ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL

EFFECTIVE TEACHER TRAITS IN REDUCING BULLYING BEHAVIORS FOR

GRADE 4 CLASSES AT CATORSE DE AGOSTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND
HOW IT AFFECTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

I. Context and rationale:

Many students in Elementary school in Catorse get into school to pursue an academic

career. The education journey is rich with several goals but most of the times challenging

with ups and downs as regards bullying in the school environment.

Bullying has been through of as a rite of passage to make kids tougher, as an

important part of growing up ingrained in the Philippine educational setting and even in

our culture. While many countries acknowledge bullying as normal behavior associated with

children and teenagers, the effect of bullying have a long-lasting effect both on the victim and

the bully, and recent research says repeated witnessing of bullying incidents could induce

negative effects similar to those experienced by the victimized children ( Hirsh & Lowen,

2012).

Since the early 1990s, the school is not only a place characterized by learning, but an

environment where students are harassed and experience peer harassment (Juvonen, Wang, &

Espinoza, 2011). Bullying is a social problem, and one person in every three individuals

randomly selected has been bullied physically, verbally, and socially (Misawa, 2010).

Bullying influences both the individual and the perpetrator and may lead to present

and long-term effects (Aleem, 2016). Bullying and peer victimization always have either

direct or indirect effects on the victims and may result in poor academic performance (Holt,

Finkelhor, & Kantor, 2007). According to Nishina, Juvonen, and Witkow (2005), school

harassment, peer victimization, and bullying have contributed to a decline in classroom

activities and school engagement, which tend to impact academic performance and

achievement negatively.

A school is a place where students spend most of their time on growth and

development (Darling-Hammond, Flook, Cook-Harvey, Barron, & Osher, 2019). Students

that are supported by their teachers feel an increased sense of belongingness, more engaged,

have fewer behavioral problems, and perform better in their academics (Konishi, Hymel,

Zumbo & Li, 2000). Conversely, unhealthy school environments have adverse effects on a

student’s academic achievement (Strøm, 2013). Academic achievement around the world is

significant for schooling, and several studies are being carried out on the physical factors that

could affect educational performance (Steinmayr, Crede, McElvany, & Wirthwein, 2016).

Externalizing factors, which include theft and vandalism and oppositional problems, affect

student’s academic achievement. Internalizing factors like depression symptoms and anxiety

have a negative repercussion on a student’s performance (Tremblay et al., 2012).

Teacher interventions from the core of many anti-bullying intervention programs

since they know their students the most and that they have the capacity to directly affect

bullying behaviors and victimizations. Teachers have profound influence on student behavior

thus, whether and how teachers intervene in the case of bullying is of great importance.

Now that schools have been permitted and budgeted by the Department of education

to adopt and adapt strategies to reduce bullying in public schools, this research will attempt to

contribute to the literature by adding teacher traits as a dependent variable. The proponent

hopes to address the apparent lack of focus on the teacher as the most important chain in anti-

bullying interventions.
II. Action Research Questions:

a. This research specifically aims to answer the following problems:

b. What are the different bullying behaviors experienced by grade 4 students?

c. What teacher traits are effective in reducing bullying behavior in the classroom as

perceived by students?

d. Is there a significant association between bullying and effective teacher traits?

e. What strategy can be formulated to reduce cases in grade 4 public elementary school

classrooms?

f. Which types of bullying are common among schools in Catorse De Agosto

Elementary School?

g. What are the experiences of students about bullying in schools?

h. What is the impact of bullying on academic performance?

III. Proposed Innovation, intervention and strategy:

This research proposes an anti-bullying teacher intervention to reduce bullying

behaviors in Grade 4 Classes of Catorse De Agosto Elementary School. This will examine all

forms of bullying behaviors and ways to reduce those behaviors. The tools being used to

document evidence of bullying included an observation log, questionnaire, a teacher survey,

and a student survey.

IV. Action Research methods

a. Participants and/or other source of data and information

This action research will be conducted in all Grade 4 classes of Catorse De Agosto

Elementary School, located at Brgy. Catorse De Agosto Gandara, Samar, S/Y 2022-2023.
Significance of the Study

Results of this action research could help similar determine what point to ponder and

what anti-bullying teacher interventions work in a public elementary school classroom. This

study could be particularly useful to the following persons:

School administration. The results of this study could help the properly allocate resources in

anti-bullying programs and interventions. This could also serve as a guideline for screening

and evaluating teachers. Likewise, the results could help them transform their teaching staff

into effective techers by promoting relevant workshops or seminars.

Teachers. The results of this study could have profound influence on what teacher traits are

most effective and what traits are not. This could potentially improve their understanding of

themselves and their students.

Parents. The results of this study could inform parents about the current social climate their

children are enrolled in. Through the help of teachers, they could detect early signs of

aggressive behaviors and anxieties shown by their children when in the classroom and thus be

able to apply necessary interventions.

Students. The results of this study could serve as an introduction and could improve their

awareness on bullying behaviors in the classroom and offer theme a gateway for reporting

such negative actions. The results could also serve as a tool towards the improvement of peer

relations and the creation of a positive learning environment.

Public elementary schools: the results of this study could help public elementary school

determine the current status of their student-teacher relationships and thus from the basis for
their own self-improvement. The result could also help them decide what strategies and

interventions to implement for improving their teaching staff.

Proponent. The result of this study could transform the proponent into a much better teacher

by enabling him to understand his students not just on a professional level. The results could

help him cope with bullying behaviors and adapt his teaching style and character to reduce

such incidents.

Data gathering Methods

A descriptive method of research will be utilized on the teacher perception on

bullying behaviors reported by students and on the students perception of the traits of an

effective teacher.

Data Analysis Plan

All Grade 4 subject teachers will be purposively as participants. Meanwhile,

the Grade 4 students who will participate in this study

A researcher- creayed questionnaire will gather data for this action research. The

survey tool will be used to describe the common bullying behaviors and the student

perception on the traits of an effective teacher. Gathering data will focus on Grade4 subject

teacher and students only.

V. Action Research Work Plan and Timelines

the following table emphasizes the short but concrete information
ACTIVITIES TIME PERSONS/ RESOURCES SOURCE MEAND OF
FRAM INVOLVED NEEDED OF VERIFICATIONS
E FUND
PRE- IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Attend seminar/ Year Lecture Other Certificate of
SLAC session on Round notebook pen fund participation and
action research attendance
proposal
Prepare and Year Proponent Bond paper, MOOE Approved action
submit proposal Round School printer research proposal
for approval principal
Communicate Year Proponent Conference MOOE Attendance sheets
with grade 4 Round Grade 4 notes, simple minutes activity
subject teachers Subject snack write-up
about the action Teachers
research proposal

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Disseminate, Year Proponent Permit to MOOE Reproduced
conduct, and Round School Head survey, survey resource tools,
analyze survey Grade 4 questionaires tabulated survey
questionnaires for Subject results
grade 4 teachers Teachers
Disseminate, Year Proponent Permit to MOOE Reproduced
conduct, and Round School Head survey, survey resource tools,
analyze survey students questionaires tabulated survey
questionnaires for results
grade 4 students
Assess the result, Year Proponent Bond paper, MOOE , tabulated survey
analyze and test Round printer, results
the significance statistical Analysis of data
tools
Report the results Year Proponent Conference MOOE Attendance sheet,
to respective Round School Head notes, simple minutes of
persons and Teachers snack meeting
departments;
develop
intervention
proposal in
reducing bullying
behaviors in the
classrooms.
Tabulate and put Year Proponent Bond paper, MOOE Final action
in graphs the Round printer, notes research drafts
necessary output

POST- IMPLEMETATION PLAN

Prepare and Year Proponent Bond paper, MOOE Final action
submit action Round printer, research
research for manuscript
reporting
Communicate the Year Proponent Copy of the OTHER Minutes of
research results to Round And other results/ write- SOURCE meeting/ assembly
respective stakeholders up OF
persons FUND
Implement the Year Proponent Copy of the Approved
proposal if found Round Researcher materials and research proposal
effective final
manuscript
 VI. Cost amd estimates

VII. Plans Dissemination and Utilization

The researcher will inform the school administrator and teacher on the result
of this study. The result will serve as basis by other teachers whether or not the intervention
may be use in solving same cases they may encounter in their respective class.

VIII. References:

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bullied in childhood and adolescence: implications for policy and practice. Journal of Child
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Banks, R. (1997). Bullying in Schools. ERIC Digest, 1-6.