LIVED EXPERIENCES OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN MANAGING TEACHER BURNOUT

Educational Management

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of school principals in managing teacher burnout in the DepEd Surigao City Division. Guided by a central research question and five statements of the problem, the study examined how school principals recognized and interpreted signs of teacher burnout, what experiences they encountered when responding to burnout, what challenges they faced in managing burnout within their schools, how these experiences influenced their leadership practices and decision-making, and what support systems they perceived as essential in addressing teacher burnout effectively. Ten school principals were purposively selected as key informants because of their direct leadership experience in recognizing and responding to burnout-related concerns. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and organized using a respondents' verbatim matrix. The data were analyzed through phenomenological and thematic procedures involving the identification of significant statements, formulated meanings, clustered themes, and essential meanings. Findings revealed that school principals recognized burnout through behavioral, emotional, attendance-related, and performance-based indicators; responded through supportive, empathetic, and workload-responsive leadership practices; encountered structural, contextual, personal, and cultural barriers; shifted from compliance-centered to people-centered and well-being-oriented leadership; and perceived multi-level support systems as necessary for sustaining teacher and principal well-being. The study concludes that teacher burnout is not only an individual teacher concern but also a leadership, organizational, and institutional issue shaped by workload demands, school conditions, personal circumstances, available resources, and the culture of work. Addressing teacher burnout requires responsive school leadership, manageable workload structures, mental health awareness, peer and community support, and institutional systems that protect the well-being of teachers and principals while sustaining instructional quality and healthier school environments.

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