TEACHERS’ ANTI-BULLYING STRATEGIES IN KINDERGARTEN: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Authors

Shirley B. Tual, Grace G. Tizon, Rochelan Lumasag, Elsa B. Buenavidez, Cynthia S. Superable

Abstract

Anti-bullying initiatives in schools are essential for creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where children can develop socially and emotionally. This study explored the effectiveness of teachers’ anti-bullying strategies in preschool classrooms. Using a phenomenological research design, the study focused on 10 kindergarten teachers from public schools in the Aloran District, Division of Misamis Occidental, who were purposively chosen. Data were analyzed using Moustakas’ Existential Analysis. There were five emerging themes in the study, namely: fostering a safe and nurturing classroom: teachers’ embodied experiences of emotional responsiveness and physical engagement in anti-bullying strategies, navigating time with patience and persistence: teachers’ temporal strategies in managing bullying incidents, fostering safe and nurturing learning spaces: teachers’ engagement with physical and social environments in antibullying practices, fostering collaboration and nurturing connections: teachers relational engagement with children, parents, and colleagues in anti-bullying practices, fostering collaborative connections: navigating relationships with children, parents, and colleagues. Effective anti-bullying practices in early childhood rely on teachers' embodied and emotionally responsive presence, intentional use of time and space, and sustained, collaborative relationships with students and families. Schools and teacher education programs may provide sustained professional development that strengthens teachers' embodied, relational, timesensitive, and collaborative skills.

Keywords

anti-bullying, collaboration, early childhood education, relational engagement, teacher practices