Teachers’ Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division

: Despite the critical role of early childhood education and the unique challenges faced by kindergarten teachers, there exists a noticeable need for more specific professional development needs and competencies required for effective teaching. This study employed a descriptive-survey research method to determine the professional development needs and competencies of kindergarten teachers in public and private schools of the Ozamiz City Division. Findings revealed that the kindergarten teachers expressed a high level of perceived professional development needs and demonstrated a high level of competence in handling kindergarten classes. This emphasizes the dedication of teachers to ongoing growth and improvement within their field. However, there exist a significant difference on the perceived professional development needs and competencies in terms of gender. These indicated the necessity for professional development to enhance the skills of kindergarten teachers, particularly in addressing the differing competency needs of male and female pupils. Thus, continuous professional development is essential, especially for early childhood education, as teachers must effectively meet the needs of their students and provide quality education.


Introduction:
Professional development enhances teachers' knowledge, skills, and attitudes, particularly in kindergarten education.This level of education requires specialized training to meet the unique needs of young learners, making ongoing professional development even more critical.Therefore, it is imperative that teachers across all educational tiers, spanning from elementary to higher education, actively participate in learning endeavors to remain abreast of the latest teaching methodologies, curriculum innovations, and advancements in educational technologies.Teaching kindergarten pupils presents enduring challenges for teachers as it is the foundational step in the K to 12 Basic Education system.The time that a child spends in kindergarten is of critical importance to his growth and development (Doctor & Macalisang 2024).Daily, teachers grapple with various issues and concerns unique to this critical stage of education, necessitating continuous and pertinent training opportunities.In the present time, however, within the research context, there has been a noticeable scarcity of relevant seminars, training sessions, and workshops organized by DepEd Ozamis City Division, which the researcher and fellow kindergarten teachers could access.Despite DepEd's efforts to enhance professional development in this sector, persistent challenges persist.
This study was conducted in response to the abovementioned challenges, focusing on teachers' perceived levels of professional development and competencies in handling kindergarten pupils in public and private schools within the Ozamis City Division.The study results provide valuable insights into the areas of improvement needed to enhance teaching practices and promote better outcomes for kindergarten education in the region.

Theoretical Considerations:
The theoretical framework guiding this research is rooted in Piaget's cognitive learning theory (1950), which posits that learning occurs through active participation, reflection, and interaction.According to this theory, teachers should continuously learn and reflect to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies.This can be facilitated through various forms of professional development, such as in-service training, coaching, mentoring, and peerto-peer learning, aligning with Piaget's emphasis on active engagement in the learning process.Supporting Piaget's cognitive learning theory is the reflective practice model, as articulated by Schön (1992), which underscores the significance of reflective thinking and self-evaluation in fostering professional development.The model advocates for a cyclical process of reflection and action, where teachers critically assess their teaching practices, identify areas for growth, and develop new strategies to improve teaching effectiveness.This reflective approach empowers teachers to evolve and refine their instructional methods continually.
Furthermore, the study is informed by the standards-based approach to professional development, as Guskey (2009)

Results and Discussion:
Table 1 presents the frequency and percentage distribution of the respondents' profiles regarding their age, sex, years of teaching experience, number of training attended, number of units earned, and highest educational attainment.The table revealed that in terms of age, the majority of the respondents (45%) belonged to the age range of 51-60 years, followed by 27% belonging to the age range of 41-50 years.This implies that the population comprises experienced kindergarten teachers who have been in the profession for a long time.However, it is noteworthy that only one respondent (1%) belonged to the age range of 21-30 years, which indicates that the sample does not represent the younger generation of teachers.This finding is consistent with previous studies that have reported that most teachers are in their late 40s to early 50s (Henderson & Mapp, 2002).
Regarding sex, the table shows that most of the respondents (98%) are female, and only two (2%) are male.This finding is consistent with the notion that kindergarten teaching is a female-dominated profession.This is consistent with the fact that the teaching profession is generally dominated by women (Aguilar & Valdivieso, 2016).
The table also indicates that the respondents had varying years of teaching experience, with the highest percentage (61%) having one to seven years of experience.This implies a relatively high turnover rate among kindergarten teachers, and there is a need to improve the retention of In terms of the number of trainings attended, the majority of the respondents (46%) attended schoolbased training, followed by Division (25%), regional (8%), national (5%), and international (2%) training.This finding suggests that the professional development opportunities for kindergarten teachers varied across different levels, with school-based training being the most common.This finding is consistent with the fact that most teacher professional development opportunities are organized at the school level (OECD, 2019).
Regarding the number of units earned, most respondents (82%) earned 0-12 units, while only a tiny percentage earned higher units.This implies a need for more opportunities for kindergarten teachers to gain higher academic units to enhance their professional growth.This suggests room for improvement in kindergarten teachers' pursuit of higher education or advanced degrees (Snyder & Dillow, 2019).
Lastly, the table shows that most respondents (46%) completed a master's degree, followed by those with units in a Master's program (36%).This finding indicates that the sample population had a relatively high level of educational attainment, which may have implications for the competencies and professional development needs of kindergarten teachers.This is consistent with the fact that a master's degree is often required for teacher licensure and advancement in the teaching profession (Darling-Hammond, 2017).In Table 4, the profile factors, including age, sex, years of teaching, number of training attended, units earned, and highest educational attainment, were not significant in influencing the level of perceived professional development of kindergarten teachers, as indicated by the p-values greater than 0.05.Therefore, the null hypothesis is not rejected for all profile factors.These results imply that regardless of the teacher's age, sex, years of teaching, number of training attended, units earned, and highest educational attainment, their level of perceived professional development remained relatively the same.The findings are consistent with previous research on professional development, which suggests that the impact of professional development programs on teachers' perceived professional development is not necessarily dependent on their demographic and professional characteristics (Guskey & Yoon, 2009;Opfer & Pedder, 2011).
Table 4 provides evidence that there was no significant association between the profile factors and the level of perceived professional development of kindergarten teachers.These results suggest that professional development programs should be designed to cater to the diverse needs of teachers, regardless of their demographic and professional characteristics.
The Human Capital Theory posits an individual's performance and productivity are shaped by their investments in human capital, such as training, education, skills, and experiences.Maringe (2015) highlighted certain discrepancies and disparities related to human capital concerning gender, educational degrees, fields of study, and academic qualifications.Maringe's findings indicated that there is no significant disparity based solely on demographics; rather, it is a combination of various factors that influences human capital.For example, a younger educator with more credits in early childhood education might exhibit higher levels of professional growth compared to an older educator with fewer early childhood education credits.However, the p-value for sex was less than 0.05, indicating a significant association between sex and the level of competency needs of kindergarten teachers.The null hypothesis is rejected for this factor, which implies that the competency needs of male and female kindergarten teachers were significantly different.The results suggest that sex is essential to kindergarten teachers' competency needs.The differences in the competency needs of male and female teachers may be attributed to the different teaching styles, instructional strategies, and classroom management techniques used by each group.Previous research showed that male and female teachers used various teaching methods.Male teachers focus more on discipline and control, while female teachers prioritize creating a supportive and nurturing classroom environment (Hoy & Miskel, 2008;King, 2014).
In conclusion, Table 5 provides evidence that sex is the only profile factor that has a significant association with the level of competency needs of kindergarten teachers.These findings suggest that teacher education programs and professional development initiatives should consider the differences in competency needs between male and female teachers to cater to their unique needs and enhance their teaching effectiveness.

Conclusion and Recommendations:
Based on the findings, teachers had a very high level of perceived professional development needs and a very high level of competence in handling kindergarten classes.There was no significant difference in the level of perceived professional development needs and competency when grouped according to various profile factors, except for sex, which significantly affected the level of competency needed.These results suggest that the kindergarten teachers in the Division require professional development to improve their skills, particularly in addressing the differing competency needs of male and female competency needs of male and female pupils.Generally, the study emphasized the importance of continuous professional development for teachers, especially those in the early childhood education sector, to meet the needs of their pupils and provide quality education.

Acknowledgment:
The researchers sincerely thank the Southern Capital Colleges for their generous support and encouragement.They also extend their heartfelt appreciation to the participants for their enthusiastic involvement, which significantly contributed to the successful completion of the study.

Compliance with Ethical Standards:
This study adhered to the ethical standards set forth by the SCC Review Board at Southern Capital Colleges and followed the guidelines outlined in the Declaration of the Institution.Prior to participating in the study, all participants provided informed consent after receiving a detailed explanation of the study's objectives, procedures, risks, and benefits.Participant privacy and confidentiality were strictly maintained throughout the research process, and all data collected were used solely for research purposes.Any identifying information was anonymized to ensure confidentiality and privacy.This study was carried out with utmost respect for the dignity, rights, and well-being of all participants.The research process strictly followed the ethical guidelines outlined in the Graduate School Manual of Southern Capital Colleges.
Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998 Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998Page | 34786 experienced teachers.This finding aligns with previous studies showing a high turnover rate in the teaching profession, particularly in the early years of teaching (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Darling-Hammond, 2017).

Table 1 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents' Profile
Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998Page | 34788

584 Strongly Agree Interpretation Very High Level of Perceived Needs Bacus and
Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998

Table 3 Level of Perceived Competence in Handling Kindergarten Perceived Needs for Competencies Mean SD Description
Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998

Social Science and Humanities Journal,
Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998Page | 34791

Table 4 : Test of Significant Difference in the Level of Perceived Professional Development of the Kindergarten Teachers When Grouped According to the Profile of the Respondents
Bacus and Macalisang Teachers' Perceived Level of Professional Development and Competencies in Handling Kindergarten Pupils: The Case of Public and Private Schools of Ozamis City Division Social Science and Humanities Journal, Vol.08, Issue.04, Page no: 34783-34794 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18535/sshj.v8i04.998Page | 34792

Table 5 Significant Difference in the Level of Competency Needs of the Kindergarten Teachers when Grouped According to the Profile of the Respondents Areas Chi- Square Value P-Value Interpretation Decision on 𝑯 𝒐
*. Significant at α = 0.05