Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to obtain an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of novice school heads in their dual roles of both teaching and leading schools in the hinterlands in Langilan District, Davao del Norte Division, who were chosen and qualified in the inclusion criteria set to become participants for the in-depth interview. I utilized thematic analysis to examine the transcribed data from the participants' responses. This involved categorizing and coding the data to identify key themes. On the lived experiences of novice school heads in their dual roles of both teaching and leading the hinterland schools, these essential themes emerged, namely: struggling from limited human, financial and other resources, multitasking as leader and teacher, learning from own experience and trainings, struggling from risky travel to the school, and leaving classes for administrative tasks. Regarding their coping mechanisms, after a careful analysis of the transcript of the participants' responses, the following themes emerged: building support system, crafting a needs-based school improvement plan (SIP), communicating with parents, and delegating workload. Finally, on their insights the following essential themes surfaced: allocation of opportunities for professional development, allocation for additional teacher item and support staff, procurement of school facilities and equipment, designation of school in charge without teaching load and be resilient.
