Motivational Drivers and Roadblocks of Seasoned Teachers in Private Elementary Schools: Basis for a Proposed Action Plan

This study examined the motivational drivers, roadblocks, and support needs of seasoned teachers—those with ten or more years of continuous service—in selected private elementary schools in Iriga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines, during School Year 2025-2026. Anchored on Self-Determination Theory, the Work Engagement and Job Resources Model, and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, the study employed a descriptive-survey research design and gathered data from 25 purposively selected seasoned teachers using a researcher-made, validated, and pilot-tested questionnaire. Data were treated using weighted mean, ranking, and frequency-percentage distribution. Results showed that personal (WM = 4.70), environmental (WM = 4.67), and professional (WM = 4.44) factors were all Highly Influential in sustaining teachers' loyalty and motivation, yielding an overall weighted mean of 4.60, with professional pride and a sense of purpose emerging as the strongest drivers. Teachers likewise agreed that they experience roadblocks across all three domains (overall WM = 3.96), with professional roadblocks—particularly heavy workload and inadequate compensation—ranking highest, followed by environmental constraints such as insufficient resources and centralized decision-making. Strong support needs were identified across all domains, led by demand for stronger administrative support, transparent policies, and increased financial incentives. Based on these findings, a three-tiered action plan covering personal, professional, and environmental interventions is proposed to sustain motivation and strengthen retention. The study concludes that while seasoned teachers are intrinsically driven by professional pride and purpose, sustained retention requires deliberate institutional investment in compensation, workload management, resources, and communication. The findings offer school administrators an evidence-based foundation for designing responsive human-resource and well-being programs for long-serving educators in private basic education institutions.

Education

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