Lived Experience of New School Administrators: Sociological, Socio-Religious, and Philosophical Insights from Public Elementary Schools in Biñan City

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63931/pasrj.v6i1.75

Keywords:

Lived experiences, Moral leadership, Philosophical inquiry, Sociology of religion, Values education

Abstract

This study explored the lived experiences of new school administrators in public elementary schools within the City Schools Division of Biñan City, situating their leadership within sociological, socio-religious, and philosophical contexts of Philippine public education. It sought to describe how novice principals transitioned from classroom teaching to school leadership, navigating challenges and coping strategies while integrating values formation, perspectives from religious education, and community expectations shaped by local faith traditions. Guided by a phenomenological approach, the study involved newly appointed school heads who had served for less than five years. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically by identifying significant statements, formulating meanings, and clustering these into themes. The findings revealed that new school administrators experienced a combination of excitement and apprehension as they assumed leadership roles. Beyond the typical administrative demands, they navigated expectations to model ethical behavior, promote values formation, and sustain harmonious relationships, reflecting theological-spiritual dimensions of moral leadership embedded in socio-religious norms. They faced key challenges, including managing time and workload, gaining acceptance from senior teachers, and balancing administrative and instructional responsibilities alongside their perceived role as moral leaders in the school community. Despite these difficulties, they demonstrated resilience by seeking guidance from mentors, engaging in professional development, and fostering collaboration among teachers, while also grounding their leadership practices in shared values and community-oriented principles.  The study concluded that leadership in the Philippine public school context is not only a professional undertaking but also a moral, sociological, and philosophically reflective journey of learning, values integration, and service. The findings highlight the importance of mentoring and sustained professional support that integrates ethical leadership and values-based formation to strengthen leadership development among novice school heads.

Author Biographies

  • Danise Joy Matienzo, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, College of Professional and Graduate Studies, Philippines / Pagkakaisa Elementary School, Philippines

    Danise Joy M. Matienzo graduated with a Bachelor of Elementary Education major in General Education from the University of Perpetual Help System Laguna in 2012 and is currently pursuing a Master of Education major in Educational Management at De La Salle University–Dasmariñas while serving as a Grade 4 teacher at Pagkakaisa Elementary School, with previous teaching and coordinatorship experiences at Pedro H. Escueta Memorial School, Montessori Children’s Workshop, and The Master’s Academy.

  • Gladiolus M. Gatdula, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, Philippines

    Gladiolus M. Gatdula is the Chair of the Religious Education Department of the College of Education at De La Salle University–Dasmariñas and a faculty member of the College of Professional and Graduate Studies, teaching Life and Philosophy of De La Salle, Media in Communication, and Educational Technology.

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Published

2026-05-20

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): PASR Journal

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Danise Joy Matienzo, Gladiolus M. Gatdula (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Matienzo, D. J., & Gatdula, G. (2026). Lived Experience of New School Administrators: Sociological, Socio-Religious, and Philosophical Insights from Public Elementary Schools in Biñan City. Philippine Association for the Sociology of Religion Journal, 6(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.63931/pasrj.v6i1.75