HomeJournal of Interdisciplinary Perspectivesvol. 3 no. 8 (2025)

School Culture’s Influence on Teachers’ Wellness and Students’ Achievement in Glan’s Last Mile Public Secondary Schools

Katherine L. Temple

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study examined the influence of school culture on teacher wellness and student achievement in selected last-mile public secondary schools in Glan III District, Sarangani Province, Philippines. While the relationship between school culture and educational outcomes has been widely recognized, limited research has explored how these dynamics play out in remote, under-resourced contexts. This study aimed to determine the extent of school culture experienced by teachers in terms of school collaboration, school and teacher affiliation, and school community. It also sought to assess teachers’ wellness in terms of emotional, physical, and spiritual health, and evaluate students’ achievement based on their General Point Average (GPA) and National Achievement Test (NAT) scores. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, 105 teachers from seven last-mile schools were selected through proportional sampling. Standardized and validated survey instruments were used to gather data, which were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and linear regression. Findings revealed that teachers perceived a very high extent of positive school culture (M = 4.57, SD = 0.63) and reported very healthy levels of wellness across all dimensions (M = 4.58, SD = 0.63). Students’ academic performance was rated as satisfactory based on GPA and average based on NAT results. Notably, the study found that school culture has a significant influence on teacher wellness, affirming that a collaborative, respectful, and value-driven school environment contributes positively to educators’ overall well-being. However, no significant relationship was found between school culture and student achievement, suggesting that broader factors beyond the internal school setting may shape student outcomes. This study emphasizes the significance of enhancing school culture to promote teacher well-being and recommends additional research on the external and instructional factors influencing student performance, particularly in schools serving marginalized and geographically isolated populations.



References:

  1. Abante, M. E. R., et al. (2021). A comparative analysis on the challenges of online learning modality and modular learning modality: A basis for training program. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 4(04), 463–476. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v4-i4-17
  2. Arencibia, T. (2023). Building a positive school culture. NASSP. Principal Leadership Article, 2023. https://tinyurl.com/2tvpbtcp 
  3. Bonell, C., et. al. (2013). Theories of how the school environment impacts student health: Systematic review and synthesis. https://tinyurl.com/5xk89b72 
  4. Briner, R., & Dewberry, C. (2007). Staff well-being is key to school success: A research study into the links between staff well-being and school performance. Worklife Support Ltd. https://tinyurl.com/bd47eb8n 
  5. Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. Russell Sage Foundation. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7758/9781610440967 
  6. Caballero, K.A. (2024). After-dark Filipino learners: Addressing the stress level of grit among higher educational learners and its relationship to academic performance. ResearchGate: Research Journal. https://tinyurl.com/4vn2sswa 
  7. Canque, E. M. (2021). Senior high school background and GPA of education students in a state university in the Philippines. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT) https://turcomat.org/index.php/turkbilmat/article/view/9185 
  8. Day, C., & Gu, Q. (2014). Resilient teachers, resilient schools: Building and sustaining quality in testing times. Routledge. https://tinyurl.com/yb3fuhsk 
  9. Deal, T. E., & Peterson, K. D. (2009). A leader’s perspective: Using qualitative methodology for program evaluation in a Rural Middle School. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2224440 
  10. Deal, T. E., & Peterson, K. D. (2016). Shaping school culture. John Wiley & Sons. 
  11. Dillon, S. (2023). School culture definition and examples. Education and Teaching /Pedagogy and teaching strategies / Learning principles. https://study.com/academy/lesson/school-culture-definition-examples.html 
  12. DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional learning communities at work: Best practices for enhancing student achievement. Solution Tree Press. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=1214428 
  13. Flores, M. P. (2022). Well-being and mental health in teachers: The life impact of COVID-19. NIH National Library of Medicine. PubMed Central. Int J Environ  Res  Public  Health.  2022  Nov;  19  (22):  15371. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9690509/
  14. Fullan, M., & Hargreaves, A. (2016). Bringing the profession back in: Call to action. Learning Forward. https://tinyurl.com/ym4fm9cj 
  15. Gruenert, S., & Whitaker, T. (2015). School culture rewired: How to define, assess, and transform it. ASCD. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED596620 
  16. Hascher, T., & Waber, J. (2021). Teacher well-being: A systematic review of the research literature from the year 2000-2019. Educational Research Review, 34(2021). https://tinyurl.com/42sd3898 
  17. Hargreaves, A., & O'Connor, M. T. (2018). Collaborative professionalism: When teaching together means learning for all. Corwin Press. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=3677036 
  18. Hoy, W. K., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (1999). Five faces of trust: An empirical confirmation in urban elementary schools. Journal of School Leadership, 9(3), 184–208. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/105268469900900301 
  19. Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491–525. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308325693 
  20. Kelchtermans, G. (2006). Teacher collaboration and collegiality as workplace conditions: A review. Zeitschrift für Pädagogik, 52(2), 220–237. https://tinyurl.com/2v7s276x 
  21. Kidger, J. et al. (2021). An intervention to improve teacher well-being, support, and training to support students in UK high schools (the WISE study): A cluster randomised controlled trial. PLOS Medicine, 18(11), e1003847. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003847
  22. Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077 
  23. Mangunay, M. A. (2022). School culture. Slideshare: A Scribd Company. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/school-culturepptx/251418531
  24. Mansor, N., et al. (2020). Challenges and strategies in managing small schools: A case study in Perak, Malaysia. Educational Management Administration and Leadership (2020). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1741143220942517 
  25. Pollard, A. (2022). The biggest factors that impact teacher well-being: A study on positive emotions and student behavior. Twinkl. https://tinyurl.com/5bhnevrm 
  26. Reyes, R. (2023). Last Schools'Mile schools’ program brings hope to remote villages amid learning crisis. SunStar: Local News. https://tinyurl.com/tzuees43 
  27. Rosales, L. (2023). Home-School collaboration: Maximizing resources and efforts to support students’ independent learning. Journal of Educational Support, 18(1), 59–68. https://www.ijmaberjournal.org/index.php/ijmaber/article/view/891
  28. Scheerens, J. (2016). Educational effectiveness and ineffectiveness: A critical review of the knowledge base. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94-017-7459-8 
  29. Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2017). Social and emotional learning and teachers. The Future of Children, 27(1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.1353/foc.2017.0007
  30. Shaheen, S. (2024). Five ways schools can support teacher wellbeing. T4 Education. https://t4.education/blog/five-ways-schools-can-support-teacher-wellbeing/   
  31. Siega, G. (2020). Effects of classroom environment on the academic achievement of secondary high school students. ResearchGate: Makati Science Technological Institute. https://tinyurl.com/mrecdj9c 
  32. Turner, N., & Thielking, M. (2019). Teacher wellbeing: Its effect on teaching practice and student learning. Swineburne University of Technology, Australia.  Issues in  Educational Research,  29  (3),  2019. https://www.iier.org.au/iier29/turner2.pdf
  33. Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(1), 80–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.01.004