ABSTRACT
This study explored school heads' experiences in carrying out instructional supervision to develop a supervisory plan. Ten head teachers from the Barotac Nuevo school district participated in the study, which used a qualitative phenomenological design for the 2025–2026 school year. Thematic analysis was applied to identify recurring themes in their responses. Findings revealed that instructional supervision practices centered on collaborative professional growth, assurance of instructional quality, and comprehensive supervision. These were implemented through professional training, clear goal-setting, and fostering collaboration. Challenges encountered included insufficient instructional resources, time limitations, and logistical constraints. To address these, school heads adopted coping strategies such as peer mentoring, collaborative support, and structured leadership approaches.
Keywords: Experiences, School Heads, Implementation, Instructional Supervision, Supervisory Plan
INTRODUCTION
School heads are key persons who will ensure the actual delivery of the MATATAG curriculum. Their understanding of this curriculum would be very important in order to cultivate an innovative learning environment that strives for academic excellence. Thus, school heads are now encouraged to take a more instructional approach by directly engaging in managing the school curriculum, guiding teachers, and making data-driven decisions (Po, 2025). Despite the new curriculum's advantages, school heads still face many obstacles. Ensuring that all teachers meet the necessary standards for its implementation is one of the most difficult tasks.
Globally, the importance of instructional supervision has increased due to several urgent issues. First, teacher shortages and insufficient professional development reduce classroom effectiveness (UNESCO, 2021). Second, learning loss resulting from extended school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic remains a serious problem, underscoring the need for effective pedagogical leadership to restore high-quality learning settings (Fullan, 2020). Third, as the need for inclusive and equitable education grows, school administrators must adapt teaching strategies to the demands of a diverse student body (Fullan, 2020). These difficulties highlight the necessity for instructional leaders to promote teaching excellence through vision, direction, and capacity-building.
Similar issues are reflected in the Philippine educational system. Problems persist despite the Enhanced Basic Education Act and the implementation of improvements under the MATATAG Agenda. First, school heads' capacity to effectively influence classroom instruction is limited by a lack of comprehensive training and coaching in instructional supervision (SEAMEO INNOTECH, 2021). Second, many school administrators are overworked and have little time for teacher mentoring and classroom observation (DepEd, 2022). Third, instructional innovation and long-term teacher growth are hampered by gaps in professional learning communities and support networks (Magno, 2023). The practice and support of instructional leadership across the nation's many school contexts need to be reexamined in light of these national challenges.
These national issues manifest in the Municipality of Barotac Nuevo through more specific, context-specific methods. Educators in the district recount diverse experiences with school leaders, ranging from strong collaboration and instructional guidance to minimal involvement and limited feedback on teaching concerns. Programs for developing leaders are often unavailable in rural and isolated schools, resulting in inadequate instructional leadership and uneven teaching practices.
These challenges underscore the importance of examining how teachers experience and respond to instructional leadership within their schools. Taken together, local, national, and global issues reveal a significant gap in understanding the everyday realities of leadership from the viewpoint of educators. While leadership models and policies exist, their practical application—especially in disadvantaged and rural contexts—remains uncertain.
Expectations and practical realities underscore the need to examine how teachers, who are on the front lines of education, experience, understand, and adapt to instructional leadership.
This study seeks to address the identified gap by examining and interpreting the experiences of school administrators in carrying out instructional supervision within Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.
see PDF attachment for more information