Teachers’ Professional Practices and Organizational Commitment in Hinterland Communities

Teachers in remote hinterland communities face persistent challenges such as limited resources, long travel times, and culturally diverse classrooms, which influence their teaching and commitment to schools. This study examined the relationship between teachers’ professional practices, specifically planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibility, and their organizational commitment, which includes affective, continuance, and normative dimensions. It also explored whether commitment differed by age, civil status, years of teaching experience, and tribal affiliation. A descriptive-correlational research design was utilized, involving 113 teachers from seven hinterland schools in the East District of Cagayan de Oro City. Findings revealed that most teachers were aged 31–40, married, in the early to mid-stages of their careers, and represented diverse tribal groups. Teachers consistently demonstrated strong professional practices across all domains, and their organizational commitment was high, with affective commitment as the strongest. Professional practices were significantly related to organizational commitment, with Planning and Preparation and Professional Responsibility showing the strongest correlations. Significant differences in commitment were observed by age, civil status, years of teaching experience, and tribal affiliation indicating that personal and demographic factors shape teachers’ connection to their school. These results suggest that strong professional practices enhance teachers’ emotional and moral attachment, fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaging school environment. It is recommended that school principals provide targeted support for professional practices, particularly on Planning and Preparation, while considering personal and demographic factors to reinforce organizational commitment and sustain an effective, student-centered learning environment.