ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the master teachers' lived experiences as regards instructional leadership practices in the new normal. The research examined the experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms of 10 Master Teachers purposefully selected from public high schools in the City Schools Division of Cabuyao. Methods of data collection included a semi-structured interview of the participants whose responses were then interpreted using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
From the testimonies of the Master teacher participants, 10 themes emerged namely: Providing Technical Assistance to Teachers; Openness to Innovative Teaching Practices in the New Normal; Internet and Modular Distance Learning Related Challenges; Finding Self-Initiated Solutions; Learning Progress is Difficult to Achieve; Difficulty in Evaluating Student Understanding; Technical and Learning Gaps; Efficient Teaching Strategies and Real-Time Meetings; The Need for Instructional Leadership; and Proper Time Management and Willingness to Execute Practices.
Based on the gathered data, the most prominent challenges encountered by Master Teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic were poor internet connection, unreliable integrity of assessment, and difficulty in meeting learning outcomes in online and modular learning modalities. In response to these setbacks, the respondents developed various self-initiated solutions in order to continue delivering quality education to their students. As the primary output of the study, the researcher proposed a strategic plan for Master Teachers based on the data collected from respondents which included the following activities and strategies: improved instructions through appropriate materials, conducting workshops to capacitate teachers toward flexible learning options, regular informal observations in classrooms, and improving teachers' classroom performance.
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