Job Satisfaction of Newly-Hired English Teachers in a Public School during the Pandemic: A Bio-Ecological Case Study

Abstract

Job satisfaction has an impact on the work and life of teachers in the public school system (PPS). Using case study research design and the bioecological framework, 14 newly-hired English teachers in a public school in Antipolo were selected during School Year 2021-2022. Data were collected through questionnaires, focus group discussion, and document analyses and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analyses. Results indicate that the newly-hired English teachers are young in the teaching profession and were satisfied with their job. The factors where the teachers expressed the highest level of satisfaction were in superior support and collaboration with co-teachers. Considered highly satisfactory were the physical environment, adequate resources, superior support, workload, collaboration with colleagues, opportunities for professional development, opportunities for promotion, gender equality, and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) mandate fulfillment, while pay and benefits, work-family balance, and students’ performance received the lowest satisfaction levels.  The participants’ experiences from previous schools and the impact of the pandemic in their work set-up had the greatest contributions to their satisfaction levels. Higher education institutions and DepEd may consider the recommendations for providing human resource programs that will keep job satisfaction rating (JSR) very satisfactorily.