Affiliations:
College of Education, Northern Iloilo State University, Barotac Viejo Campus, Iloilo, Philippines
This study examined the levels of motivation, challenges, and resilience among 159 elementary and secondary mathematics teachers in a municipality in the Fifth District of Iloilo, Philippines. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. First, quantitative data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rho correlation. This phase was followed by a qualitative stage that included semi-structured interviews analyzed through thematic analysis. The results showed that teachers were generally motivated (M = 4.32), mainly due to their intrinsic commitment to student success. Although teaching mathematics was perceived as challenging (M = 3.80), teachers demonstrated high levels of resilience (M = 3.85). The correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between challenges and resilience (r = 0.832, p < .05), indicating that dealing with professional challenges can strengthen teachers’ adaptive capacity. The qualitative analysis identified six major themes related to the challenges teachers face: balancing multiple grade levels and diverse learning needs, limited preparation time and resources, weak foundational numeracy skills among students, learner attitudes and engagement, parental involvement and support, and external workloads and administrative tasks. Based on these findings, the MathRISE (Mathematics Resource, Innovation, and Support for Educators) extension program was developed. The program includes two main initiatives: Project MENTOR, which focuses on professional development and peer coaching, and Project PACE, which aims to improve parental involvement and classroom efficiency. The study concludes that establishing structured support programs is essential for maintaining teacher well-being and improving the quality of mathematics instruction.
Mathematics teachers, Teacher motivation, Teaching challenges, Teacher resilience, Mathematics education
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.03.018
Aguirre, D. L. V. (2026). Passion and pressure in teaching: Exploring the motivation, challenges, and resilience of mathematics teachers in Iloilo Province. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(3), 180–189. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.03.018