School Culture and Teachers' Work Values

This study focused on determining the effect of the awareness of school culture to the work values of the teachers in Masapang Elementary School, Victoria, Laguna. School culture cannot be easily changed over a period of time. It is already part of the daily routine of the people moving inside the school – teachers, learners and stakeholders. But having the awareness of the different school culture is something that the researcher investigated, whether or not it affects the teachers’ work values. This study went on a quantitative design in doing an action research. Twenty elementary teachers became the respondent of this study. The school head, which is also one of the researchers, introduced a 45-item work values survey and 40-item school culture survey to determine the work characteristics of teachers and their perception of school culture. Then the researchers conducted a series of school learning action cell (SLAC) that centered on the discussion of different school culture in four dimensions – individualism-collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity-femininity. To find out if their work values changed, a post survey was conducted. Data was recorded and processed. It was found out that work values significantly increased after the conduct of School Learning Action Cells. Specifically, 8 attributes of work values out of 15 had significant increase – management, surroundings, associates, aesthetics, prestige, independence, variety, and economic return. Recommendations to school heads, teachers, community officials and future researchers were given at the end of the study.