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CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Teachers are the front lines of the Department of Education (DepEd) in

delivering its curriculum, services, and skills mastery to the learners. Putting

them on the frontlines of the education system, the state must consider their

physical, mental, social, and psychological well-being, and education officials

must ensure that they have the necessary knowledge, cognitive perspective,

skills enhancement, and technical competence to serve learners with different

needs. Their mental understanding should be sound, and their level of stress

must be tolerable (Jimenez, 2021). To give ample support for teachers, Vice

President and Deped Secreatry Sarah Duterte noted that under the “MATATAG”

agenda, the fourth components known as give support to teachers to teach

better. This includes continuously provides professional development programs

including graduate degree scholarship programs to teachers focusing on their

learning area specialization and graduate certificate programs for non-majors.

Further, the government will provide support in terms of innovative, responsive,

and inclusive teaching approaches following the Philippine Professional

Standards for Teachers (PPST).

Furthermore, Duterte underscored the need for teachers to return to the

classrooms and teach instead of being burdened with backbreaking and time-

consuming administrative tasks. Thus, DepEd will remove non-teaching tasks

and provide administrative officers in schools. Moreover, the government will

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fast-track the implementation of the career progression policy so teachers get

more opportunities for promotion. In addition to, Deped will implement the policy

on the distribution of teacher workload and payment of teaching overload, closely

coordinating with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for an

improved and superior benefits package, expand the coverage for the grant of

Special Hardship Allowances, provision of free annual physical examinations and

provide free legal assistance facility for teachers on matters concerning loan

contracts, obligations, and cases (Malipot, 2023).

Teachers’ psychological and mental health is of utmost importance as it

indirectly affects the students they teach. Anxiety and perceived stress are

predicted by workload, student behaviour, and employment conditions among

Canadian teachers. Teacher stress contributes to teacher anxiety and may

trigger anger, further intensifying anxiety. The published literature shows that

participants who reported high anxiety levels also reported high burnout levels

(Agyapong et. al., 2022). In United States, feeling anxious as a teacher can be

exacerbating if unsupported and isolated. The nature of the job can be

isolating, because a teacher spends most of the day talking to children in the

classroom, only coming together with other adults to talk in the staffroom.

Teachers can also deal with issues that can be emotionally challenging in

schools, such as pupils being taken into care or taking on a role as a pupil’s

confidant as they talk about difficult situations at home (Blackwood, 2023)

Study of Billote (2022) found that the lack of preparedness and experience

in digital competencies and remote learning methods are seen to be the causes
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of anxiety among teachers in Batanes. Secondary school teachers experience a

moderate level of anxiety because of the lack of knowledge and skills necessary

for distance education and the time-consuming process, especially for older

teachers (Joshi et al., 2020). Study of Arnaldo (2022) sought out that daily

commutes, poor public transportation, bumper-to-bumper traffic, the threat of

COVID-19, and a bigger lack of time for the self were factors of anxiety among

teachers in Central, Luzon. Additionally, there was no longer a distinct

separation between work and personal life – work-life balance was moot, and

compartmentalizing one’s office life and home life was no longer possible. Both

aspects merged, and the lines between rest and grind were blurred.

Study of Ferrando and Balones (2021) found that teachers in San Isidro,

Davao Oriental have high level of symptoms of anxiety for both experienced and

novice teachers. In fact, a high level of anxiousness was felt by teachers across

all genders. This, in turn, affirms that teaching is indeed a highly-stressful career

to undertake. In the article of Sunstar Davao written by Casamayor (2019)

reported that according to Elenito Escalante, Alliance of Concerned Teachers

(ACT)-Davao Region President, the past suicide incidents of teachers allegedly

due to depression in the city and in other places could be connected to too much

workload and pressure from the piled up requirements. He added that this has

been a perennial problem because teachers have always been overworked yet

underpaid. Teachers are overworked because almost all agencies of the

government deputize teachers to do their job.

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With the above-facts, the researcher would like to have an empirical

evidence based on scientific approach on the perceived adaptive skills on anxiety

issues of public elementary teachers in the Division of Davao City.

Review of Significant Literature

This chapter presents the principles, theories and foreign and local

literature of authorities that have bearing to the study. Likewise, other similar

researchers were included to give sufficient background and information

necessary for the realization of this study. The readings were carefully chosen as

to its significant contribution to the purpose of this study which were focused on

the adaptive skills on anxiety issues of public elementary teachers

Adaptability of Teachers

Teaching work is that it involves novelty, change, and uncertainty on a

daily basis. Being able to respond effectively to this change is known as

adaptability (Collie and Martin, 2016). Adaptability is a person’s skill to change

his actions, course, or approach to suit a new situation. People are changing

their lifestyles constantly because our world is always changing. When there is a

shortage of a commodity in the market, they switch their demand to substitute

goods. It is not only about adjusting to a situation or changing something. It

covers being able to effect changes during action with smoothness and

timeliness, without any significant setbacks. It is necessary to acquire this skill if

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there are many uncontrollable factors in our environment, such as laws and

economic factors (cleverism.com, 2018; Munda, 2019).

It appears that adaptable workers are more highly valued than highly

skilled workers but may not be as open to change. Solutions must be open to

alternatives when the first concept does not work. Other than that, he must be

prepared to undertake new activities even if they are outside of his training,

flexible enough to find solutions or conceive of ideas, and appreciative of

unexpected developments. In addition, he must maintain his composure when

things are happening quickly or in a state of stress and demonstrate the

competence to perform even while adjusting. Trades, factories, factories, and

mining will exist, and technical skills will be required to maintain their

employment. Nonetheless, soft skills are becoming increasingly important for

workers in all occupations (Munda, 2019).

Adaptability is vital for teachers Collie and her colleagues (2018)

underlined that just as public life is full of fluctuations, uncertainties, working life

is full of new

situations for men. The term “just as working life’s path is changeable, public

service has to them” for instance, in the workplace, teachers come across many

learners to whom they must adapt, and respond to changing requirements, as

well as unexpected scenarios in the classroom, and colleagues, as well as well

as meet, and students, and parents, and all at the same time. These situations

call for teachers to be handled in an adaptive manner. Increasing student

attention might be done by keeping the lesson on schedule, tolerating failure

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when a lesson does not go as planned, or adjusting teamwork with new

coworkers. The authors further explained that instructional content must be

tailored to students’ varying needs, which should be accompanied by changes in

learning support as student’s advance in their understanding of content, and

classroom management strategies adjusted as the students’ level of expertise

develops. Teachers also need to keep up with changes in the entire school by

effectively responding to the demands of their students. Teachers must be able

to make changes to their work settings if they are to perform optimally at work

(Collie and Martin, 2016; Munda, 2019).

Researchers stressed that adaptability is something teachers require

regularly, and it likely plays a vital role in helping them navigate the demands of

their work. Collie and Martin’s (2017) prior research found support for this. They

found that when teachers are more adaptable, they tend to report better well-

being. They also examined whether there were additional connections with

students’ achievement. Results showed that when teachers were more adaptable

and had better well-being, their students had higher achievement (Collie &

Martin, 2018). Thus, teachers’ adaptability is very significant and much needed in

typical situations and pandemic times.

Likewise, Jiggs et al. (2014) asked more than 1,100 employers and

educators what they thought about the state of employability skills in the UK. The

results show that adaptability and communication skills were seen by employers

as having grown in importance over the last ten years. More than 60 percent of

employers felt adaptability had become more critical over the previous decade.
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When asked about the importance of skills right now, employers ranked problem-

solving as the most important of the seven skills; 19 percent of those surveyed

put problem-solving in the first place. Creativity follows (ranked as most important

by 17 percent of employers), leadership, and adaptability (both with 16 percent).

It suggests that when employers look back over a decade of labor market change

or look forward to future changes, communication and adaptability are at the

forefront of their minds.

Further, study of Collie and Martin (2017) revealed that perceived

autonomy support was positively associated with teachers' adaptability, and that

both constructs were positively associated with teachers' well-being and

organizational commitment. In addition, there were several associations between

the teacher constructs and students' numeracy achievement. Findings have

implications for understanding teachers' responses to the inherently changing

demands of their work.

Furthermore, study of Collie, Granziera, Martin, Burns, and Holliman

(2020) showed that schools with greater disruptive student behavior in science

scheme tended to have lower school-average science teacher adaptability.

Schools with more adaptable science teachers tended to have greater school-

average science teacher self-efficacy, and in turn, greater school-average

student self-efficacy for science learning.

Moreover, Collie and Martin, (2018) asked 164 secondary school teachers

in Australia to rate their adaptability, their experiences of labor disengagement,

and their job commitment. The results showed that teachers tended to report
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lower work disengagement and, in turn, more outstanding job commitment when

they were more adaptable. Adaptable teachers can effectively navigate the

constant change, novelty, and uncertainty that occur in teaching. It may aid the

teachers avoid the outlooks of helplessness that lead to disengagement. They

also asked teachers about the extent to which they felt the principal listens to

teachers’ perspectives and supports their initiative and innovation. The findings

showed that when teachers reported principal support, they tended to be more

adaptable.

Self-awareness. Self-awareness has been defined as the ability to

observe and identify one’s own thoughts, feelings, mental states, actions,

reactions, and interactions in any present situation (Hanson, 2000 in Fung,

2011). Self-awareness represents the capacity of becoming the object of one’s

own attention. In this state one actively identifies, processes, and stores

information about the self. Main effects and functions of self-attention consist in

self-evaluation, escape from the self, amplification of one’s subjective

experience, increased self-knowledge, self-regulation, and inferences about

others’ mental states (Theory-of-Mind). A neurocognitive and socioecological

model of self-awareness is described in which the role of face-to-face

interactions, reflected appraisals, mirrors, media, inner speech, imagery,

autobiographical knowledge, and neurological structures is underlined (Morin,

2011).
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In study of Fung, (2011) sought that the construct of self-awareness has

endured without much criticism. Hansen (2009) noted that self-awareness rests

on four core assumptions: (a) the self must exist, (b) this self must be available

for introspection, (c) the self must have an enduring essence, and (d) the self

must be able to be represented by language. Hansen (2009) argued that

awareness errantly suggests finality and accuracy; therefore, he suggested using

the term self-storying. Hansen elaborated that one’s self-knowledge develops

from ongoing, internal narratives. Consequently, the self is not final and people

may not be able to accurately know themselves. Similarly, stories are not final,

objective truth. They can change as the individual changes. Storying also

encourages active generation of new narratives on a continuing basis. The

storying concept bears some similarity to the human’s “constant state of

recreating the self” (Hanson, 2000, p. 98) and Adler’s (1964) concept of the

creative self, wherein humans strive to achieve their full potential through self-

awareness. Nevertheless, Hansen’s suggestion to change the term from self-

awareness to self-storying is fairly recent and has not received much attention,

whether as praise or criticism, although Weis, Hanson, and Arneson (2009)

echoed that all of self-awareness, no matter how accurate, is ephemeral and

transitory, meaning it will be different in 2 hours than it is now.

Deikman (1983) in Fung (2011) coined the term observing self to describe

the self-taking on the role of a witness noticing what is going on inside oneself

without judgment or evaluation. Thus, self-awareness involves thinking about

one’s own thoughts and affective processes. It also involves being simply aware
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of oneself in the moment—absent any judgment or analysis. Although Lindsay

(1978) agreed that self-awareness is recognition of one’s own behavior, he did

not comment on whether judgment or analysis is present. However, he did add

that self-awareness involves identifying attitudes, feelings, and values that

accompany the behavior. In other words, the inner source of behavior is

recognized. This presents a somewhat deeper definition than that of Hanson

(2000).

Further, Goukens, Dewitte and Warlop (2009) defined self-awareness

somewhat differently. In their article, self-awareness is general attention focused

on oneself. This attention can be classified as public and private self-awareness.

Public self-awareness involves “the awareness of oneself from the imagined

perspective of others” (p. 683). Private self-awareness refers to “awareness of

oneself from a personal perspective” (p. 683). Attention to the private self

normally produces behaviors that stem from personal attitudes, whereas the

public self generates actions that meet societal expectations. Hanson (2000)

presented yet another way of thinking about self-awareness. He briefly explained

that the early roots of awareness stem from Freudian theory about conscious

versus unconscious thought. Freud held that awareness of self-resides in the

unconscious and is usually inaccessible (Fung, 2011). Meanwhile, Adler, a

former student of Freud, rejected these theories and posited that rather than self-

awareness requiring the movement of thoughts from unconsciousness into

consciousness, self-awareness is an ongoing process of education from

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obscurity to clear understanding (as cited in Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956).

Adler’s theories imply that increasing self-awareness is possible (Fung, 2011).

Furthermore, self-awareness also has been discussed in the literature on

emotional intelligence (EI). Goleman (1995) defined self-awareness as knowing

oneself and being aware of one’s emotions as they occur. It is through the

knowledge of emotions that individuals are able to have empathy and

compassion for others. Similarly, Akers and Porter (2003) argued that self-

awareness consists of emotional awareness, the ability to recognize one’s own

emotions, and self-confidence, a feeling of certainty about self-worth and

capabilities. Expanding on the private and public definitions of the author,

Roysircar (2004) conceptualized cultural self-awareness. He explained that a

culturally self-aware individual is one who has the ability to become aware of his

or her own values, pre-conceived notions, basic values, limitations, and

assumptions about human behavior. In this sense, cultural self-awareness is

similar to self-awareness as described by other scholars. However, cultural self-

awareness emphasizes the derivations of the source of behavior. In other words,

this description takes self-awareness to an even deeper level, identifying cultural

heritage as the source of values, assumptions, and feelings that in turn produce

outward behavior Fung (2011).

Still, Taylor, and Leslie (1993) in Fung (2011) defined self-awareness as

self-rater agreement, given that this has been the accepted definition by the

many multi-source, multi-rater systems (e.g., 360- degree feedback) that have

gained popularity in recent years. In these systems, the rater (called the target)
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rates oneself on a number of dimensions and then receives feedback on those

same dimensions from several different sources. The more similar the target’s

ratings to the aggregated ratings of the raters, the more self-aware the target is

said to be. In other words, the target is self-aware if his or her self-perceptions

are consistent with others’ perceptions of him or her. Although self-rater

agreement provides a concrete method for measuring self-awareness, it yields

an incomplete picture of what self-awareness is and what it encompasses.

Moreover, Higgs and Rowland (2010) found that self-awareness in senior

leaders was a good predictor of managing change in high stress environments.

The researchers found that self-awareness helped the leader work in the

moment and know when his/her ego was affecting decision making. Their study

provides a good narrative of the experiences of organizational leaders, but the

qualitative design and a lack of a standardized self-awareness measurement

makes it difficult to generalize these findings outside of the study. Likewise, in a

quantitative study, Bratton, Dodd, and Brown (2011) researched self-awareness

and Emotional Intelligence in a North American business population. The

research found that self-awareness was positively correlated to higher ratings in

job performance for leaders that underestimated their leadership ability. Also,

Dane and Brummel (2013) conducted quantitative research to study aspects of

awareness and job performance and engagement in a dynamic service industry.

Performance was assessed by immediate supervisors in a survey and found that

there was a relationship between mindfulness (in the moment awareness) and

performance. The study showed the importance of self-awareness in workplace

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performance. The employees did not receive any self-awareness training, but

were tested and assessed on innate (trait) self-awareness competencies, Franz

(2020).

On the other hand, for educators, study of Vadivel and Saedian (2021)

revealed that the majority of the teachers showed self-awareness towards

professional development and believed in collaborative work as a path to

improve their skills creatively and continuously. They believed that self-

awareness grows them professionally, activities, and the challenges that inhibit

the growth or development of their teaching skills. Also, study of Llurda and

Huguet (2003) sought that primary and secondary teachers clearly differ in

their self-awareness regarding language proficiency and teaching views.

In addition, study of Hassan, Robani and Bokhari (20215) revealed the

important role of self-awareness specifically the newly-founded sub-domain i.e.

intent, in enhancing teachers’ emotional intelligence in relation to teaching

efficacy and satisfaction. Teachers need to understand the role of emotions in

teaching and learning and how to use and regulate it productively in the process

of teaching and learning. Teachers who demonstrate interpersonal skills and

emotional intelligence in teaching and learning are able to handle conflicts and

solve problems in class regardless of the students’ diverse ethnic, socio-

economic status or different skill levels. This will definitely contribute to positive

and productive student-teacher relationship in turn, positive educational

outcomes.
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Moreover, study of Park, Riley and Branch (2020) posited that

mindfulness offers a pathway for preservice teachers to develop self-awareness,

which is an essential part of personal and professional growth. They suggested

that educators need to provide meaningful learning experiences and activities,

which could help their students develop the personal qualities necessary to teach

with high self-confidence.

Personal Management. Personal management or self-management skills

involve your ability to control your feelings, thoughts and actions. With this skill,

you can set independent goals and take action to realize them. In the long run,

personal management skills help direct your career trajectory, Indeed Editorial

Team (2019). Self-Management is the ability to effectively manage your

emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations. This includes managing

stress, delaying gratification, motivating yourself, and setting and working toward

personal and academic goals, Transforming education (2018). Self-

management as the ability to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors

effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. In other

words, having self-management means to be able to conduct yourself

appropriately in a variety of situations so you can participate fully. You may also

hear it referred to as: self-regulation (Peyton, 2020).

Personal management is our ability to manage our behaviors,

thoughts, and emotions in a conscious and productive way. Someone with

strong self-management skills knows what to do and how to act in different

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situations. For instance, they know how to control their anger when the

umpire unfairly calls their child out at a little league game. They know how to

avoid distractions while working from home, so they can maintain focus and

stay productive. They know what they need to do to achieve their fitness

goals— and they follow through. Personal or self-management definition has

its roots in emotional intelligence theory, where this capability may also be

referred to as self-regulation. Self-regulation is supported by our capacity for

self-awareness, which helps us create conscious access to our thoughts,

desires, and feelings. Only once we are aware of these things, can we begin

to control and express them appropriately, Munro (2021).

According to the study of Indeed Editorial Team (2019), here are some

examples of the personal management skills you need to achieve your goals and

boost career development. First, communication skills which are vital to effective

collaboration. Communication involves four aspects: written, verbal, nonverbal

and visual communication skills. They're a crucial part of every interaction as

they help you express your message clearly and receive vital information to help

you excel in your role. You can request information from team members,

delegate tasks and share ideas and learn new strategies. Communication skills

also support you in building strong professional relationships with your

colleagues, customers and clients. Second, the ability to work under pressure.

Staying calm and working well under stress helps you stay focused on the task at

hand. Being organized, multitasking and effective communication are all ways to

prepare yourself to manage busy days or tight deadlines. Third, time

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management skills which are vital to successful career development. Developing

or improving these skills ensures you can prioritize tasks, maintain focus and

avoid distractions. This then enables you to meet deadlines, delegate tasks when

necessary, and achieve company goals. Keeping a to-do list and monitoring what

you need to get done every day is one way to manage your time. Aim to

complete work before the deadline, so you have plenty of time to make revisions

and don't need to rush.

Additionally, organization skills should apply to every aspect of your life.

They're an essential part of career development and highly valued by employers.

Well-organized people can schedule their time more efficiently, prioritize tasks

and manage their responsibilities to ensure they can deliver in the workplace.

The fifth skill is goal setting which involves the ability to identify what you intend

to achieve in a well-defined and clear manner. This is vital to your workplace and

career development as it helps you determine what is important and take steps

towards achieving them within a specified time. This keeps you motivated and

focused on achieving your goals. Setting short- and long-term goals is a great

way to start. Sixth, versatility refers to being proficient or knowledgeable in

various areas. Companies now consider versatile people indispensable as they

bring multiple options to a team. When you're versatile, you can easily fit into new

teams and improve their overall performance. Seventh, Teamwork involves

relating well with your colleagues and sharing equal responsibility to work

towards a common goal. Even roles that are largely independent involve some

level of teamwork, so a positive attitude and the ability to work with others is vital
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to your career development. Companies value team players and those with

interpersonal skills. Eighth, accountability involves taking personal responsibility

for your actions and thoughts. It ensures that you can evaluate your decision

objectively and confidently make decisions. Accountable people are also

dependable and are happy to learn from their mistakes and improve

continuously. The last skill to improve personal management is self-motivation.

Self-motivated people push themselves through their passion and desire for

success, ensuring that they can remain productive in the face of external factors.

It's a vital aspect of making progress in various projects and activities that you

engage in, Indeed Editorial Team (2019).

On the other hand, Lorig, and Holman (2003) revealed the five core self-

management skills by Robert Wood Johnson. By definition self-management

education is problem based. Thus, it is logical that problem solving is a core self-

management skill. This does not mean that people are taught solutions to their

problems. Rather, they are taught basic problem-solving skills. These include

problem definition, generation of possible solutions including the solicitation of

suggestions from friends and health care professionals, solution implementation,

and evaluation of results. A second self-management skill is decision making.

When this decision making is part of problem solving, it is part of the D’Zurilla

model. Decision making is based on having enough and appropriate information.

The formation of these key messages to foster appropriate decision making is

central to self-management education. A third core self-management skill is how

to find and utilize resources. Many programs tell participants about resources but
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do not teach participants how to use the phone book, 800 numbers, the Internet,

the library, and community resource guides. In addition to teaching people how to

use resources, self-management includes helping people seek these out from

many sources. When looking for a resource, most people will call only one at a

time and wait for information. If that does not work, they try another. However, for

best results, it is important to contact several potential resources at the same

time as if casting a net for information.

The fourth self-management skill is helping people to form partnerships

with their health care providers. A little historical perspective is necessary to truly

understand this skill. When dealing with a long-term illness, the role of the health

care provider becomes that of teacher and partner as well as professional

supervisor. The final skill is taking action. This can be acquainted with solution

implementation in the D’Zurilla model and with skill mastery in the self-efficacy

model. Taking action may seem more like a decision than a skill but, in fact, there

are skills involved in learning how to change a behavior. The most important of

these is probably making a short-term action plan and carrying it out. Making an

action plan is a little like making a New Year’s resolution but of shorter duration

and much more specific.

Agreeing to the study of Munro (2021) self-management means you

understand your personal responsibility in different aspects of your life, and

you do what you need to fulfill that responsibility. Those with well-developed

self-awareness and self-regulation are well-positioned to develop a set of

self-management skills that support them on their work and personal

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journeys. Those with well-developed self-awareness and self-regulation are

well-positioned to develop a set of self-management skills that support them

on their work and personal journeys .

Likewise, Bhasin (2019) posited personal management is a managerial

function that is concerned with the people and their relationship within an

organization. Remember a satisfied workforce can take the company to

unimaginable heights, and this is why a business entity creates a separate

personal management department. It plays a significant role in a company as it

can plan and organize its manpower to utilize both human and material

resources admirably. The personal management team selects and hires

employees as per the requirement of its company, offers them the necessary

training to become better and develop their working, ensures proper working

conditions and encourages a harmonious relationship between workforce and

management. Personal management offers effective incentives to motivate and

encourage full co-operation. It stimulates the workings of its workforce to

increase competency and potential.

From an organizational perspective, self-management is even more

important when we talk about empowering employees across the organization

to be more innovative and resourceful. The ability of team members to self-

manage is critical to the effective functioning of an organization. When every

team member understands their responsibilities, goals, and what it takes to

achieve them, they can make better decisions and do their part to achieve

the team and organization objectives. Part of effective self-management with

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empowerment is that employees make good decisions about when to seek

additional help or input, Munro (2021).

Similarly, personal management skills increase productivity and

workplace performance. As a result, companies look for candidates with

exceptional personal management skills when hiring. Improving your personal

management skills will help you be more employable and stay relevant in your

chosen industry. In this article, we explore what personal management skills are

and offer insightful tips on how to improve them to advance your career (Indeed

Editorial Team, 2021).

In education, self-management is a key enabler for all learning (for

children and adults!) whether for academic subjects, other content areas, or skills

like playing a musical instrument. Self-management allows students to follow

through on plans to complete assignments, study for tests, and stay focused in

class. In adults, it is critical to reaching goals related to learning or life, like

developing a new professional skill or keeping to a diet. Transforming education

(2018)

Self-management is an essential skill for effective teaching and learning. It

will help both teachers and students benefit from organization, clarity,

transparency and meaningful reflection. Teachers and students need to have a

range of different skills and attributes that are critical to be able to manage time,

communicate effectively, to make decisions, to maintain effective relationships

and to manage all requirements associated the learning process. For this reason,
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it is important to be aware of some self-development techniques Transforming

education (2018)

Study of Peyton (2020) viewed for teachers, practicing self-management

yourself then makes it easier to teach these skills to your class. There are other

tangible things a teacher can implement to support self-management efforts in

the classroom, too. First, set up an achievable daily schedule or routine. Avoid

planning 9 hours’ worth of lessons in a 7 hour day. Second, break big tasks down

into smaller steps. Third, come up with a mantra that you can repeat to yourself

when “that student” is giving you a hard time (and don’t forget that they aren’t

trying to give you a hard time, they are just having a hard time themselves!).

Next, take mindful breaks with your students when you need a minute to breathe

or a moment of silence. Then, keep a journal to reflect on parts of your day that

felt “out of control” and come up with action steps for what you could do next

time. Finally, make time for yourself.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making. According to Mayer (2006), a

problem happens when in any given situation, a goal or objective state needs to

be fulfilled, and there is no predictable or regular method of solution available. In

simple language, problem can be defined as any state in any area of life where a

person wants to reach a destination or complete a task within a certain amount of

time but doesn’t know how to reach that desired location or reduce the gap

between their current condition and where they want to reach in an efficient

way. A problem is considered to occur, “when a living creature has a goal but

does not know how this goal is to be reached. Whenever one cannot go from the
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given situation to the desired situation simply by action, then there has to be

recourse to thinking (Rahman, 2018).

Problem solving theory and practice suggest that thinking is more

important in solving problems than knowledge and that it is possible to teach

thinking in situations where little or no knowledge of the problem is needed. Such

an assumption has led problem solving advocates to champion content-less

heuristics as the primary element of problem solving while relegating the

knowledge base and the transfer or application of conceptual knowledge to

secondary status. Yet if one analyzes the meaning of problem solving, the

knowledge base and the transfer of that knowledge are the most essential

elements in solving problems. Problem solving is only one type of a larger

category of thinking skills that teachers use to teach students how to think

(Carson, 2007).

The problem solving process includes also cognition of progress. If the

solution ought to be successful, the individual has to perceive the aftermaths of

his/her own acting in the individual phases of the problem solving, he/she has to

verify if the action had a positive effect on the problem solving itself, if he/she

gets closer to the expected aim or whether he/she gets more distant from it. The

unexpected events can intervene in the way of the solving that change the

problematic situation and can have an influence on the solving process. The

resolution of the problem can be described as a state characterized as the

removal, disappearance or fading of the difficulties, conflict, unrest, feeling of

uncertainty, or a concern. The two possible ways of reaching the resolution were
 23

already discussed as these are internal and external ways. The solving does not

have to be based on the individual who experiences the problem and feels it -

another individual or a group of cooperating individuals can contribute to those

before-mentioned ways. In extreme cases does not the individual experiencing

the difficulty or a conflict have to perform any action and the problem can be

solved as a result of the spontaneous change of the acting circumstances or the

change caused by another person, (Dostal, 2015).

Problem-solving skill is defined as a person's ability to engage in cognitive

processes when understanding and solving problems for which the method of

solving is not readily available. Problem-solving skill is one of the important skills

provided to prospective teacher students because, in addition to developing

thinking skills, it also trains students' ability to manage learning to develop

thinking skills. Problem-solving is an important skill for students so that it should

be an important element of learning design at every level of education (Ismet,

2019).

Similarly, Rahman (2019) viewed problem-solving is an intellectual

process of the brain, which explores the explanation to a specified problem or

discovers a technique to comprehend the given goal. The brain uses the

maximum cognitive functions like analytical thinking, generalization, and

synthesis in problem-solving, which involves features such as the scientific way,

critical thinking, decision-making, and reflective thinking. PISA (2012) defined

problem-solving competence as an individual’s capacity to engage in cognitive

processing to understand and resolve problem situations where a method of

 24

solution is not immediately obvious. It includes the willingness to engage with

such situations in order to achieve one’s potential as a constructive and reflective

citizen.

Study of Rahman (2019) sought that problem-solving is a process, which

involves systematic observation and critical thinking to find an appropriate

solution or way to reach the desired goal. Problem-solving consisted of two

major skills: observation and critical thinking skill. Observation skill refers to

collecting data, understanding and interpreting the meaning of the information

using all the senses. Critical thinking involves the individual’s ability to do the

following: conceptualizing, logical reasoning, applying strategy, analytical

thinking, decision making and synthesizing to solve any problem.

In education perspective, study of Ismet (2019) posited that teachers plays

an important role in providing life skills to their students, including problem-

solving skills. Teachers' perceptions and knowledge will influence the way they

provide these skills to students. In research on the perceptions of teachers as

practitioners and experts on problem-solving skills, it was found that 100% of

practitioners and experts agreed on the importance of providing problem-solving

skills to students for their future life. The importance of these skills is also

recognized by several curriculum standards in various countries in the world.

However, the reasons for the importance of problem-solving skills for both sides

are slightly different. The opinion of experts is the same as found by regarding

the perception of preservice teachers in Turkey about problem-solving learning.

Meanwhile, teachers as practitioner’s view problem solving as important for the

 25

future of students, and it also makes learning more interesting, is closely related

to decision-making skills, and trains students' thinking processes. Practitioners

and experts perceive that problem solving skills should be taught to students, but

the methods and strategies are significantly different depending on their

knowledge, belief, teaching context, and personal background.

Similarly, study of Carson (2007) posited that problem solving is only one

type of a larger category of thinking skills that teachers use to teach students

how to think. Problem solving would be more effective if the knowledge base and

the application of that knowledge were the primary principles of the theory and

practice. In other words, teachers must not only teach students the heuristic and

set their students free upon the problems of everyday life. Rather, teachers must,

in addition to teaching students sound thinking skills, teach them what knowledge

in the past has been successful at solving the problems and why.

Decision-making. Decisions about what to buy, whom to vote for, or where

to live shape many aspects of our lives, (Shafir, Tversky, Smith and Osherson,

2002). Decision-making is the process whereby an individual, group or

organization reaches conclusions about what future actions to pursue given a set

of objectives and limits on available resources. This process will be often

iterative, involving issue-framing, intelligence-gathering, coming to conclusions

and learning from experience, (Shoemaker and Russo, 2014).

Decision making is part of problem solving because, in the problem-

solving process, decision-making skills are needed. Thus, some researchers

argue that these two skills can be the same and can be used together.
 26

Meanwhile, others consider that these skills are different. Problem solving means

preparing an action plan to eliminate the gap between the current situation and

the desired situation while decision-making means defining a solution because it

requires goals or targets from various available solutions. In other words,

alternative solutions are required to choose the best. It can be concluded that

experts perceive that decision-making skills are different from problem-solving

skills while 9%of practitioners perceive that both skills are the same, (Ismet,

2020).

Decision making is an intellectual process of selecting optimal and best

option among many alternative choices. It results in an outcome which can be in

form of action. Decision making is an important process in any business

organization. Lots of resources are involved in it. Decision making process

involves the existence of a decision problem which have be understood by the

decision-maker and accurately defined to find opportunities to solve it. Incorrect

decisions may lead to downfall of the organization, that‘s why the process

followed needs to be correct (Suraj Panpatt and Takale, 2019).

Study of Mast (2012) viewed that decision making is a broad topic

providing many possible angles from which to view any one situation. For the

context of this case study, decision making processes will be examined from a

planning perspective. Planning, as a type of decision making, will be conceived

as parallel concept to decision making in this study. As a discipline, planning is

often considered a rational, step-by-step process using protocols and relevant

information that lead planners to logical products. In the same way, the concept
 27

of decision making presents evidence as an arrow pointing in the correct

direction. Collaborative planning models and research in evidence based

decision making illuminate messier processes and murkier decision making rules

that may or may not link solidly to evidence. Each area is governed by social,

cultural, and political realities situated in unique and fluctuating contexts. Making

sense of all the information and context within any decision making situation is a

complex process.

Decision making process requires thinking process, time, resources and

past experiences. Thinking process plays an important role in this process.

Decision plays important role as they determine both organizational and

managerial activities. Decision is made at every level of management to ensure

organization or business goal are achieved. Every organization needs to make

effective decision at one or other as part of managerial process. Decision made

by the organization is to lighten the way forward. The most of the management

decisions are taken under the influence of external and internal environmental

constraints. As the environment is constantly changing and the information is not

always complete and available, management decisions can be made in certain,

uncertain and risky conditions (Suraj Panpatte and Takale, 2019).

Study of Mast (2012) found out that there are times when the decision

outcome would be the same if made by an individual or a group behind closed

doors in short periods of time, or made with the benefit of some sort of input

gathering process. This case highlights the effects of using an initial decision

making process which did not match the contextual environment. The decision
 28

itself was not the most important outcome in this case. Rather, the importance of

considering the political and social dynamics of any given situation when

designing a decision making process, and ensuring the process includes a

variety of viewpoints, either at every step, or within aspects of evidence search,

evidence incorporation, and synthesizing evidence and context toward a

decision.

The study of decision making is an interdisciplinary enterprise involving

economics, political science, and psychology, as well as statistics and

philosophy. One can distinguish two approaches to the analysis of decision

making, the normative and the descriptive. The normative approach, which

underlies much of economic analysis, assumes a rational decision maker, who

has well-defined preferences that do not depend on the particular description of

the options or on the specific methods for eliciting preference, (Shafir, Tversky,

Smith and Osherson, 2002).

ation (e.g. good or bad) of a person,

object, or
issue. Attitudes can be based on
affective, cogni-
tive, or behavioral information and
can vary in their
 29

strength (e.g. how enduring, how

resistant to
change, and how predictive of
behavior they are) AttitudeAttitude can be defined as the way
in which a person views and evaluates something or someone, a predisposition or a
tendency to respond positively or negatively toward a certain idea, object, person, or
situation. It is traditionally structured along three dimensions: cognitive (perceptions and
beliefs), affective (likes and dislikes, feelings, or evoked emotions), and behavioral
(actions or expressed intentions toward the object based upon the “cognitive” and
“affective” responses), (Vargas, Plaza and porras, 2016). Attitude is a global and
relatively enduring evaluation (e.g. good or bad) of a person, object, or issue. Attitudes
can be based on affective, cognitive, or behavioral information and can vary in their
strength (e.g. how enduring, how resistant to change, and how predictive of behavior
they are), (Bizer, Barden, Petty (2006).
Attitudes. Attitudes are involved in practically every other area of the

discipline, including social perception, interpersonal attraction, prejudice and

discrimination, conformity, compliance, and so on. Attitudes are formed by a

number of mechanisms. In classical conditioning, attitudes form when a

previously neutral attitude object comes to evoke an attitude response by being

paired with some other object that naturally evokes the attitude response.

Another powerful way in which attitudes are formed is through instrumental

conditioning, using reward and punishment contingencies. Some attitudes are

also formed via observational learning by vicariously experiencing rewards and

punishments given to others. Finally, genetic factors play a role in shaping some

attitudes. The functional approach says that we hold attitudes that fit our needs.

All attitudes, regardless of any other needs that they fulfill, also serve an object

appraisal function. Early functional theorists proposed four psychological

functions that attitudes may serve: utilitarian, knowledge, ego defensive, and
 30

value-expressive. A social-identity function of attitude was added later (Baron,

Branscombe and Byrne 2009).

Moreover, study of Sarnoff (in Sarwono, 2000) viewed the attitude of

willingness to respond (disposition to react) positively (favorably) or negatively

(unfavorably) to the object - a particular object. D.Krech and RS Crutchfield (in

Sears, 1999) found that the attitude of the organization that is settled from the

motivational, emotional, perceptual, and cognitive aspects of the world of the

individual. While La Pierre (in Anwar, 2003) gives the definition of attitude as a

pattern of behavior, tendencies or anticipatory readiness, predisposition to adapt

in social situations, or simply, the attitude is a response to social stimuli that have

been conditioned. Further Soetarno (1994) gives the definition of attitude is the

view or feelings that accompanied the tendency to act on a particular object. The

attitude is always directed to something means nothing without an attitude.

Attitude is directed to objects, people, peritiwa, views, institutions, norms, and

others. Although there are some differences in terms of attitudes, but based on

the opinions of the above it can be concluded that the attitude is a state in which

man moves to act or do in social activities with certain feelings in response to a

situation or condition of the objects in the surrounding environment. In addition it

also provides readiness posture to respond to the positive or negative nature of

the object or situation.

Meanwhile, study of Singh (2016) revealed that positive attitude of

teachers towards their profession is crucial for effective teaching and learning

process and for the professional growth of teachers also. Attitude being a
 31

dynamic entity gets influenced by variables like age, previous experience, beliefs,

gender and stream of education. The study further revealed that the effect of four

variable gender, stream of education, educational qualification and types of

school on the attitude of primary school teachers towards teaching profession

and found significant difference. Positive attitude of teachers towards their

profession is crucial for effective teaching and learning process and for the

professional growth of teachers also. So in order to improve the attitude of

primary school teachers towards teaching profession, teachers should be

involved in decision making process related to teaching learning process.

Administration should also create conducive work climate to reduce stress and

improve the attitude and work commitment among teachers. There should be an

ample of opportunities for all the teachers in order to show their talents, creativity

etc. leading to job satisfaction which is one of the major factor which affect

attitude of teachers.

Further, Singh (2016) found several studies related on teacher’s attitude in

his study. First, Cornelius (2000) entitled, “Teacher competence associated with

intelligence, attitude towards teaching profession and academic achievement of

teacher trainees” and found out that intelligence, attitude towards teaching and

academic achievement of teacher trainee cast impression on their competence.

Second, Trivedi (2001), “Assessing Secondary School Teachers’ attitude towards

teaching profession,” and found that most of secondary school teachers

irrespective of their gender, medium or subject stream don’t have favorable

attitude towards teaching profession. The life of male and female teachers differ
 32

significantly in their professional attitude as female possess more favorable

professional attitude than male. The Arts subject stream teachers are more

positive in their attitude towards teaching profession and differ significantly from

than their counterparts i.e. Science stream teachers. Third, Bhalla, A, Jajoo, U.

N. & Kalantri, S. P. (2002) entitled, “Attitude of teachers towards teaching,”

revealed that the study group has predominantly positive attitude for teaching

act. This positive attitude helps the teachers to be role model for the future

generation of students. Fourth, (Oral, 2004; Bozdogen et al, 2007) posited that

gender and type of training are the paramount factors influencing the attitude of

the teacher.

Fifth, Devi (2005) found that success in teaching field depends upon two

prime factors attitude towards profession and job satisfaction. Next, Suja (2007)

conducted a study on Interaction effect of attitude towards teaching, interest in

teaching and teaching experience of job commitment of primary school teachers.

He reported that attitude towards profession, interest in profession and teaching

experience influence job commitment of the teacher. Then, Barwal (2011) in her

study revealed that there exists significant difference in the attitude of male and

female, graduate and post graduate, rural and urban secondary school teacher s

towards their teaching profession are correlated to each other. Finally, Theresal

and Benjamin (2011) conducted a study on attitude towards teaching profession

and self-esteem among student-teachers and revealed that male student

teachers and female student teachers had no significant difference their attitude

towards teaching profession as well as self-esteem.

 33

Furthermore, Kozikoglu and Albayak (2022) study found out that teachers'

attitudes towards the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process are at a

high level, in other words, teachers generally have positive views about the IEP

process. It was found that according to teachers the IEP process improves the

development of both academic and social skills of children with special needs. It

was revealed that all of the teachers found the IEP process is useful and almost

all of them thought IEP is an essential application. In parallel with the results of

this study, Öztürk (2009) found that classroom teachers seem IEP as essential,

and IEP is beneficial for both the family and the teacher. Similarly, in the study of

Öztürk and Eratay (2010), five of the teachers reached the conclusion that IEP is

essential, and four teachers stated that IEP is beneficial for both students and

families. In this case, it can be said that teachers have a positive attitude towards

the IEP process. As emphasized by the teachers on this result, it can be thought

that IEP application positively improves the development of both academic and

social skills of children with special needs. Based on these results, it is possible

to say that IEP application is a useful application in meeting both the educational

and social needs of students with special needs. However, the study suggested

that teachers should receive in-service training, physical conditions should be

improved, the class size should be reduced, and cooperation should be provided

between the family, classroom teachers and guidance counselor in order to

conduct IEP in a healthier way.

In the inclusive education perspective, study of Wanderi (2015) sought

that gender is not important in determining the attitude of teachers towards

 34

inclusive education. There is no significant relationship between gender and

teachers attitude towards inclusive education. Thus, being male or female does

not matter as far as attitude towards inclusive education is concerned. In

addition, teachers’ affective commitment is not determined by the gender

orientation of the teacher. The study also found that there is no significant

relationship between gender and affective commitment leading to the conclusion

that affective commitment of teachers towards inclusive education is not

influenced by gender. It was further revealed that professional status does not

influence teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education nor does it have any

significant relationship with teachers’ attitude. On the other hand, professional

status is important in determining teachers’ affective commitment towards

inclusive education. an average positive significant relationship exists between

teacher’s professional status and affective commitment indicating that

professional status of the teacher influences their affective commitment on

inclusive education. Teaching experience was found not to influence teachers’

attitude towards inclusive education. There was no significant relationship

between teachers teaching experience and their attitude towards inclusive

education. Therefore, the years of teaching experience are not important

determinants of teachers’ attitude towards inclusive education. Additionally,

teaching experience does not influence teachers’ affective commitment towards

inclusive education. There was no significant relationship between experience

and affective commitment of teachers.

 35

Similarly, in the view of teaching with disability, study of Perez, Rodríguez,

Mateo, and Gutiérrez (2021) in relation to knowledge and general attitude

towards disability, the teachers showed a generally positive perception regarding

the interaction of students with those students with disabilities. Despite this, the

teachers acknowledge that, in general, students are not aware of the limitations

and capacities of their classmates with disabilities. Teachers gave importance to

the inclusion of content related to disability in the curriculum, affirming that it

enriches the knowledge of the students and favors positive attitudes towards

disability. Highlighted the importance of being aware of essential aspects about

disability and about strategies to improve the relationship and interaction with

disabled students, thus improving the perception towards it and the inclusion

process of the students. Young teachers valued the acquisition of skills and

knowledge more positively. As reflected, younger teachers feel better prepared to

serve students with disabilities due to the training received, which is why they

value more positively the acquisition of knowledge and skills to give an adequate

response to diversity. In this sense, the teachers who had received training in

their studies valued the acquisition of the necessary general and specific

competencies more positively, they considered that they had knowledge,

strategies, and resources to respond to disability. Further, teachers with previous

training have more positive attitudes towards inclusion. Furthermore, it was

revealed that teachers showed affection and empathy towards the students with

disabilities. However, they pointed out that the presence, in class, of these

students generated uncertainty and concern. This fact coincides with the lack of
 36

training and its low quality. In this sense, it is essential to train teachers in the

field of diversity to improve inclusive processes and promote positive attitudes.

Knowledge of competencies. To teach is to first understand purposes, subject

matter structures, and ideas within and outside the discipline. Teachers need to

understand what they teach and, when possible, to understand it in several ways (Rod

Library, 2019). To teach all students according to today’s standards, teachers need to

understand subject matter deeply and flexibly so they can help students create useful

cognitive maps, relate one idea to another, and address misconceptions. Teachers need

to see how ideas connect across fields and to everyday life. This kind of understanding

provides a foundation for pedagogical content knowledge that enables teachers to make

ideas accessible to others (Shulman, 1987; Rod Library, 2019)

Pedagogical knowledge refers to the specialized knowledge of teachers

for creating effective teaching and learning environments for all students.

Pedagogical knowledge is base of teachers and the knowledge dynamics in the

teaching profession in order to examine their implications for the instructional

process and to derive evidence-based suggestions for educational policy.

Teacher quality is an important factor in determining gains in student

achievement, even after accounting for prior student learning and family

background characteristics. Predictors of teacher quality have typically included

factors such as class size, certification, type of qualification, degrees earned, or

years of experience (Guerriero, 2019).

 37

To teach effectively, however, teachers do not only need to be content

knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), but also an ability to

apply this knowledge in teaching situations, for instance to give students adaptive

learning support, explanations and constructive feedback (McNamara,

1991; Blömeke et al., 2015; Jeschke C, Kuhn C, Heinze A, Zlatkin-

Troitschanskaia O, Saas H and Lindmeier AM (2021)). An understanding of not

only what teachers need to know, but also what enables them to apply

knowledge in the classroom is required for teacher education (Kersting et al.,

2016; Jeschke C, Kuhn C, Heinze A, Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia O, Saas H and

Lindmeier AM (2021)).

The pedagogical ‘knowledge base’ of teachers includes all the required

cognitive knowledge for creating effective teaching and learning environments.

Identifying the content of this knowledge base, however, is a complex issue.

Most studies use the distinction between declarative (‘knowing that’) and

procedural knowledge (‘knowing how’) from cognitive psychology as a theoretical

basis. This approach is relevant as it focuses on understanding how knowledge

is related to behaviour, or in other words, the quality of teaching performance

(Guerriero, 2019). The first key study on teacher knowledge (Shulman, 1987:

(Guerriero, 2019) categorized teacher knowledge into 7 categories, among which

were the concepts of: general pedagogical knowledge (principles and strategies

of classroom management and organization that are cross-curricular) and 

pedagogical content knowledge (the knowledge which integrates the content

 38

knowledge of a specific subject and the pedagogical knowledge for teaching that

particular subject.

According to the theory of Shulman (1986) who introduced the

phrase pedagogical content knowledge and sparked a whole new wave of

scholarly articles on teachers' knowledge of their subject matter and the

importance of this knowledge for successful teaching. In Shulman's theoretical

framework, teachers need to master two types of knowledge: (a) content, also

known as "deep" knowledge of the subject itself, and (b) knowledge of the

curricular development. Content knowledge encompasses what Bruner (as cited

in Shulman, 1992) called the "structure of knowledge"–the theories, principles,

and concepts of a particular discipline. Especially important is content

knowledge that deals with the teaching process, including the most useful forms

of representing and communicating content and how students best learn the

specific concepts and topics of a subject. "If beginning teachers are to be

successful, they must wrestle simultaneously with issues of pedagogical content

(or knowledge) as well as general pedagogy (or generic teaching principles)"

(Grossman, as cited in Ornstein, Thomas, & Lasley, 2000, p. 508; Rod Library,

2019).

Study of Guerriero, (2019) viewed teaching as a knowledge-rich

profession with teachers as ‘learning specialists.’ As professionals in their field,

teachers can be expected to process and evaluate new knowledge relevant for

their core professional practice and to regularly update their knowledge base to

improve their practice and to meet new teaching demands. By investigating the
 39

knowledge underlying effective teaching and learning, we are studying how to

improve teacher quality. Teacher quality itself is an important factor in

determining gains in student achievement. In fact, the main motive for

investigating teacher knowledge is to improve student outcomes. On the other

hand, to improve teacher quality, it is crucial to understand what teacher

professionalism involves. Thus, this study focuses on teacher knowledge as a

key factor in teacher professionalism. In other words, the two main themes

underlying the study of teacher knowledge are improving student outcomes and

teacher professionalism.

Smilarly, study of Jeschke C, Kuhn C, Heinze A, Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia

O, Saas H and Lindmeier AM (2021) beheld that to teach effectively, teachers

need subject-specific knowledge, such as content knowledge and pedagogical

content knowledge, but also an ability to apply that knowledge to master

demanding classroom situations. However, there is no consensus in research

whether this ability should be modeled as a subject-specific ability or as a generic

ability. This question is important for effective teacher training and especially for

out-of-field teaching. The results of the study favor a subject-specific

conceptualization of teachers’ ability to apply subject-specific knowledge in

instructional settings. This implies for teacher training that learning opportunities

for promoting teachers’ ability to apply their subject-specific knowledge in

instructional settings should be designed specifically for the subject that will be

taught. Our study also suggests that out-of-field teachers require training in both
 40

knowledge and an ability to apply this knowledge in teaching another subject, as

their ability to apply knowledge may not transfer from their field of expertise.

Likewise, Shulman, 1992; Rod library (2019) also viewed that to help all

students learn, teachers need several kinds of knowledge about learning. They

need to think about what it means to learn different kinds of material for different

purposes and how to decide which kinds of learning are most necessary in

different contexts. Teachers must be able to identify the strengths and

weaknesses of different learners and must have the knowledge to work with

students who have specific learning disabilities or needs. Teachers need to know

about curriculum resources and technologies to connect their students with

sources of information and knowledge that allow them to explore ideas, acquire

and synthesize information, and frame and solve problems. And teachers need to

know about collaboration–how to structure interactions among students so that

more powerful shared learning can occur; how to collaborate with other teachers;

and how to work with parents to learn more about their children and to shape

supportive experiences at school and home.

Moreover, Shulman, 1992; Rod library (2019) believed that

comprehension of purpose of knowledge of competencies is very important. We

engage in teaching to achieve the following educational purposes: to help

students gain literacy, to enable students to use and enjoy their learning

experiences, to enhance students’ responsibility to become caring people, to

teach students to believe and respect others, to contribute to the well-being of

their community, to give students the opportunity to learn how to inquire and
 41

discover new information, to help students develop broader understandings of

new information, to help students develop the skills and values they will need to

function in a free and just society.

In Mathematical perspective, study of Walshaw (2012) posited that

mathematics pedagogical knowledge, that is, teachers’ knowledge of how to

teach the content, is critical for effective teaching. Teachers’ conceptual

understanding and knowledge is critically important at any level. Teachers who

are unclear in their own minds about particular mathematical ideas may struggle

to teach those ideas and may resort to examples that prevent, rather than help,

student development. Teachers’ limited knowledge may lead them to

misunderstand their students’ solutions and may lead them to give feedback that

is inappropriate or unhelpful. In short, teachers’ fragile subject knowledge often

puts boundaries around the ways in which they might develop students’

understandings. On the other hand, teachers with sound knowledge make good

sense of mathematical ideas. They develop the flexibility for spotting

opportunities that they can use for moving students’ understandings forward.

When teachers use their knowledge to enhance student learning, they are

engaging in effective practice. Not only are they advancing students’

understandings, they are also, ultimately, adding value to the wider community of

individuals.

Recent studies complemented the research on teachers’ knowledge by

emphasizing that a teacher’s competence should not be reduced to knowledge,

but rather manifests in the ability to master the specific teaching demands in the
 42

classroom (Blömeke et al., 2015; Jeschke C, Kuhn C, Heinze A, Zlatkin-

Troitschanskaia O, Saas H and Lindmeier AM (2021). Also, Guerriero (2019)

revealed that while teacher knowledge is certainly a component of teacher

professionalism, professional competence involves more than just knowledge.

Skills, attitudes, and motivational variables also contribute to the mastery of

teaching and learning.

Further, study of (Blömeke et al., 2015; Jeschke C, Kuhn C, Heinze A,

Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia O, Saas H and Lindmeier AM (2021) found that pre-

service teachers who acquired substantial knowledge in two subjects may be

able to apply teaching knowledge related to one subject and fail to apply their

knowledge in another subject (although both subjects are closely related). Their

findings shed further light on how the ability of teachers to apply knowledge in

instructional situations can be modelled. With respect to teacher training, the

results suggest that a course to prepare pre-service teachers for practice should

be designed specifically for teaching one subject (e.g., mathematics) instead of

addressing pre-service teachers of different subjects. This is especially relevant

for training out-of-field teachers: If teaching a subject requires not only subject-

specific knowledge but a subject-specific ability to apply knowledge, it might not

suffice to provide an experienced teacher of one subject with learning

opportunities for (declarative) knowledge in another subject.

Furthermore, study of Carol Murphy in Walshaw (2012) found that

although two of the prospective teachers had some understanding of the

inexactness of area measures, none of the four teachers fully conceived of area
 43

as dynamic. Explanations from three of the teachers were influenced by their

own knowledge of area. The fourth and least confident and less procedurally

accurate of the four teachers planned an inquiry approach in which students’ own

strategies were intended to help them develop understandings of the concept.

These findings from a small-scale study have led Murphy to question, tentatively,

earlier findings that claim that teachers who are confident in their own knowledge

of the content are likely to teach in a way that conforms to the principles of

inquiry teaching.

Moreover, study of Guerriero (2019) found that decision-making is a factor

influencing teachers’ decisions include antecedent conditions such as students,

the nature of the instructional task, the classroom, and the school environment.

Further, the study showed that how teacher knowledge is used in decision-

making seems to be suggesting that in order to make informed pedagogical

decisions, teachers must be able to analyse and evaluate specific learning

episodes, in combination with contextual and situational factors, and to be able to

connect all this information to their specialist knowledge of the teaching-learning

process in order to guide subsequent teaching actions. Thus, making good

pedagogical decisions hinges on the quality of the pedagogical knowledge held

by the teacher.

Anxiety

The term anxiety seems to have been derived from the Indo-Germanic

root, angh, which also appears in the Greek, and means a feeling of tightness,
 44

constriction, or choking under duress. (Tyrer, 1999; Zeidner and Matthews

(2010). Further, Zeidner and Matthews (2010) viewed anxiety refers to a

psychological state in which the person’s tense of uneasy suspense and worry in

triggered by ambiguous circumstances. Anxiety is a general feeling of

uneasiness and distress about an unspecified, diffuse, uncertain, and often

formless form of threat or danger.

Anxiety is a tense unsetting anticipation of a threatening but form-less

event; a feeling of uneasy suspense. It is a negative affect (feeling) so closely

related to fear that in many circumstances the two terms are used

interchangeably. Anxiety is the state of heightened vigilance rather than an

emergency reaction. Anxiety tends to be shapeless, grafting along at a lower

level of intensity; its onset and offset are difficult to time, and it lacks clear

borders. Anxiety is unpleasant, unsettling, persistent, pervasive and draining.

Intense and prolonged anxiety can be disabling and even destructive (Rachman,

S., and Rachman, S. J. (2013).

Anxiety is considered to be a basic negative emotion, along with anger,

sadness, disgust, and perhaps others. It should also be distinguished fear, which

may feel similar at a subjective level, but is focused on an immediate danger,

such as encountering a snarling pit bull terrier. Anxiety, in contrast, corresponds

to a state of uncertainty. The signals of threat, such as the nonverbal behaviors

of coworkers, are ambiguous; perhaps people are acting oddly because of their

own anxieties. Anxiety is also often future-oriented; often it accompanies

concerns over possible disasters that the person anticipates, such as the various
 45

unpleasant consequences of becoming unemployed. Future disasters may seem

overwhelming and outside the person’s capacity to control, like an iceberg

looming over an ocean liner (Zeidner and Matthews, 2010)

In the educator’s perspective, study of Fernández-Batanero, J. M.,

Román-Graván, P., Reyes-Rebollo, M. M., & Montenegro-Rueda, M. (2021)

viewed that anxiety and stress are the main symptoms that teachers present due

to the pressure to which they are exposed related to the use of educational

technology. Considering all of the different conceptualizations, stress in the

workplace refers to the response adopted by individuals when faced with a

threatening situation in the workplace, resulting from different factors that are

aggravated by the use of new technologies. Increased demands on the use of

technology can also develop other emotions, such as anxiety. Anxiety usually

arises in situations of ignorance. However, for teachers this is not usually the

case. Incorporating technology into their teaching practices without being aware

of the didactic possibilities that technology offers, a lack of training in educational

technology, or resistance to its use produces fatigue in the professional and

working environments. The appearance of these symptoms can be associated

with the improper use of technologies, as well as the avoidance of their use.

Among the symptoms, we can also find “burnout syndrome”, which is related to

exhaustion and burnout due to increasing demands. In the pedagogical context,

burnout syndrome in teachers can affect their level of commitment at work.

Further, study of Frenzel, Pekrun, Goetz, Daniels, Durksen, Becker-Kurz

and Klassen, (2016). posited that the emotions of teachers are considered
 46

relevant not only for their own well-being but also for the functioning of

classrooms. In their study they gave emphasis on the three emotions considered

most relevant in the context of teaching: enjoyment, anger, and anxiety. They

found out that enjoyment, anger and anxiety teachers’ general affect, burnout,

job satisfaction, and teacher self-efficacy.

Furthermore, study of Desouky and Allam (2017), found out that

occupational stress, anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher

among teachers with an age more than 40 years, female teachers, primary

school teachers, those with inadequate salary, higher teaching experience,

higher qualifications and higher workload. A significant weak positive correlation

was found between OS scores and anxiety and depression scores. This study

indicated the need for future researches to address risk factors of OS and mental

disorders among Egyptian teachers, and the need of periodical medical

evaluation of teachers and medical and psychological support for the identified

cases.

Moreover, study of Pillay, Goddard and Wills (2005); Fernández-

Batanero, Román-Graván, Reyes-Rebollo and Montenegro-Rueda (2021),

analyzed the relationship between burnout and competence for a sample of mid-

career teachers in primary and secondary schools in Queensland. Their findings

suggest that teacher burnout and anxiety arise when they are not comfortable in

the workplace, since they do not feel “competent”. In addition, they found that

many teachers felt that their efforts in developing their teaching practices were

outweighed by their own rewards. Furthermore, also related to teachers’ burnout

 47

when they feel overwhelmed by the demands and functions related to their

teaching role is the study conducted by Tucker, called “To Stem Teacher

Burnout, Go Digital”. The author believes that the promotion of the student

engagement in technology has an impact on both teacher performance and

training, causing them anxiety and stress. The large number of demands and

obligations linked to their professional role forces teachers to work after school

hours and in their personal lives to respond to them. An example found in this

study was that teachers tended to “feel pressure to do it all”. This paper

represents a changing mindset about the teaching profession, turning the

transmitting role into a guiding role for both teaching and learning processes.

There, technology becomes an ally to monitor students’ autonomous

performance, and the “workloads” between students and teachers are levelled

out, decreasing teachers’ anxiety.

Additionally, study of Ashrafi-Rizi, Zarmehr, Bahrami, Ghazavi-

Khorasgani, Kazempour and Shahrzadi (2014) revealed that one of the most

common anxieties in higher education is research anxiety. The highest mean

levels in descending order are the lack of timely payment of fees, the lengthy

process of proposal approval and final reporting of research projects, and lacking

efficiency of research carried out by faculty members. Nowadays, faculty

members of universities encounter a variety stresses around conducting

research and these pressures can cause research anxiety. This anxiety can

affect an individual’s job performance and even family responsibilities. It

especially affects the quality and quantity of scientific literature, can cause
 48

disruptions to teaching, burnout and disability and may even damage health. In

this study, the mean level of research anxiety among faculty members of IUMS

was found to be higher than average, and this can cause negative effects on the

faculty members’ performance in a number of dimensions.

Anxious Feelings. Anxious feeling is what we feel when we are worried,

tense or afraid – particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we

think could happen in the future. Anxiety is a natural human response when we

feel that we are under threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts,

feelings and physical sensations. Most people feel anxious at times. It's

particularly common to experience some anxiety while coping with stressful

events or changes, especially if they could have a big impact on your life (Mind,

2021). Everyone feels anxious from time to time. Occasional anxiety is a normal

reaction to uncertainty about what’s going to happen next, whether that’s in the next

few minutes, days, or months (Delzell, 2023).

When feeing anxious, the person has difficulty in identifying the cause of

the uneasy tension or the nature of the anticipated event or disaster. The

emotion can be puzzling for the person experiencing it. In its purest form, anxiety

is diffuse, objectless, unpleasant and persistent. However, feelings of anxiety

persist for the lengthy periods and can nag away at the back of one’s mind for

days, weeks or months (Rachman, S., and Rachman, S. J., 2013).

Anxious feeling have been reported to decrease with age, while anxiety

feelings have been reported to be as common as in younger age groups. Anxiety

 49

feelings are strongly associated with psychiatric disturbances (anxiety disorders

and depressive disorders). Moreover, the feelings were associated with

dementia, a history of psychiatric disorders (most often depression), being

female and being dissatisfied with social network. Few of those with a psychiatric

disorder were adequately treated, in spite of the fact that most of them had seen

a physician during the past month (Forsell, and Winblad, 1998).

Studies have shown that teachers are more likely to suffer from mental

health problems such as anxiety and depression than people in other

professions. May be due to teachers interact with a wide variety of students,

each with their unique personalities and challenges. In addition to the daily

pressures of the job, this can often lead to stress and anxiety. Several factors

can affect the mental health of teachers such as a significant workload with long

hours and large class sizes. In addition, there is also often a lack of support from

colleagues or the administration, which can lead to feelings of isolation and

frustration (Health and Wellness, 2022).

Anxious Thoughts. Thoughts are just thoughts. Thoughts are not facts.

Thoughts are not meaningful. The content of your thoughts is not important.

What is important is how you treat your mind. If you take everything it says

seriously, give it too much respect, and put too much trust in your mind, that is a

recipe for an anxiety disorder. There is a healthier way to approach your mind:

don't take it so seriously. Don't believe everything it says. Don't treat your mind

as a trustworthy source of information, especially about the things that make you

anxious (Stein, 2019).

 50

Worries, doubts, and anxieties are a normal part of life. It’s natural to

worry about an unpaid bill, an upcoming job interview, or a first date. But “normal”

worry becomes excessive when it’s persistent and uncontrollable. You worry

every day about “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, you can’t get anxious

thoughts out of your head, and it interferes with your daily life. Constant worrying,

negative thinking, and always expecting the worst can take a toll on your

emotional and physical health. It can sap your emotional strength, leave you

feeling restless and jumpy, cause insomnia, headaches, stomach problems, and

muscle tension, and make it difficult to concentrate at work or school (Robinson,

Smith and Segal, 2020).

If you suffer from anxiety, you probably have a contentious and

complicated relationship with your mind. It feels like your mind tortures you. It

gives you all these thoughts about what you should be scared of and horrible

things that could happen to you. It tells you that you need to worry, analyze, and

seek reassurance about all these things. The problem is not the fact that your

mind gives you negative thoughts; the problem is that you take your mind so

seriously. Just because your mind says something is important does not mean it

actually is important. Just because something feels important also does not

mean it is important (Stein, 2019).

According to Mind (2021). Anxious feelings include the following: a. feeling

tense, nervous or unable to relax, having a sense of dread, or fearing the worst,

b. feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down, c. feeling like other

people can see you're anxious and are looking at you, d. feeling like you can't
 51

stop worrying, or that bad things will happen if you stop worrying, e. worrying

about anxiety itself, for example worrying about when panic attacks might

happen, f. wanting lots of reassurance from other people or worrying that people

are angry or upset with you, g. worrying that you're losing touch with reality, h.

low mood and depression, i. rumination – thinking a lot about bad experiences, or

thinking over a situation again and again, j. depersonalisation – a type of

dissociation where you feel disconnected from your mind or body, or like you are

a character that you are watching in a film, k. derealisation – another type of

dissociation where you feel disconnected from the world around you, or like the

world isn't real and worrying a lot about things that might happen in the future.

Stein (2019) suggested that the next time your mind starts spinning about

why you should feel anxious about something, try to react to it differently. Don't

worship your mind, recognize that it is a false god unworthy of your trust, respect,

time, or attention. Instead, get back to whatever you are doing right in front of you

in the present moment and put your effort into that. Your mind is going to do what

it wants to do; you don't have control over the thoughts that pop into your head.

No one actually does. The important thing is not what thoughts you have, it's

what you do when you have those thoughts.

Physical Symptoms. Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms. Think

about a time when you felt anxious. Maybe your hands were sweaty or your legs

were shaky. Your heart rate might have sped up. You could have felt sick to your

stomach. You might have linked these symptoms to your nervousness. But

maybe you weren’t sure why you felt unwell. Anxiety can be serious or turn into a
 52

disorder if it lasts for a long time, causes significant distress, or interferes with

your life in other ways. Deep breathing can help you calm down at the time

anxiety happens. Other techniques include visualization, meditation, and yoga.

Getting enough exercise and sleep can also help in the long term. If anxiety is

hard to manage, a doctor may recommend counseling, medication, or both

(Wilson, 2023).

Anxiety is the feeling we get when our body responds to a frightening or

threatening experience. It has been called the fight or flight response. It is simply

your body preparing for action, either to fight danger or run away from it as fast

as possible. The purpose of the physical symptoms of anxiety therefore is to

prepare your body to cope with threat. To understand what is happening in your

body, imagine that you are about to be attacked. As soon as you are aware of

the threat, your muscles tense ready for action. Your heart beats faster to carry

blood to your muscles and brain, where it is mot need. You breathe faster to

provide oxygen which is needed for energy. You sweat to stop your body

overheating. Your mouth becomes dry and your tommy may have butterflies.

When you realize that the attacker is in fact a friend, the feeling dies away, but

you may feel shaky and weak after the experience. (Public Health Agency,

2013).

According to Mind (2021) effects of anxiety on our body include the

following: a. a churning feeling in your stomach, b. feeling light-headed or dizzy,

c. pins and needles, d. feeling restless or unable to sit still, e. headaches,

backache or other aches and pains, f. faster breathing, g. a fast, thumping or

 53

irregular heartbeat, h. sweating or hot flushes, i. sleep problems, j. grinding your

teeth, especially at night, k. nausea (feeling sick), l. needing the toilet more or

less often, m. changes in your sex drive and having panic attacks.

Study of Harrigan and O'Connell (1996) revealed that non-enjoyment

smiles were exhibited more often than enjoyment smiles, and females smiled

less than males as anxiety increased. Facial actions indicative of other affect

states (anger, sadness) did not distinguish anxiety level. Level of anxiety could

be differentiated on the basis of specific facial movements related to fear and

arousal.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

A conceptual model shows the variable that contribute to adaptability of

teachers. The conceptual paradigm will demonstrate the direct influence of the

independent variables, namely: self-awareness, personal management, problem-

solving and decision-making, attitude and knowledge of competencies to the

dependent variable, teachers’ anxiety namely; anxious feeling, anxious thoughts

and physical symptoms as supported by the theories.

The survival of the fittest theory is also known as adaptation theory.

According to King (2018), it is an organism’s ability to adapt to changes in the

environment and regulate over time. Cherry made the point that adaptation

means adjusting to new information and experiences. Additionally, learning is

about the environment and adapting to changes in the environment are linked.

Behavioral patterns can be adopted in order to accommodate change (Cherry,

 54

2017). The research and Career Development Theory were connected. The

theory presents a method for both comprehending vocational behavior across the

life cycle and for clients to help them attain long-and-a successful careers and

work as they age progresses. Its scope involves three vocational orientations:

differential, developmental, and dynamic. from an individual differences’

perspective, it examines the characteristics of vocational types. The study of

developmental psychology looks at human adaptation and tasks at work,

occupational changes, and work-related problems. For the purposes of the

narrative psychology, it explores how life’s thematic details color career goals

and why people gravitate toward them in distinct ways. Plans for career

development incorporates three basic principles: 1) how the individual cultivates

their character as they shape their job; 2) work-based career alignment; 3)

functional adaptation (Savickas, 1997).

This study is close to one of the education philosophies, pragmatism. The

pragmatic principle goes that only what is experienced or noticed is real. They

believe that reality shifts, and that we learn best through integration of our

experiences and problems. Formal pragmaticism is derived from the Peirce’s

belief that ideas must lead to action rather than remain only in theory. According

to John Dewey, people must adapt to their environment and learn from each

other. the approach of schools should stress the themes of social experience

every bit as much as on place as time (Cohen, 1999).

These were connected to the present study considering that teachers are

facing different work-related changes like making and submitting various reports
 55

to the superiors, attending webinars, preparing lessons, presentations, and

teaching students from different learning modalities, virtually communicating with

the learners, parents, and guardians, and others. Thus, if teachers could not

adapt to the activities and rapid changes in the workplace, they tend to quit the

profession and seek another job (Munda, 2021).

The conceptual Framework

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

ADAPTABILITY OF ANXIETY
TEACHERS

●self-awareness
●personal management ● Anxious feelings
● problem-solving and ●anxious thoughts
decision-making, ● physical symptoms
●attitude
●knowledge of
competencies

David Burns LIST, S. The Burns

Munda, N. P. (2021). The Anxiety Inventory.
adaptability of public school
teachers amidst the
pandemic. Central Mindanao
University Journal of
Science, 25(1), 37-46.
 56

Statement of the Problem

The main purpose of this study is to determine the extent of adaptability of

teachers as well as the extent of anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face

scheme.

Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions.

1. What is the extent of adaptability of teachers in terms of:

1.1 self-awareness

1.2 personal management

1.3 problem-solving and decision-making

1.4 attitude

1.5 knowledge of competencies

1. What is the extent of anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face

scheme?

2. Is there a significant relationship between adaptability of teachers and

anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face scheme?

 57

3. Which domain of the adaptability of teachers significantly influence the

anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face scheme?

Hypotheses

The null hypotheses of this study were formulated and tested at 0.05

alpha level of significance:

Ho1. There was no significant relationship between the adaptability of

teachers and anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face scheme.

Ho2. None of the domains of the adaptability of teachers significantly

influence the anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face scheme.

Research findings of the study were provided a worthwhile contribution to

the following beneficiaries of the study:

The Department of Education. Given all the policy choices made by the

Philippine Department of Education, current legislation may need to be realigned

via this research. Researchers may be able to learn more about the adaptability

of teachers and anxiety towards work in the new face-to-face scheme. The entire

Department of Education Region XI, which was working to raise the standards

and caliber of teachers in each of its schools, will also greatly benefit from the

discovery. The learners will benefit most from changes in teacher quality since

they will be able to maximize their learning potential and be more successful in

their academic endeavors.

Teachers. Teacher may be advised to improve their ability to teach they

acquire mastery over the subject and to develop positive and favorable attitude

towards teaching. This study can help the teachers to improve their ability to
 58

teach and acquire mastery over the subject and to develop positive and favorable

attitude towards teaching. It is desirable on the part of recruitment authorities,

managements and Government authorities to encourage young men and women

not only with high talents potentialities and those with positive attitudes towards

teaching and also recruit encourage those who have developed commitment and

competitive spirit to their work, so that they strive for the betterment of education

Learners. The learners will be given more attention on the development of

their holistic aspects as adaptive teacher promotes better classroom climates

and enable high quality teaching that leads to success for students. This study

would entice educational authorities will need to reinvent their learning

environments and expand support to students.

Future Researchers. The future researchers may explore other avenues

on the different factors of adaptability of teachers and anxiety towards work in the

new face-to-face scheme that was not included in this study.

To fully understand the terms being used in this study, the following were

defined operationally.

Adaptability of Teachers. A defining feature of teaching work is that it

involves novelty, change, and uncertainty on a daily basis. Being able to respond

effectively to this change is known as adaptability. The teachers who are more

adaptive, find each day as a learning opportunity to learn, relearn and discover

what they don’t know. The teachers who possess adaptability, learn from peers

and finds out ways to improve their pedagogy and teaching practices. They build

the schools into a small-world with a great amount of growth. They are flexible
 59

with students, parents, and peers. And when they go back home, they feel

accomplished.

Self-awareness. Self-awareness is your ability to perceive and understand

the things that make you who you are as an individual, including your personality,

actions, values, beliefs, emotions, and thoughts. Essentially, it is a psychological

state in which the self becomes the focus of attention. self-awareness is a key

component for managing stress, avoiding burnout, and thriving in the classroom.

Self-awareness also involves an understanding of how our thoughts, feelings, and

behaviors impact our interactions with our students.

Personal Management. Personal Management or self-management is the

act of taking responsibility for your behaviour, health and happiness, or for the

organization of your work activities. Self-management is our ability to manage

our behaviors, thoughts, and emotions in a conscious and productive

way. Self-management means you understand your personal responsibility

in different aspects of your life, and you do what you need to fulfill that

responsibility.

Problem-solving and Decision-making. Problem solving is the process of

identifying a problem, developing possible solution paths, and taking the

appropriate course of action. Why is problem solving important? Good problem

solving skills empower you not only in your personal life but are critical in your

professional life.

Decision making is the process of making choices by identifying a

decision, gathering information, and assessing alternative resolutions. Using a

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step-by-step decision-making process can help you make more deliberate,

thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant information and defining alternatives.

Attitude. Attitude is a manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with

regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind. A

teacher’s attitude generally refers to her disposition, though there are other

factors as well. Attitude encompasses a teacher's level of enthusiasm,

resourcefulness, willingness to help and knowledge of the content. All of these

play an important role in overall classroom performance. A teacher must have a

positive attitude when around his or her students to give them motivation, build

their confidence, and most importantly their well-being.

Knowledge of Competencies. Knowledge of Competencies or pedagogical

knowledge refers to the specialized knowledge of teachers for creating effective

teaching and learning environments for all students. Pedagogical knowledge is

base of teachers and the knowledge dynamics in the teaching profession in order

to examine their implications for the instructional process and to derive evidence-

based suggestions for educational policy.

Anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness. It might cause

you to sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat. It can be a

normal reaction to stress. For example, you might feel anxious when faced with a

difficult problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important

decision. Teacher anxiety is higher than most other professions. According to

the survey, 61 percent of educators reported their work was "always" or "often"

stressful—twice the rate of other professions.

 61

Anxious Feelings. Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. Everyone

feels anxious at some point in their life, but for some people it can be an ongoing

problem. A little bit of anxiety can be helpful. For example, feeling anxious before

an exam might make you more alert and improve your performance. Anxiety is

common among teachers and students, but it is treatable.

Anxious Thoughts. Anxious thoughts activate the limbic system — the fear

center in our brain. Just a simple thought can easily trigger this part of the brain

in a split second,” says psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD.

Physical Symptoms. Anxiety can also cause physical

symptoms. Symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear as well as

sweating and a rapid heartbeat.

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CHAPTER 2

Method

This section discussed the study's techniques, such as the research

design, research respondents, research instrument, data gathering procedure,

ethical considerations, and data analysis.

Research Design

To determine the extent of adaptability of teachers, as well as the extent of

anxiety, the current study employed a quantitative descriptive methodology.

Multiple Linear Regression was used in a descriptive-correlation study strategy.

By using contrast and comparison, descriptive studies typically aimed to explain

the present. In some situations, however, they were also able to demonstrate

cause and effect correlations to some level (Zelnick, 2010). The extent of

adaptability of teachers and the extent of anxiety were described using a

descriptive design in this study. Meanwhile, the association between adaptability

 63

of teachers and anxiety of the respondents was investigated using a correlational

methodology.

Using a quantitative correlational study technique, the strength of the

hypothesized connections between adaptability of teachers and anxiety of the

respondents was assessed. A correlational study had the advantage of allowing

a researcher to examine the link between multiple factors, as in this study, while

keeping the precision in the linear variables that is lost with group differences

designs (Gall et al., 2015). The dependent variable in this study was adaptability

of teachers correlated with the independent variable; anxiety.

Research Respondents

Public elementary teachers teaching in Davao City Division, Region XI

were the respondents of the study. A total of 100 public elementary school

teachers were selected using the purposive sampling technique because it

allowed the researcher to decide what needs to be known and with this the

researcher set out to find people who could and were willing to provide the

information by knowledge or experience (Lewis & Sheppard, 2006).

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 had been teaching in the

public schools in Bayabas Integrated School with at least three years in service

were selected. Moreover, the study was delimited only to the nature of the
 64

problem based on the research questions and thus it did not consider the rank

status and performance ratings of the teachers.

Research Instrument

In order to gather the quantitative data, two 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 the

adaptability of teachers questionnaire which was adopted from the study of

(Munda, 2021) teacher questionnaire. The questionnaire composed of 5-item

statements for each indicator of adaptability of teachers. The adapted

questionnaire has a Cronbach alpha value of .832 which means that it has a

good reliability.

Indicated below is the numeric and descriptive interpretation of the extent

of adaptability of teachers.

Range of Descriptive
Interpretation
Means Equivalent

Adaptability of teachers in terms of self-

4.20 – 5.00 awareness, personal management, problem-
Very High
solving and decision-making, attitude and
knowledge of competencies is always evident.

3.40 – 4.19 High Adaptability of teachers in terms of self-

awareness, personal management, problem-
solving and decision-making, attitude and
 65

knowledge of competencies is oftentimes

evident.

Adaptability of teachers in terms of self-

awareness, personal management, problem-
2.60 – 3.39 Moderate solving and decision-making, attitude and
knowledge of competencies is sometimes
evident.

Adaptability of teachers in terms of self-

1.80 – 2.59 Low awareness, personal management, problem-
solving and decision-making, attitude and
knowledge of competencies is seldom evident.

Adaptability of teachers in terms of self-

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low awareness, personal management, problem-
solving and decision-making, attitude and
knowledge of competencies is never evident.

The second adopted questionnaire was developed by Burns (1999) was

used to measure the extent of anxiety. The adapted questionnaire has a

Cronbach alpha value of .967 which means that it has a good reliability.

Indicated below is the numeric and descriptive interpretation of the extent

anxiety.

Range of Descriptive
Interpretation
Means Equivalent

4.20 – 5.00 Very High Anxiety symptoms is always evident.

3.40 – 4.19 High Anxiety symptoms is oftentimes evident.

2.60 – 3.39 Moderate Anxiety symptoms is sometimes evident.

1.80 – 2.59 Low Anxiety symptoms is seldom evident.

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low Anxiety symptoms is never evident.

 66

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. The predictive model questionnaire produced a reliability

index of .909, whilst the anxiety produced .849.

Data Gathering Procedure

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
 67

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

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 Standard

Deviation, Pearson r, and Linear regression analysis.

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 influence of

adaptability of teachers to anxiety. Certainly, this study would be beneficial to

 68

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 teachers, this will enable them to engage in programs that

will help improve in coping anxiety due to abrupt changes in the department. To

the students, this will elicit an improved academic performance since teachers

are more dedicated and fully equip with relevant competencies. Also, students

may acquire the expected competencies in the respective subject areas since

their teachers have improved welfare and life satisfaction.

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

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.
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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 teachers for them to strengthen their teaching techniques.

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.

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 honored.

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
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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. Another 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

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

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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 and standard deviation. This was used to assess the extent of

adaptability of teachers and anxiety.

Pearson r. This was used to determine the relationship between

adaptability of teachers and anxiety.

Linear Regression Analysis. This was used to determine the influence of

adaptability of teachers and anxiety.