnaires were subjected to content validation by

panel of experts. They were given a validation sheet to assess the items which

were based on certain criteria. This was conducted via face-to-face setup. The

experts had affixed their signature in the form and indicated their responses and

comments.

After the conduct of validation test, pilot testing was administered to

selected teachers who were not covered in the study. A total of 30 teachers were

subjected to pilot testing. These teachers were not part of the official

respondents. The purpose of pilot testing was to assess the reliability of the

instrument. The pilot testing was conducted face-to-face. Each questionnaire

registered good and excellent reliability.

3. Administration and Distribution of the Questionnaire. Survey

questionnaires were administered and distributed via face-to-face set up to the

respondents of the study. Enough time was given to them to answer the survey
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form. Another way of accomplishing the survey was to personally hand the

questionnaire or place it in a dropbox where the identified respondents picked the

form and return it after they answer to the same dropbox.

4. Retrieval of the Questionnaire. Questionnaires were retrieved after

the respondents completely answered the items. These responses were

personally handed or placed in a drop box.

5. Analysis and Interpretation. Results were analyzed and interpreted

using statistical treatments. The statistical tools used were Mean and Pearson r.

In the qualitative side of the study, the researcher conducts the interview

with the respondents in a conducive, quit environment. The interview was

initiated individually for about 10-20 minutes. One-on-one in depth interview was

conducted to gather the live experiences of the participants with regards to the

school program that they may suggest to enrich the performance of non-

education graduate teachers to rise career satisfaction. On the conduct of the

one-on-one in-depth interview, the researcher used the validated interview

protocol and gave follow up questions to ensure saturation of answers. In

addition, the researcher discussed thoroughly the ethical considerations to the

participants. Also, the participants’ perspective on the phenomenon of interest

was unfolded according to how he/she viewed it and not as the researcher

viewed it. The interview involved a personal interaction where cooperation was

essential (Creswell, 2007). During the in-depth interview, the participants were

informed first that the process is going to be recorded. The responses were
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recorded with the permission of the participants and they were saved in a flash

drive.

Ethical Considerations

The researcher observed the ethical principles set forth by RMC’s

Research Ethics. These principles were social value, informed consent, risk,

benefits and safety, privacy and confidentiality of information, justice,

transparency, qualification of researcher, adequacy of facilities, and community

involvement.

Social Value. The goal of this study is to determine the extent of choosing

a non-teaching job by education graduates and career satisfaction. Certainly, this

study would be beneficial to several stakeholders. To the School Administrators,

this will provide relevant data to teachers who are teaching in the post pandemic.

The school administrators may send their teachers to professional engagement

activities to acquire valuable skills. To the learners, this will enable them to

engage in programs that will help to motivate themselves in avoiding absences.

Informed consent process. The study questions are clear of technical

words, making them easier to interpret for the respondents. It offers them a clear

picture of their advantages due to undertaking the study. The notion of respect

for the individual who may seek consent how and when it will be done is applied

to this study's informed consent approach. The researcher will ask permission

from the respondents through written consent. Approved letter from the Schools

Division Superintendent will be attached. The respondents will be informed on

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their duties and responsibilities while participating in the study. However, they

could withdraw anytime if they feel inconvenience.

Risks, Benefits, and Safety. The study will not involve high risks of

situations that the respondents may experience in physical, psychological, or

socio-economic concerns. The researcher believes that this research entails little

risk, with the probability and extent of any damages resulting from involvement in

the study is no more than those they could experience in their daily lives.

However, the researcher has a high risk of getting harmed physically due to

traveling to different locations as the research locale of the study. To lessen the

probability of occurrence, the research will evaluate the risk and decides on the

precautions on health and safety. Meanwhile, the result of the study will benefit

the teacher education graduates to pursue teaching profession.

Privacy and Confidentiality of Information. The researcher will ensure that

the respondents' personal information, which is essential for the study, will be

kept private and secured. At all times, the data acquired for this study will be kept

safe. Further, the researcher will adhere to the principles of transparency,

legitimate purpose, and proportionality in the collection, retention, and processing

of personal information (Data Privacy Act of 2012). This move will protect the

identities of the respondents and ensures that the data cannot be traced back to

the respondents. The manner of storage of data will be done in electronic saving.

The data will be kept to the researcher's email so that it could be retrieved

anytime when needed for the benefit of the research respondents.

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Justice. In this study, the researcher will treat all respondents equal. The

researcher will provide tokens to compensate the time spent by the respondents.

Additionally, this study will ensure that the rights of the respondents are

respected and honoured.

Transparency. In carrying out this study, the researcher will orient the

respondents on their roles and responsibilities. Also, the respondents will be

oriented on the methods utilized in this study. All the necessary documents that

will support the data analysis and will give the readers access to read to gain a

better understanding of the study's results and findings will be included. In the

presentation of findings, the researcher is objective in presenting the real results.

The results will be disseminated in a bigger forum either in conference, forum or

in a LAC session.

Qualification of Researcher. Since the researcher is able to complete the

academic units, thus, he is qualified to pursue this study. Evidence is he passed

the comprehensive examination. Meanwhile, advance statistical tools make the

researcher not comfortable since this requires the knowledge of statistician thus,

he asks the assistance of his adviser and panel members. Additionally, he can

also ask the expertise of his peers for coaching and mentoring purposes only.

Adequacy of Facilities. In this study, the researcher is able to access the

needed facilities and resources since it is available in the area like internet

sources and library. In case the researcher will find difficulty in the analysis of

data, he can tap a group of experts that will provide valuable feedbacks and
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suggestions not only in conducting the study but also in communicating the

results.

Community Involvement. The success of this study will not only benefit the

researcher but it will also contribute big to the community members. The findings

of the study will be shared to the people in the community on the significance of

the adaptability of teachers and anxiety. In this regard, they will be more aware

that it can contribute to the overall cognitive development of their students or

children. Further, the dissemination of findings will require permission from

authorities so that bigger audience can acquire relevant information on the

findings and recommendations of this study.

Data Analysis
The following statistical tools were used to answer the research questions:

Mean. This was used to assess the extent of choosing a non-teaching job

by education graduates and career satisfaction.

Pearson r. This was used to determine the relationship between choosing

a non-teaching job by education graduates and career satisfaction.

Thematic Content Analysis. According to Anderson (2007), Thematic

Content Analysis (TCA) is a descriptive presentation of qualitative data.

Qualitative data mat take form of interview transcripts collected from research

participants or other identified texts that reflect experientially on the topic of the

study. In this study, transcripts gathered from the interview or focus group

discussion will be analysed to produce meaningful themes.

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The six steps prescribed by Braun and Clarke (2006) to carry out a

thematic analysis are guidelines and should not be used as prescriptive, linear,

and inflexible rules when analysing data. They should rather be used in relation

to the research question and the available data. The six steps are as follows:

1. Familiarizing yourself with your data – this step requires the

researcher to be fully immersed and actively engaged in the data by firstly

transcribing the interactions and then reading (and re-reading) the transcripts

and/or listening to the recordings. Initial ideas should be noted down. It is

important that the researcher has a comprehensive understanding of the content

of the interaction and has familiarized him-/herself with all aspects of the data.

2. Generating initial codes – Once familiar with the data, the researcher

must then start identifying preliminary codes, which are the features of the data

that appear interesting and meaningful. These codes are more numerous and

specific that themes, but provide an indication of the context of the conversation.

3. Searching for themes – The third step in the process is the start of

the interpretive analysis of the collated codes. Relevant data extracts are sorted

(combined or split) according to overarching themes. The researcher’s thought

process should allude to the relationship between codes, subthemes, and

themes.

4. Reviewing themes – A deeper review of identified themes follows

where the researcher needs to question whether to combine, refine , separate,

or discard initial themes. Data within themes should cohere together

meaningfully, while there should be clear and identifiable distinctions between

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themes. This is usually done over two phases, where the themes need to be

checked in relation to the coded extracts (phase 1), and then for the overall data

set (phase 2). A thematic ‘map’ can be generated form this step.

5. Defining and naming themes - this step involves ‘refining and

defining’ themes and potential subthemes within the data. On-going analysis is

required to further enhance the identified themes. The researcher needs to

provide theme names and clear working definitions that capture the essence of

each theme in a concise and punchy manner. At this point, a unified story of the

data needs to emerge from the themes.

6. Producing the report - Finally, the researcher needs to transform

his/her analysis into an interpretable piece of writing by using vivid and

compelling extracts examples that relate to the themes, research question, and

literature. The report must rely on the results of the analysis in a way that

convinces the reader of the merit and validity of the analysis. It must go beyond

an evidence that addresses the research question.

Sequence, Emphasis and Mixing Procedures

Sequence. Explanatory sequential mixed method design was used in this

study. This means that both the quantitative phase and qualitative phase were

concurrently conducted. For quantitative strand, one survey instrument having

three (3) parts each variable composed of adapted questionnaires to measure

the variables in this study taken from previous researchers bearing similar topic

of the study were administered to the 12 teacher education graduates of rizal

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Memorial Colleges (RMC), Davao City. For qualitative strand, a researcher-

made interview guide was crafted to elicit information form the research

participants during the in-depth interview. The information was then transcribed

and analysed using coding and thematic analysis to determine the emerging

themes based on the responses of the learner participants.

Emphasis. The quantitative data and qualitative were given equal

emphasis in this study. The findings were integrated during the interpretation

phase of the study. The convergent design framework shows two strands with

the data collection and analysis from the quantitative and qualitative strands.

Mixing. The design required a substantial length of time to complete all

data collection given the two separate phases. The researcher typically

connected the two strands (Creswell, 2003). The rationale for this approach was

that the quantitative data and their subsequent analysis provided a general

understanding of the research problem. The quantitative data and their analysis

were used to explain those statistical results by exploring participants’ views in

more depth (Rossman and Wilson 1985; Tashakkori and Teddie 1998; Creswell,

2003).

It is shown in Figure 2, the systematic procedure of the study. It

demonstrated the use of convergent mixed methods design, where quantitative

data and qualitative data were corroborated to determine the performance of

non-education graduate teachers to rise career satisfaction of teachers

administered to the participants who were selected through purposive sampling.

Then, after giving adequate time, the survey questionnaires were collected by
 78

the researcher, responses of the participants were encoded and qualitative

phase were conducted simultaneously in the selected teachers of Binugao

District Davao City Division. In the quantitative strand, a validated survey

questionnaire was analysed using computer application and the answers of the

participants were numeric data as the output. In addition, in analysing the

quantitative data, appropriate statistical tools used were weighted mean and

Pearson’s r product moment correlation. After treatments, data will be presented

according to the sequence of the research problems.

In qualitative data strand, the researcher purposely selected the

participants based on the quantitative data findings for the in-depth interview.

Schedule of the interview was set at the convenience of the participants

considering that the participants have classes being learners. Every detail of the

responses was taken into consideration but those that were not relevant to the

study were not reflected. In addition, the interview proceedings were recorded

with the consent of the participants. In analysing the qualitative data, discourse

and narrative analysis were used. The results from qualitative strand were

compared with the quantitative data to determine if they corroborated. They

were discussed leading to the interpretation of phenomenon of the study.

● Asking Permission to Conduct a

QUANTITATIVE DATA Study.
COLLECTION AND ● Content Validation and Pilot
ANALYSIS Testing.
● Administration and Distribution
of the Questionnaire.
● Retrieval of the Questionnaire.
● Analysis and Interpretation
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FOLLOW-UP
WITH

● Familiarizing yourself with your

QUALIITATIVE DATA data
COLLECTION AND ● Generating initial codes
ANALYSIS ● Searching for themes
● Reviewing themes
● Defining and naming themes
● Producing the report

QUALITATIVE
EXPLANATION ON
QUANTITATIVE
RSULTS

Figure 2. Flow of Procedures