Well-being and Stress Management of High School Teachers: Experiences, Coping Strategies, and Performance

A qualitative-phenomenological study highlighted the high school teachers’ lived experiences in the new normal with their well-being, stress management, factors, coping strategies, and performance. The researcher interviewed ten (10) purposely selected teachers. Results revealed that teachers experienced factors that contribute to stress, too many workloads, additional papers work, urgent submission of reports, time pressure, financial constraints, students’ performance, learners' behavioral issues, overlapping tasks or activities, no robust support system, and others. In addition, teachers emphasized that all those factors contribute effects to their job and well-being can lead to becoming unfocused, experiencing difficulties in dealing with and managing a large number of learners, body fatigue or physical sickness, lack of sleep including headaches, finding hard get the proper balance when work needs to bring at home and sometimes family time is compromised. Furthermore, the researcher also found out that teachers applied strategies in coping with and improving their stress skills management by giving themselves a break to relax during weekdays, doing meditation, watching TV, eating a lot of favorite foods, listening to music, spiritual sermons, increasing intrinsic motivation by recognizing the beauty of own good teaching practices, being resourceful, finding time to talk to husband/wife or even on a trusted friend. Consequently, even teachers become a stress to their daily work; they can serve school to the fullest and maintain a very satisfactory (vs.) rating. Lastly, this study recommends the following : (1) Government or higher office must conduct revisiting and monitoring the implementation of the Department of Education school rules, policies, guidelines, regulations, and curriculums, (2) The Department must realignment of work of teachers based on their positions and educational standards, (3) Divisions School Superintendent, District Supervisors, and school administrators must improve their management styles, (4) Technical assistance must be given importance to all teachers and learners with appropriate resources needed for more efficient and effective learning in the field of education.Moreover, (5). Administrators, teachers, and parents must work hand-in-hand by motivating and encouraging the students to pursue what they have started so that they would be assessed accordingly and would produce quality, competent graduates, (6) Parents must monitor, supervise and support the progress and development of their children by communicating the teacher's concerns which will help to lessen .teachers stress, (7) Teachers must have the chance to undergo stress management and financial skills training to improve their managerial abilities and financial status, (8) The result of this study can be used as a reference for those who will conduct further studies in the future, (9) Further study should be pursued to test the extent of stress levels and the result of this on the lives of the teacher, teaching jobs, and well-being. Lastly, (10). This study should be disseminated to the school administration, teachers, parents, and students for information through LAC sessions, demonstrations, lectures, training, or even public symposium