Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 47 no. 2 (2025)

From Educators to Leaders: A Multiple Case Study on the Transition of Teachers into School Management Roles

Kristine Zamoras | Rhea Joy Semblante

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study explored the experiences of teachers as they transitioned into school management roles, focusing on the challenges, coping mechanisms, and leadership growth they encountered. The research aimed to understand how educators navigated their new responsibilities and developed as leaders within their respective institutions. A multiple case study approach was employed to address the research questions. Case 1 involved a head teacher, Case 2 focused on a principal, and Case 3 examined a district supervisor. Data were collected through in-depth interviews (IDI) with the participants, allowing for a detailed exploration of their experiences. The findings revealed that transitioning into school management roles involved experiencing emotional and professional transitions, managing responsibilities and challenges, engaging in leadership growth and development, and navigating career progression. Participants emphasized the importance of practicing collaborative and inclusive leadership, enhancing time management and prioritization, shifting leadership perspectives and growth, and implementing delegation and professional relationships in coping with new responsibilities. Engaging in collaborative and transparent leadership, embracing leadership responsibilities, navigating financial responsibilities, and pursuing growth and credibility in leadership emerged as significant insights of their experiences.



References:

  1. Agayon, A. J. D., Agayon, A. K. R., & Pentang, J. (2022). Teachers in the new normal: Challenges and coping mechanisms in secondary schools.
  2. Andrin, G., Kilag, O. K., Groenewald, E., Unabia, R., Cordova Jr, N., & Nacario, K. M. (2023). Beyond management: Cultivating leadership in educational institutions. Excellencia: International Multi-disciplinary Journal of Education (2994-9521), 1(6), 365-375.
  3. Arrieta, G. S., & Ancho, I. V. (2020). Ready or Not: The Experiences of Novice Academic Heads in School Leadership. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(5), 78–98. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.5.5
  4. Babchuk, N. (1962). The role of the researcher as participant observer and participant-as-observer in the field situation. Human organization, 21(3), 225-228.
  5. Bandur, A., Hamsal, M., & Furinto, A. (2022). 21st Century experiences in the development of school-based management policy and practices in Indonesia. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 21(1), 85-107.
  6. Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1, pp. 141-154). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice hall.
  7. Barcenas, J. M. A., & Bibon, M. B. (2022). The influence of study habits in the academic performance of senior high school students in Cagraray Island, Philippines. Int. J. Sci. Res. in Multidisciplinary Studies Vol, 8(1).
  8. Barrot, J. S. (2023). K to 12 curriculum reform in the Philippines: Towards making students future ready. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 43(4), 1193-1207.
  9. Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations.
  10. Beijaard, D., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop, N. (2004). Reconsidering research on teachers’ professional identity. Teaching and teacher education, 20(2), 107-128.
  11. Berhanu, K. Z. (2023). Practices, challenges, and prospects of implementing School-Based Management (SBM) system in Ethiopian schools: Implications for policy makers. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 8(2), 465-504.
  12. Boholano, H. B., Sanchez, J. M. P., Balo, V. T. M., & Navarro, T. M. M. (2022). Utilization of e-portfolios in teacher education institutions of higher education in Central Visayas, Philippines. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 12(9), 912-920.
  13. Bush, T. (2023). The importance of middle leadership for school improvement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51(2), 267-269.
  14. Cabardo, J. R. O., Cabardo, C. J. O., & Cabardo-Mabida, S. J. O. (2022). Challenges and mechanisms of teachers in the implementation of modular distance learning in the Philippines: a phenomenological study. Sapienza: International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 3(1), 169-182.
  15. Cahapay, M. B. (2022). The phenomenon of leading without guidebook: educational leadership practices of philippine school principals in virulent COVID-19 times. International journal of educational leadership and management, 10(1), 2-24.
  16. Caliba, I. (2022). Self-efficacy, working conditions, school-based management practices and performance of teachers. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 1(2), 107-125.
  17. Campado, R. J., Toquero, C. M. D., & Ulanday, D. M. (2023). Integration of assistive technology in teaching learners with special educational needs and disabilities in the Philippines. International Journal of Professional Development, Learners and Learning, 5(1), ep2308.
  18. Casinillo, L., & Suarez, M. (2022). Evaluating attributes, traits, and competencies of a school leader: A descriptive-correlational study. Indonesian Journal of Social Research (IJSR), 4(1), 40-53.
  19. Castañeros, J. P., Tañajura, J. J. S., & Tan, D. A. (2023). Challenges of the Newly Promoted School Heads in School Leadership: A Case Study in a Public School Setting. American Journal of Educational Research, 11(7), 467–478. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-11-7-3
  20. Charoensukmongkol, P., & Puyod, J. V. (2024). Influence of transformational leadership on role ambiguity and work–life balance of Filipino University employees during COVID-19: does employee involvement matter?. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 27(2), 429-448.
  21. Chatzipanagiotou, P., & Katsarou, E. (2023). Crisis management, school leadership in disruptive times and the recovery of schools in the post COVID-19 era: A systematic literature review. Education Sciences, 13(2), 118.
  22. Chin, J. M. C., Ching, G. S., del Castillo, F., Wen, T. H., Huang, Y. C., del Castillo, C. D., & Trajera, S. M. (2022). Perspectives on the Barriers to and Needs of Teachers’ Professional Development in the Philippines during COVID-19. Sustainability, 14(1), 470.
  23. Cope, D. G. (2014, January). Methods and meanings: credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative research. In Oncology nursing forum (Vol. 41, No. 1).
  24. Cruz, R. D. D., & Ormilla, R. C. G. (2022). Disaster risk reduction management implementation in the public elementary schools of the department of education, Philippines. International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 4(2), 1-15.
  25. Daing, C. A., & Mustapha, L. C. (2023). School administrators’ instructional leadership skills and teachers’ performance and efficacy in senior high schools in the national capital region, Philippines. International Journal of Educational Policy Research and Review, 11(1), 1.
  26. Donkoh, S., & Mensah, J. (2023). Application of triangulation in qualitative research. Journal of Applied Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 10(1), 6-9.
  27. Fathurrahman, F., Muhyi, A., Arifin, B., & Huda, M. (2022). The influence of school management on the implementation of the" merdeka belajar" curriculum. Al-Tanzim: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 6(4), 1274-1286.
  28. Fearnley, C. J. (2022). Mind mapping in qualitative data analysis: Managing interview data in interdisciplinary and multi‐sited research projects. Geo: geography and environment, 9(1), e00109.
  29. Fink, A. S. (2000, December). The role of the researcher in the qualitative research process. A potential barrier to archiving qualitative data. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 1, No. 3).
  30. Gamala, J. J., & Marpa, E. P. (2022). School Environment and School Heads' Managerial Skills: Looking into Their Relationships to School's Performance. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 4(2), 218-235.
  31. Ghafouri, R., & Ofoghi, S. (2016). Trustworth and rigor in qualitative research. International journal of advanced biotechnology and research, 7(4), 1914-1922.
  32. Gopez, J. M., & Gopez, B. (2024). Instructor scaffolding for interaction and online student engagement among a sample of college students in the Philippines: the mediating role of self-regulation. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 39(2), 1069-1091.
  33. Grossoehme, D. H. (2014). Overview of qualitative research. Journal of health care chaplaincy, 20(3), 109-122.
  34. Gunawan, J. (2015). Ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research. Belitung Nursing Journal, 1(1), 10-11.
  35. Gutierrez, E. L. M., & Vafadari, K. (2023). Women in community‐involved tourism enterprises: Experiences in the Philippines. Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 64(1), 85-97.
  36. Haq, Z. U., Rasheed, R., Rashid, A., & Akhter, S. (2023). Criteria for assessing and ensuring the trustworthiness in qualitative research. International Journal of Business Reflections, 4(2).
  37. Harrison, M. G. (2022). The professional identity of school counsellors in East and Southeast Asia. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 22(3), 543-547.
  38. Hatch, M. J. (1996). The role of the researcher: An analysis of narrative position in organization theory. Journal of Management Inquiry, 5(4), 359-374.
  39. Haw, J. Y., & King, R. B. (2023). Understanding Filipino students’ achievement in PISA: The roles of personal characteristics, proximal processes, and social contexts. Social Psychology of Education, 26(4), 1089-1126.
  40. Hollstein, B. (2011). Qualitative approaches. The SAGE handbook of social network analysis, 404-416.
  41. Jaca, N. (2021). The challenges of transitioning from teacher to departmental head in seven primary schools. Perspectives in Education, 39(3). https://doi.org/10.18820/2519593x/pie.v39.i3.18
  42. Jol, G., & Stommel, W. (2016). Ethical considerations of secondary data use: What about informed consent?. Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(2), 180-195.
  43. Kaiser, K. (2012). Protecting confidentiality. The SAGE handbook of interview research: The complexity of the craft, 2, 457-64.
  44. Kilag, O. K. T., & Sasan, J. M. (2023). Unpacking the role of instructional leadership in teacher professional development. Advanced Qualitative Research, 1(1), 63-73.
  45. Kilag, O. K., Tokong, C., Enriquez, B., Deiparine, J., Purisima, R., & Zamora, M. (2023). School leaders: The extent of management empowerment and its impact on teacher and school effectiveness. Excellencia: International Multi-disciplinary Journal of Education (2994-9521), 1(1), 127-140.
  46. Kinsinger, F. S. (2009). Beneficence and the professional's moral imperative. Journal of Chiropractic Humanities, 16(1), 44-46.
  47. Kyngäs, H., Kääriäinen, M., & Elo, S. (2020). The trustworthiness of content analysis. The application of content analysis in nursing science research, 41-48.
  48. Lacson, J., Kilag, O. K., Sasan, J. M., Groenewald, E., Vidal, E., & Ponte, R. (2024). The Crisis: An In-Depth Analysis of the Shortage of Guidance Counselors and Its Impact on Student Suicide Rates in Philippine Schools. International Multidisciplinary Journal of Research for Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence (IMJRISE), 1(1), 129-135.
  49. Lapuz, M. C. M. (2023). The role of local community empowerment in the digital transformation of rural tourism development in the Philippines. Technology in Society, 74, 102308.
  50. Lobo, J. (2023). Protecting Philippine dance traditions via education of tomorrow's pedagogues. Journal of ethnic and cultural studies, 10(1), 98-124.
  51. Locke, K., Feldman, M., & Golden-Biddle, K. (2022). Coding practices and iterativity: Beyond templates for analyzing qualitative data. Organizational research methods, 25(2), 262-284.
  52. Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K. M., Guest, G. & Namey, E. (2005). Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector‟s Field Guide. USA: Family Health International.
  53. Manalo, F. K. B., Reyes, V. P., & Bundalian, A. M. B. (2022). Challenges and opportunities in online distance learning modality in one public secondary school in the Philippines. IOER International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 4(1), 89-99.
  54. Miramon, S., Kilag, O. K., Groenewald, E., & Barayuga, L. (2024). Teacher leadership in the Philippines: Evaluating its impact on K-12 education reform. International Multidisciplinary Journal of Research for Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence (IMJRISE), 1(1), 162-167.
  55. Moon, C. (2015). The (un) changing role of the researcher. International Journal of Market Research, 57(1), 15-16.
  56. Morse, J. M. (2002). Enhancing the usefulness of qualitative inquiry: Gaps, directions, and responsibilities. Qualitative Health Research, 12(10), 1419-1426.
  57. Munhall, P. L. (1988). Ethical considerations in qualitative research. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 10(2), 150-162.
  58. Nelson, B. (2020). Moving from classroom teacher to school administrator: attributes of influence (Doctoral dissertation, Florida Southern College).
  59. Parinasan, M. A., Rosal, M. M., Kilag, O. K., Groenewald, C. A., Groenewald, E., & Gepitulan, P. M. (2024). Public Sector management education in the philippines for 21st century governance: challenges, strategies, and innovation. International Multidisciplinary Journal of Research for Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence (IMJRISE), 1(3), 67-72.
  60. Pietilä, A. M., Nurmi, S. M., Halkoaho, A., & Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research: Ethical considerations. The application of content analysis in nursing science research, 49-69.
  61. Point, S., & Baruch, Y. (2023). (Re) thinking transcription strategies: Current challenges and future research directions. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 39(2), 101272.
  62. Rai, N., & Thapa, B.  (2015). A study on purposive sampling method in research. Kathmandu: Kathmandu School of Law, 5(1), 8-15.
  63. Reiter, M. D. (2022). Home-Based Therapeutic Interviewing: Interviewing in the Client's Domain. In Therapeutic Interviewing (pp. 352-367). Routledge.
  64. Slembrouck, S. (2015). The role of the researcher in interview narratives. The handbook of narrative analysis, 239-254.
  65. Squires, V. (2023). Thematic analysis. In Varieties of qualitative research methods: Selected contextual perspectives (pp. 463-468). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
  66. Symaco, L. P., & Bustos, M. T. A. (2022). Overview of Education in the Philippines. In International Handbook on Education in South East Asia (pp. 1-27). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
  67. Tanucan, J. C. M., Negrido, C. V., & Malaga, G. N. (2022). Digital leadership of school heads and job satisfaction of teachers in the Philippines during the pandemic. International journal of learning, teaching and educational research, 21(10), 1-18.
  68. Treceñe, J. K. D. (2022). COVID-19 and remote learning in the Philippine basic education system: Experiences of teachers, parents, and students. In Socioeconomic inclusion during an era of online education (pp. 92-110). IGI Global.
  69. Yani, A., Henjilito, R., Noviardila, I., Hasan, B., Setyawan, H., Shidiq, A. A. P., & Gusliana, H. B. (2024). The Role of School Supervisors in the Quality Assurance of Physical Education Learning: A Systematic Review. Retos: nuevas tendencias en educación física, deporte y recreación, (57), 589-597.

Tools


Copyright © 2026  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic