More Than Just Educators: A Phenomenological Study on Teachers Handling Ancillary Tasks

This study explored the experiences, challenges, coping mechanisms, and insights of teachers at Sta. Josefa Central Elementary School: Under the SPED Program for School Year 2024-2025. Results suggested that the management of ancillary tasks is a two-fold battle. Key experiences for teachers were handling extra duties as homeroom teacher, helping out the school nurse, attending seminars and workshops, gathering data, carrying out school protocols and backing up fellow-teachers. Still others faced difficulties managing their roles at work and home, at times forgetting about their parenting duties and battling scheduling issues. In regard to ancillary responsibilities, these benefits included receipt of promotional certificates, refined organizational, professional, and managerial skills, increased levels of industry and patience, and enhanced understanding of the processes involved in undertaking tasks. A number of teachers also mentioned some ecological benefits, like the conservation of some natural resources and the creation of some recyclable waste materials. On the other hand, some of the disadvantages included the less teaching and contact time, greater administrative burden with no increase in teaching support, lack of workload balance, difficulties with time management, and the necessity of drawing on personal resources. Challenges faced were technical issues, conflicting duties, waiting for required data, poor disposal of waste, and school needs maintenance. Coping mechanisms that were efficient involved self-motivation, staying positive, prioritization, seeking assistance from peers, reminding pupils of regulations, and getting enough rest. Teachers' realizations regarding ancillary task management indicated the need to put effort, lead a balanced life, and accept the positive as well as negative sides of these responsibilities. A few persons think that teachers are not supposed to be given such assignments, yet some recognize their great influence. In order to assist colleagues in the same position, recommendations were looking for assistance, proper time management, being optimistic, and accepting assigned work with commitment. Keywords: Educational Administration Ancillary Tasks, Teachers’ Experiences, Challenges, Coping Mechanisms, Insight, Phenomenological Study