Teacher Agency of Beginning Private School Teachers in the Current Education

Abstract

The study investigated the development of teacher agency among beginning teachers from private schools within Imus City, Cavite, Philippines, using a sequential-explanatory-mixed method design. Seventy purposively selected beginning teachers were selected as respondents to survey questions, while six participants were engaged in follow-up interviews. Data gathering used an adopted 24-item validated questionnaire on teacher agency validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with acceptable fit indices and reliability measures, and a semi-structured interview guide validated through expert review. Ethical standards are upheld through the use of informed consent, confidentiality, and secured institutional ethics approval. The quantitative findings of the study revealed consistently high levels of teacher agency across dimensions of the Ecological Approach to teacher agency. The iterational dimension affecting teacher agency showed a strong influence of the personal and professional histories of beginning teachers in the development of their agency. Similarly, the practical-evaluative dimension showed the significant influence of collaborative school culture, collegial support, and material resources on the teacher agency of beginning teachers. Lastly, the projective dimension showed a strong learner-centered orientation among beginning teachers, with short-term and long-term goals prioritizing learner outcomes over teachers’ personal development. On the other hand, qualitative findings supported quantitative data as beginning teachers described their agency as shaped by family influence, prior learning experiences, and professional training. However, challenges such as limited practicum exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic and contextual constraints required them to practice adaptive strategies. Participants also described supportive peer relationships and the environment in their current workplace as critical enablers of their agency, despite the experience of delay in their pursuit of professional development. The study concludes that teacher agency is a dynamic outcome of the ecology of beginning teachers – their past experiences, present contexts, and future goals, with a prevailing focus on learner-centered teaching practice. The result of the study indicates the need for a structured faculty development program for beginning teachers in support of the development of their teacher agency.