ABSTRACT
The study assessed the level of school heads instructional management competence focusing on teaching and learning along school-based curriculum review, contextualization and implementation of learning standards, teaching standards and pedagogies, teacher performance feedback, learner achievement, learning assessment and learning environment based on the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) with the goal of developing competency-based instructional management plan. Moreover, it investigated the school heads’ level of instructional management competence and analyzed the relationships between the school heads’ level of instructional management competence and their profile. The study utilized the descriptive-correlational research design with the questionnaire serving as the main tool to gather data from the first group of respondents comprised of 37 supervisors and 370 teachers and the second group of respondents comprised of 37 school heads. Frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, t-test and chi-square were the statistical tools used in the study. Findings revealed that most of the school head-respondents are occupying Principal I-IV, with eleven to twenty years of service as school head, had obtained doctorate degrees, generalists, not active and had insufficient number of trainings and seminars attended, and had limited number of awards received relative to instruction for the last three years. The assessment of supervisors and teachers are consistent. The supervisors rated lower degree of assessment than the teachers. Of all competencies, learning environment registered the highest level of school heads’ instructional management competence, while the least level of instructional management competency is the learner achievement. Based on the interview, school heads initiated much programs projects and activities to strengthen their instructional management competencies. As a result, the instructional management plan was proposed to strengthen the school heads’ instructional competencies.
Keywords: instructional management competencies, PPSSH, school heads, teaching and learning
INTRODUCTION
Quality education is a global goal to promote lifelong learning. Through education, people can get better jobs and can have better lives. It can also break from the cycle of poverty and empower people everywhere to live healthier and sustainable lives. The school head as key driver of the school plays a significant role towards quality education. As stipulated in Republic Act 9155, otherwise known as the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 [1] the school head is a person responsible for the administrative and instructional management of the school. They have the authority, responsibility for ensuring access to, promoting equity in, and improving the quality of basic education.
Indeed, the school head must be an expert consultant in teaching and learning to enthuse and inspire teachers to plan and carry out the tasks of teaching. They must have the skills in managing instruction that could improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. International research shows that teacher quality is vital in raising the learner achievement. However, without strong leadership and instructional management, a teacher cannot make significant changes on their own. Therefore, school heads should innovate more activities to strengthen their instructional management towards quality education.
One of the innovations of DepEd is the National Adoption and Implementation of Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (DO 24, s. 2020) or abbreviated called as PPSSH [2]. It was developed as school heads’ guide in doing their functions as school leader to manage effective school and effective people. Through PPSSH, there is now a reference on how school principals can help themselves improve to be truly beneficial to the government. During online orientation of PPSSH, it was reiterated that teacher quality in the Philippines is not just about teachers [3]. lopez 2020 The scenario of placing pressure on teachers alone is unfair and thus led to the creation of the PPSSH. In fact, the teachers need support of a competent school leaders. If the role of the teachers is to make her lesson easy to be understood by the learners, then the school leaders’ role is to guide teachers in achieving quality education.
Thus, school heads have only one main job, to make it easier for teachers to do their jobs well, and nothing else. If the school heads perform well, then, the teachers would probably perform better and can produce high performing learners. Through PPSSH, the school heads can realize the extent of their instructional management and other managerial practices stipulated in the five domains, including leading strategically, managing school operations and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections.
All the domains are integral and constitute a broad conceptual sphere of instructional and administrative practices defined by specific strands in the PPSSH. However, in this study, the researcher focused only on Domain 3 - focusing on teaching and learning as response to the duties and responsibilities and Key Result Areas (KRA’s) of Education Program Supervisor (EPS). The school heads’ instructional management should be enhanced so that they can provide technical assistance in teaching and learning and therefore would result to improvement of learners’ performance. It concentrates on the work of the school heads along school-based curriculum review, contextualization and implementation of learning standard, teaching standards and pedagogies, teacher performance feedback, learner achievement, learning assessment, and learning environment.
In the first instructional management competency of the school heads based on the PPSSH, focusing on Teaching and Learning, the school head should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understand the school-based curriculum review, contextualization, and its implementation. The school head to be considered expert in managing instruction must share exemplary practices in the review of school-based curriculum, contextualization, and its implementation. They should understand the key concepts, the general processes involved in contextualizing the curriculum and its implication to teaching and learning.
According to the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (RA 9155), Section 2, curriculum contextualization is the process of matching the curriculum content and instructional strategies relevant to learners. The school heads are mandated by law to encourage local initiatives for improving the quality of basic education. Thus, revising and modifying the curriculum are expected for the school heads to follow to make the curriculum relevant, meaningful, and useful for diverse learners.
On the other hand, the school heads should engage school personnel such as master teachers, head teachers and department heads in the implementation of teaching standards and pedagogies. They should demonstrate and exhibit best practices in providing technical assistance on teaching standards and pedagogies within and across learning areas. In line with this, school heads must undergo different professional advancement trainings relative to teaching and learning that would enhance their instructional management to better understand their roles and functions as instructional leaders.
Another significant role of the school heads that could enhance their instructional management competence is utilizing performance feedback. They must collaborate with school personnel and exhibit exemplary skills in effectively using validated feedback obtained from learners, parents, and other stakeholders to help teachers improve their performance. The performance feedback should be delivered in an effective manner [4]. Reynold 2017. If feedback is not delivered on time, the moment is lost, and the student might not connect the feedback with the action.
In addition to instructional management competencies of the school heads and can be considered as the core responsibility of the school heads is to focus on learners’ achievement. In this competency, the school heads are expected to utilize learning outcomes in developing data-based interventions. This responsibility requires school heads to put learner performance at the forefront of their instructional management. They should develop new strategies centered around data, curriculum, pedagogy, and human capital development to meet the required learner achievement as utilization of technology has a great impact of teaching and learning nowadays.
Moreover, school heads should analyze learning assessment to be efficient and effective instructional leaders. As school heads, they are expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of learning assessment tools, strategies, and utilization of results to ensure accountability in achieving higher learning outcomes. In fact, it can motivate teachers and learners to perform their best when they are properly recognized. It is therefore necessary to track student accomplishment and school progress toward goals in a variety of ways [5]. Silva, et al. (2011)
Furthermore, creating a learning environment that is conducive to learning is also one of the instructional management competencies that should be given priority by the school heads. In this competency of the school heads, they are expected to demonstrate understanding of managing a learner-friendly, inclusive, and healthy learning environment. Thus, to be expert school heads, they need to empower the wider school community in promoting and sustaining an inclusive and healthy learning environment. All the instructional management competencies cited were based on the PPSSH that are mandated for the school heads to follow and demonstrate. However, indicators are not yet presented in the said department order, and still are waiting for the release of the standard-specific objectives to be used in assessing the school heads’ instructional management competencies such as school-based curriculum review, contextualization and
Knowing the level and extent of instructional management competence of the school heads, appropriate technical assistance on instruction that relates to curriculum contextualization, practices, and performance may be further investigated to address the mentioned gap. Although there are existing studies on instructional leadership, and instructional management, this study fills in the gaps as to how instructional leaders manage teaching and learning practices. The result of the study may serve as useful document and guide as to what technical assistance is appropriate for school heads and teachers to improve the quality of the teaching and learning process particularly on school-based curriculum review, contextualization and implementation of learning standards, teaching standards and pedagogies, teacher performance feedback, learner achievement and other performance indicators, learning assessment, and the learning environment.
In addition, the output of the study, the PPSSH competency-based instructional management plan for school heads in SDO Batangas may help them enhance their instructional management competencies to support the standards for school heads or the framework for quality instruction. The researcher believes that the school leaders have a great impact in the performance of the teachers and must be equipped and demonstrate exemplary practices on managing instruction to produce quality teachers and improve learners’ performance.
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