Experiences of Elementary Teachers in Coping with the Demands of Pupil Journalism

Pupil journalism in elementary education offers a unique platform for developing pupils’ writing, critical thinking, and communication skills. However, the responsibility of guiding young journalists presents teachers with distinct challenges. This study explored the experiences of elementary teachers in coping the demands of pupil journalism, with a focus on perceived benefits, encountered challenges, and employed coping strategies. It employed a concurrent mixed-methods design, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously from selected elementary teachers in the Malimono District, Surigao del Norte Division. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency count, weighted mean, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA for repeated measures, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Findings revealed that teachers perceive their involvement in pupil journalism as yielding major professional benefits, including enhanced teaching effectiveness, improved media and technological literacy, and opportunities for leadership and promotion. At the same time, they reported significant challenges—particularly role conflict, emotional strain, limited training, and pupils' language deficiencies—with the overall difficulty level categorized as “Challenging.” To cope, teachers used both problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies such as self-directed learning, peer collaboration, mentoring, and emotional support. Emerging themes included teacher empowerment, fulfillment in pupil success, and the transformative potential of journalism on teacher identity and classroom practice. These findings highlight the critical need for institutional support, structured training, and policy reforms to sustain and empower journalism teachers in pupil journalism programs.