Ethical Climate, Charismatic Leadership of School Heads and Teachers’ Sense of Self-Efficacy: A Structural Equation Model on Teacher Engagement

This study was conducted to determine best-fit model on teacher engagement as influenced by ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in public elementary schools in Region XI, Philippines. It was conducted from August to December 2022. The study used quantitative, non-experimental correlational research using Structural Equation Model (SEM). The 400 teachers among public elementary schools were determined using the stratified sampling procedure. Mean, Pearson r, and SEM were used as statistical tools. Moreover, adapted survey questionnaires used were modified to contextualize to the local setting. The results showed that the levels of ethical climate and charismatic leadership of school heads, and teacher engagement were very high while the teachers’ sense of self-efficacy was high. Further, when each exogenous variable was correlated with teacher engagement, results showed that the ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy were significantly correlated with teacher engagement. Model 3 came out as the best-fit model on teacher engagement. Further, results showed that the best fit model was model 3 showing the direct causal relationships of ethical climate, charismatic leadership of school heads and teacher’s sense of self efficacy on teacher engagement. Furthermore, structure modifications revealed that teacher engagement was defined by its retained indicators, namely: vigor, and absorption. On the other hand, ethical climate was described by its domains: laws and rules, efficiency and independence. Charismatic leadership was determined by its retained indicators, namely: strategic vision and articulation, sensitivity to member needs and personal risk. Finally, teachers’ sense of self-efficacy was measured by its domains: efficacy in student engagement and efficacy in instructional strategies. This implies that schools may focus on improving teacher engagement by setting school ethical norms and expectations with improved teachers’ efficacy coupled with enhanced charismatic leadership behavior of school heads.