Perseverance and Passion in the Teaching Profession: Teachers' Grit, Self-Efficacy, Burnout, and Performance

Abstract

Teachers are the prime movers in changing the state of any nation towards globalization and industrialization. However, perseverance and passion in the teaching profession influences teachers’ performance. This study was conducted to investigate the interrelationships between and among the variables such as teachers’ characteristics, grit, self-efficacy, burnout, and performance to establish a model that explains teacher performance. This descriptive correlation study utilized the Short Grit Scale, Norwegian Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory for Teachers, and the NBC 461 QCE instruments to gather data. The respondents were the faculty members of a state university in Cagayan Valley Region, Philippines. This study exposed that the teachers have high levels of grit and self-efficacy, moderate level of burnout, and very satisfactory teaching performance regardless of age, gender, civil status, number of dependents, educational attainment, length of service, teaching status, and academic rank. The level of teachers’ grit, self-efficacy, and performance are comparable across teachers’ characteristics while the level of teachers’ burnout varies with the number of dependents. Grit is positively related to educational attainment while burnout is negatively related to the number of dependents. Grit and self-efficacy showed significant positive relationship with each other. While teacher performance is independent of grit, self-efficacy and burnout, teacher performance is best predicted by knowledge of the subject matter and management of learning. Future research should validate the proposed model on a wider scale to include other variables.

Keywords: burnout, grit, self-efficacy, teaching effectiveness, teacher performance