Abstract
Educational leadership significantly influences the work environment and fosters innovative behavior among teachers. This study aimed to assess the extent of leadership styles practiced, the degree of the innovative work environment, and teachers' innovative behavior in public elementary schools in Bacolod City. Data were collected from 140 teachers using a self-constructed questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was conducted using mean and standard deviation to determine the extent of leadership styles, the degree of the innovative work environment, and the degree of innovative behavior. Comparative analysis employed the Mann-Whitney U-Test and Kruskal-Wallis H Test to assess differences based on demographic variables, while the Spearman rank-order correlation was used to examine relationships between the variables. Results revealed that leadership styles were generally practiced to a high extent, with transformational leadership, in particular, being practiced to a very high extent. The innovative work environment was perceived as very high, with strong support from peer collaboration and interaction. Teachers’ innovative behavior was also rated very high, emphasizing their active engagement in generating, promoting, and implementing new ideas. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in innovative behavior based on teaching position, with Highly Proficient teachers demonstrating more innovative behaviors than Proficient teachers. However, no significant difference was found based on teachers’ length of service and educational attainment. The study also revealed a significant positive relationship between the leadership styles and innovative work environment, and between innovative work environment and teachers’ innovative behavior. The findings underscore the importance of fostering leadership practices that inspire and support innovation, thereby creating a conducive environment for enhancing teachers' innovative behavior. Overall, the study provides valuable insights for educational leaders aiming to cultivate a culture of innovation in schools.
