a sample format for thesis proposal presentation in undergraduate and graduate school

1. LIVED EXPERIENCES OF NEOPHYTE SCHOOL HEADS:
A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
A THESIS PROPOSAL
PRESENTED TO
THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE SCHOOL
LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION – EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT
MARY JANE CERENA
NOVEMBER 2021

2. CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background and Rationale
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) crafted the Competency Framework for Head Teachers
and Associated Roles and Responsibilities the purpose of providing an international standard for all head teachers
to possess in performing managerial roles and responsibilities in their respective school.
The framework is composed of six (6) competencies: service delivery, knowledge and understanding, attitude and
integrity, relationships and communications, and leadership and management.

3. • Likewise, the aims to provide holistic development of head teachers, the Southeast Asian Minister of
Education, Organization, Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH) together with the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and constructed a different set of framework for ASEAN head
teachers to realize and exemplify.
• In the national context, the Department of Education (DepEd) set a mandate for the guidelines in identifying
school heads based on a set of criteria of competencies. DepEd Order No. 85, s. 2003 otherwise known as
Guidelines on the Selection, promotion and designation of school heads among public schools. Pursuant to the
implementing rules and regulations of R.A. 9155, the selection, promotion and designation of school heads shall
be based on merit, competence, fitness and equality.
• The Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) was formally embraced by the Department
of Education (DepEd) through its issuance of DepEd Order No. 024, series 2020 entitled National Adoption and
Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads on September 07, 2020. As stated in
this issuance, it is “in line with the commitment of the department in supporting school heads so they can better
perform their roles in schools, including the improvement of teacher quality, and through this, learner
achievement.” PPSSH has three standing aims and these are as follows: (1) set out clear expectations of school
heads along well-defined career stages of professional development from beginning to exemplary practice; (2)
engage school heads to actively embrace a continuing effort to attain high levels of proficiency; and (3) provided
support for professional learning and development, help identify development needs, and facilitate uniform
assessment performance.

4. •Throughout this study, the “neophyte school head teacher” is defined as an individual who is brand new to a specific
administrative role (principal, assistant school principal, head teachers), and this refers to the first fifteen months
where the school head is in his or her new role. This includes the promotion and the transition period into the new
school.
• Neophyte school heads are often overwhelmed by the high expectations relate d to their new roles and the
expectations to have solutions to a variety of school issues in a limited amount of time. Experiences as a classroom
teacher or other administrative positions, such as an assistant principal or any administrative role, may not have
adequately prepared them for the challenges that await them as a school head
a. Many factors, such as recruitment and retention of effective classroom teachers and establishing credibility as
an instructional leader, contribute to a sense of unpreparedness in the face of unforeseen demands on neophyte
principals (Walker, Anderson, Sackney, & Woolf, 2003).
b. The one-size-fits-all blanketed support provided by district leaders is insufficient to assist head teachers in their
quest for instructional improvement and student achievement (Peters & Pearce, 2012). Without support neophyte
school administrators may struggle to maximize their potential as an effective leader, which has detrimental
consequences for student academic achievement (Seashore-Louis et al., 2010).
c. A variety of studies in different countries have clearly shown that novice school administrators have similar
challenges in their roles (Hobson, Walker, et al., 2006). They quickly lose their desire to continue in their role and
are more likely to leave their profession. Within this context, many researchers in different countries have tried to
explore the types of challenges school leaders face in their schools.

5. d. New principals admitted their lack of formal preparation but overcame it through in-service training and on-the-job
learning. Due to the scant preparation they had, they felt increasingly fearful about accepting the new responsibility
(Thody, Papanaoum, Johansson & Pashiardis, 2007).
As a result of their expertise, new principals are left to flounder or swim in their new assignments. They are typically
believed to be prepared after completing graduate studies or a university training program. They receive a few
pointers, fake encouragement, and the occasional practical advise. This mindset is changing, however, as educators
become aware of the critical scarcity of high-quality school leaders. When it comes to hiring promising school leaders,
nurturing them comes second (Arrieta & Ancho, 2020).
e. Others have similarly found that the common challenges for school administrators involve long hours and a
relentless workload accompanied by demands from multiple and diverse stakeholders (Macbeth, 2009).
f. The leadership style of the previous leader is another challenge for neophyte school leaders (Duke 2007). School
teachers and other employees compare the neophyte school leaders to the prior ones and resist new policies and
procedures in the school. Also, are technical challenges, including the school budget, school construction, and
applying new government initiatives (Spillane, 2014).
g. Consequently, novice school leaders, individually, the principals frequently fight with the feelings of professional
isolation and loneliness in the workplace (Spillane, 2014). From the above literature, new school leaders face a bunch
of challenges in their schools. As a result, many are very close to leaving their administrative position. It should not be
forgotten that they are also human beings (Açıkalın, 2007).

6. • Although many researchers around the world have accepted the importance of school heads as agents of
change and student achievement in schools, there remains inadequate research investigating challenges that new
school administrators face in their respective schools.
•This gap in knowledge exemplifies a critical need for further research to determine these challenges from the
Leyte Schools Division school administrators’ perspective. Consequently, this paper considers what has come to
be known as “the lived experiences” of neophyte school administrators’ in Leyte Division.
• The rationale of conducting this research is to decipher and engage on the lived experiences of the neophyte
school heads amidst the punitive school system, culture, and community. Since they are the ones who are
expected to lead the school in the next school year to come. It is significant to invest on them by identifying their
problems, concerns, and adaptations that they had or being experienced as a novice leader.
Theoretical Framework
1. Symbolic Interactionism, with its focus on explaining human behavior in terms of meanings individuals,
attach to experiences, provides a cogent theoretical framework for investigating the perspectives from the lived
experiences of neophyte school administrators.
2. Organizational Adaptation Theory . In connection with the study, this theory will help explain how neophyte
head teachers initiate activities on how to generally adapt in the new system and organization processes where
they enjoined.

7. Statement of the Problem
The purpose of this study is to uncover and understand the lived experiences of neophyte school
heads. Specifically, it will address the following research questions:
1. What are the lived experiences of neophyte school heads?
2. What school leadership challenges do neophyte school heads face in their schools?
3. How do neophyte school heads cope with such challenges?
Scope and Delimitation of the Study
A set of criteria is necessary to delimit the study and to gather exhaustive data from the identified
participants. Thus, the participants of the study are the selected head teachers of Tanauan National High
School, Tanauan School of Craftsmanship and Home Industry, Kiling National High School, and Tanauan
School of Arts and Trade. These schools are public secondary schools of Tanauan, Leyte, Area 1, Division
of Leyte where the participants have been appointed and served for not less than two (2) years and not
more than five (5) years. The given criteria in selecting participants is based from Gagja (2019) where the
period of adjustment for employees who have been appointed for an administrative position demands
more than a year.

8. Significance of the Study
This study is deemed beneficial to the following:
DepEd Policymakers/Officials. The results of this study will provide insights on the different school
stakeholders in providing assistance and mechanism to empower neophyte school leaders in managing the
school system. Moreover, this paper is instructive to learn more about one of the top issues in the field of
educational administration.
School Heads. The findings will be of interest to school heads themselves since in conducting this study, the
researcher has hoped to elucidate these lived experiences to determine challenges that neophyte school
administrators face in their schools.
Other Stakeholders. The results of this study will provide a significant information for the school stakeholders in
assisting and supporting neophyte school heads on their adjustment and adaptation in the new system.
Future researchers. The findings will be a starting point for future researchers to explore the gaps and conduct
further researches around school administration.

9. Definition of Terms
The researcher has adopted the following terms and definitions for the study:
Coping Mechanism. Any conscious or nonconscious adjustment or adaptation that decreases tension and anxiety
in a stressful experience or situation. Modifying maladaptive coping mechanisms is often the focus of
psychological interventions (APA, 2020). In this study, this refers to the steps of the neophyte school heads in
handling challenges and problems.
Lived Experiences. Bennis and Thomas (2002) found lived experiences to be “a point of deep self-reflection that
required leaders to examine their values, question their assumptions, and hone their judgment. In this study, this
refers to the participants experiences and knowledge that serves as the answers for the problems of this
exploration.
Neophyte School Heads. For the sake of this study, “neophyte school heads” means anyone who has served in a
lead administrative position for less than three years.
School Leadership Challenges. In this study, this refer to the faced challenges of neophyte school heads in the
implementation of their program and activities, organizational adjustment, and personal struggles in relation to their
held position.

10. This chapter provides an overview of the literature that informs about the research study. It is divided into
three main sections where the literature is classified according to the variables discussed; Roles and Functions,
School Leadership Challenges, Lived Experiences and Coping Mechanisms.
Roles and Functions
• De Guzman and Guillermo (2007) paraphrase Republic Act 9155 (RA 9155) in explaining the basic role
and functions of school principals (and school superintendents)in the Philippines:
“Schools are either state-run or privately owned stock or non-stock institutions. In the case of public elementary
and secondary schools, the following provisions govern the selection of a school principal, to wit: The school
shall be the focal point and center of formal education. The class is where the teaching learning process shall
take place and should be managed efficiently and effectively.
•The school principal shall function both as an instructional leader and administrative manager to ensure that
goals for quality education are met and shall be assisted by an office staff for administrative and fiscal services”
(p. 217). The authors see RA 9155 as an alignment of federal law to some current global trends related to the
principalship in that it suggests a leadership role rather than one solely focused on administration or
management.

11. • Today, the principal is viewed as a leader charged with the function of initiating change by raising the
level of expectations for both teachers and students (Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2004); developing a caring
community in the school exercising effective instructional leadership (Gurr, Drysdale,& Mulford, 2006), site
based decision-making (Whitaker, 2003); and spending more time with parents and community (Kochan,
Spencer, Matthews, 2000), among others.
•Generally, the position has been selected from a pool of candidates who have shown success in the
classroom, as a department chair, in the counselor’s office, and/or as an administrative intern (Marshall and
Hooley, 2006).
School Leadership Challenges
Leithwood (2016) conducted a comparative review on studies of department-head leadership among 42
studies. Results of the review uncovered a number of complex challenges preventing many department
heads from adopting a proactive and relatively comprehensive leadership role in their departments and
across their schools.

12. •These are challenges imposed by some teachers and teacher unions, some senior leaders, and some heads
themselves. Nonetheless, the review also found considerable evidence identifying effective department leadership
practices and personal leadership resources.
•Successful leaders are increasingly focused on learning, the central and unique purpose of educational
organisations. They also face unprecedented accountability pressures in many countries in what is clearly an
increasingly ‘results driven’ business. As these environmental pressures intensify, leaders and managers require
greater understanding, skill and resilience to sustain their institutions. Heads, principals and senior staff need an
appreciation of the theory, as well as the practice, of educational management (Bush & Glover, 2014).
•Many principals confess to feeling unprepared for the level of expertise required for mediation, difficult parents,
teacher supervision, site and facilities management, administrative tasks, and the time and toll taken on families in
the role (Walker, K., Anderson, K, Sackney, J. & Wolfe, J. (2003).
Lived Experiences and Coping Mechanisms
In Pakistan, Niazi (2012) conducted a study on school leadership practices. Based on the findings, the
development and enhancement is not possible without the expertise and knowledge of the head. It has been
observed that those principals who were cooperative and enthusiastic are those that have capabilities of enhancing
the educational system in its school staff and teachers were also satisfied but in so many other schools teachers
were found complaining about the fact that the head do not involve them in making or taking any decision
regarding the managements or academics, the principal not even consider there advices to take any progressive
step he would rather prefer implementing his decisions on staff.

13. Listening is a skill that principals need to nurture. This skill makes the principal’s decisions needs-based. As a
skill to be practiced by principals, listening is a two-way endeavor that makes a school a caring community” (de
Guzman & Guillermo, 2007, p. 221).

14. CHAPTE R III
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This type of research causes researchers to look at the ‘shared lived experience’ (Bogdan, 2007). Specifically,
this study will apply transcendental qualitative Hermeneutic phenomenology which is concerned with individuals'
and communities' subjective experiences. This design will attempt to reveal the subject's reality as experienced via
their life tales. This school of thought holds that all we have are interpretations, and that description itself is an
interpretive process. It proposes to employ the hermeneutic cycle in order to arrive at the best possible
interpretation of a phenomenon
Research Locale
The study will be conducted in specific public secondary schools of Tanauan Area I of Leyte Division.
Specifically, this exploration will cover Tanauan National High School, Tanauan School of Craftsmanship and Home
Industry, Kiling National High School, and Tanauan School of Arts and Trade.
Participants of the Study
Newly assigned school heads are the participants of the study. Polkinghorne (1989) recommended the
inclusion of five to 25 participants in a phenomenological study. However, according to Wa-mabaleka (2016) in
qualitative research 5 or 7 participants will be appropriate or until such point where the saturation point is met by
the researcher thus, finalizing the research’s number of participants to 10.

15. Sampling Procedure
The participants of this study will be selected through purposive sampling. Thus, the participants will be
identified based on its ability to provide the necessary information for the success of this study. Specifically, the
participants for this study are newly assigned school heads within the last two to five years among secondary
public schools in Area 1 Tanauan schools.
To further validate the findings, the researcher will identify two teachers who are consistuents of the neophyte
school head and the immediate supervisor of the said school hear who will participate in the triangulation of the
study. The researcher hopes that by focusing sampling on neophyte school head’s political and affiliation- based
concerns were limited, allowing participants to respond truthfully with minimal concern for institutional
repercussions.
Research Instrument
This research will utilize a semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. A semi-structured
interview, is where the researcher will utilize a pre-determined set of open-ended questions in gathering data.
Additional questions may be asked to the participants for additional information needed. The sem-structured
interview guide will be employed in the in-depth interview with the neophyte administrators.
On the other hand, when conflicting responses are obtained from the participants, the researcher will
conduct the focus group discussion

16. Ethical Considerations
The researcher will make sure the participants will feel comfortable during the interview by
establishing rapport The researcher will show sensitivity to the participants’ stories by listening openly
without judgment. The researcher will not impose her own beliefs on the story to allow leadership
strategies and skills to emerge organically throughout the interview. Overall, the researcher aims to
develop a solid rapport with the participants to alleviate any stress or discomfort they may experience
due to their participation in the study.
Research Reflexivity
Using open-ended questions will allow each participant the chance to expand on their responses by
sharing their experiences to maintain credibility in the study. Keeping the confidentiality and authenticiy of
each participant answers are necessary. After each interview had been completed, the audio recording
will be transcribed by the researcher. Following the transcribing of each interview, the participant will
have an opportunity to review the transcript for accuracy. Participant verification and debriefing are the
methods used to strengthen the credibility of the data, as well as to assure the accuracy of the
statements.

17. Data Analysis
Upon completion of the interview, the researcher will transcribe the voice-recorded interviews.
Interview transcripts was analyzed by the researcher using thematic analysis, allowing the responses to
be grouped to highlight the key categories. Thematic analysis is defined as a method for identifying,
analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within data.
The next step was to form codes, which involves aggregating the text or visual data into small
categories of information, seeking evidence for the code from the different databases being used in the
study, and then assigning a label to the code.

18. APPENDIX A
Neophyte School Head Interview Guide Questions
Warm-Up Questions
1. What was your initial reaction to becoming a school head? Describe
your feelings as you told your immediate family and friends. What was
their reaction?
2. How were your first week as a school head?
1. How do neophyte school head perceive their new role at their
school?
1.1 What are your responsibilities and duties as a school head?
1.2 How do you deliver your functions as a school head?
2. What challenges do school head face in their schools?
2.1 What are the problems, issues, and concern you had
encountered during your early days of being a school head?
2.2 What are the factors that triggered the problem?
3. How do they cope with such challenges?
3.1 What are your coping mechanisms?
3.2 How do you take actions to solve these problems and issues?