Abstract
Teachers’ emotional competence shapes classroom dynamics in ways that extend well beyond lesson delivery. This study examined teachers’ emotional intelligence alongside learners’ engagement in one school district of a large division in Central Philippines during SY 2024–2025. Using a descriptive-correlational design, the researcher surveyed 135 teachers drawn through stratified random sampling from 206 teaching personnel. The survey instruments went through expert validation (rated 4.81, excellent) and reliability testing (Cronbach’s α = 0.955). Frequency counts, means, the Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rho were the main analytical tools. Teachers scored at a moderate level in emotional awareness (M = 3.31), emotional management (M = 3.34), social emotional awareness (M = 3.31), and relationship management (M = 3.26). Their students, however, were highly engaged in classroom learning (M = 4.32), extracurricular activities (M = 4.06), and community service (M = 4.03). When teachers were grouped by age, older ones scored significantly higher across all four emotional intelligence domains. Most importantly, a moderate positive correlation emerged between teachers’ emotional intelligence and learners’ engagement (ρ = 0.475, p = 0.000). The message is clear: teachers who are more emotionally competent tend to have more engaged classrooms. These results point to the value of professional development programs that intentionally strengthen teachers’ emotional skills as part of DepEd’s K to 12 reform agenda.
Keywords: Emotional intelligence, learner engagement, emotional awareness, descriptive-correlational research, K to 12 education