Academic Performance of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers and Its Relationship in Teaching Effectiveness

Introduction

In the field of education, academic recognition is often viewed as an indicator of excellence and competence. It is commonly assumed that pre-service teachers who graduate with honors will naturally demonstrate superior teaching performance. However, this assumption may overlook other essential competencies required in actual classroom settings. During practice teaching, Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) pre-service teachers both with and without academic recognition enter classrooms with varied strengths shaped by knowledge, confidence, adaptability, classroom management skills, and professional competence.

Although academic achievers are often associated with strong cognitive and theoretical foundations, non-academic achievers may develop practical, interpersonal, and adaptive skills through experiential learning. Studies suggest that anxiety, performance pressure, and contextual challenges may affect teaching effectiveness regardless of academic standing. This indicates that academic success alone may not fully determine actual teaching performance in real classroom environments.

Teaching effectiveness is influenced by multiple factors such as motivation, teaching self-efficacy, professional competence, classroom management skills, and adaptability. Therefore, it is important to examine whether academic recognition truly translates into better teaching effectiveness during practice teaching.

This study is conducted among Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) pre-service teachers in the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – Mid La Union Campus Philippines during their practice teaching. In the Philippine teacher education context, academic honors and GPA are highly valued indicators of student achievement. However, practice teaching exposes pre-service teachers to real classroom challenges such as diverse learners, limited resources, classroom management issues, and performance-related anxiety. Despite strong academic preparation, some pre-service teachers experience difficulty translating theoretical knowledge into effective teaching practices. On the other hand, some without academic recognition demonstrate strong classroom presence, adaptability, and interpersonal skills. These existing conditions in the research locale highlight the need to examine whether academic recognition significantly influences actual teaching effectiveness.

This study is anchored on several educational theories that explain why academic recognition may not be the sole determinant of teaching effectiveness. Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1) emphasizes that intelligence is multidimensional. While academic achievers may excel in logical-mathematical and linguistic intelligences, effective teaching also requires interpersonal, intrapersonal, and practical intelligences. This suggests that teaching effectiveness involves more than cognitive academic ability. Bloom’s Taxonomy (2) highlights different levels of cognitive processes from remembering to creating. However, effective teaching also requires application, evaluation, and classroom-level adaptation, which may not be fully reflected in GPA alone. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (3) emphasizes learning through observation, modeling, and experience. Teaching competence develops through practice and interaction, not solely through academic performance. Additionally, Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Constructivist Theory stress the importance of learner-centered instruction and social interaction. Effective teaching requires the ability to facilitate meaningful learning experiences, which may depend on adaptability and classroom engagement rather than academic recognition alone. Together, these theories provide a deeper conceptual explanation that teaching effectiveness is multidimensional, and academic recognition represents only one aspect of teacher preparedness.

Guided by the Independent Variable–Dependent Variable model (4), the study examines academic performance in terms of GPA and academic recognition as independent variables and teaching effectiveness as the dependent variable. Although previous studies have explored the relationship between academic performance and teaching effectiveness, existing findings remain inconsistent, with some studies reporting weak or insignificant relationships between GPA, academic honors, and actual classroom effectiveness. Moreover, there is limited localized evidence directly comparing BEEd pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition in real-world practice teaching contexts. This lack of in-depth, context-specific investigation creates a gap in understanding whether academic recognition truly translates into effective classroom performance.

To address this gap, the study aims to determine the academic performance of BEEd pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition, assess their level of teaching effectiveness in terms of teacher’s personality, lesson planning, content, teaching methods, classroom management, and questioning skills, and identify whether there is a significant relationship between academic recognition and teaching effectiveness during practice teaching. Through this approach, the study seeks to provide empirical evidence that clarifies the role of academic recognition in predicting teaching effectiveness and contributes to a more holistic, equitable, and competency-based evaluation of pre-service teachers suitable for contemporary teacher education.

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to find the relationship the teaching effectiveness of BEEd Pre-service Teachers who are academic achievers and not, in order to determine if academic excellence has a relationship in their actual classroom performance.

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the performance of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers with and without academic recognition in terms of GPA? 2) What is the level of teaching effectiveness of BEEd Pre-service Teachers who have academic recognition and without academic recognition in terms of: a) Teacher's Personality, b) Lesson Planning, c) Content, d) Teaching Methods, e) Classroom Management, and f) Questioning Skills? 3) Is there a relationship between the performance of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers with and without academic recognition and their level of teaching effectiveness?

Methodology

This study used quantitative research design, specifically descriptive-correlational design. According to Ngo, Baptista, Caballero, and Lorejo (5) and Garcia-Martinez et al., (6) a quantitative research approach using a descriptive-correlational research design was conducted to assess the relationship between being a student with and without academic recognition and teaching effectiveness among BEEd pre-service teachers. According to Barooah (7) the research design used in this study is relevant since it enables the researcher to describe a situation and establish relationships among variables without manipulating them.

To identify participants, simple random sampling methods were used to provide an equal chance for each individual from the population to be part of the study (8, 9). The research was conducted during the practice teaching period of fourth-year Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) pre-service teachers in the Academic Year 2025–2026, when respondents were actively engaged in actual classroom teaching. The study followed a systematic process beginning with the securing of necessary permissions and ethical clearance, after which qualified respondents were identified and grouped according to academic recognition status. Given a total population of 69 fourth-year BEEd pre-service teachers at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University-Mid La Union Campus, a total of 16 respondents were sought 8 with academic recognition and 8 without academic recognition. The study is limited by its small sample size of sixteen respondents, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings and reduce statistical power in detecting significant relationships. This limitation is theoretically grounded in the principle of bounded populations in educational research, wherein the sample size is constrained by the actual number of eligible participants within a specific cohort. In this case, only a limited number of fourth-year BEEd students qualified as academic achievers, and an equal number of non-academic achievers were selected to maintain group balance and internal validity. Consistent with constructivist and practice-based teacher education theories, the study prioritized depth of contextual performance assessment over broad population inference, recognizing that teaching effectiveness is best examined within authentic, real-world teaching environments despite inherent sampling constraints.

The data collection techniques in this study were systematically aligned with the research objectives to ensure accurate and measurable outcomes. To address the first objective, which focused on determining the academic performance of BEEd pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition, documentary analysis was employed. Official academic records were used to obtain the General Weighted Average (GPA) of the respondents prior to practice teaching. These GPAs were grouped according to academic status and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency, and percentage to describe and compare the academic performance of the two groups. To address the second and third research objectives, direct classroom observation was utilized to measure teaching effectiveness during practice teaching. A standardized Pre-Service Teacher’s Actual Teaching Observation and Rating Sheet was used by cooperating teachers to evaluate performance domains using a 4-point rating scale. Mean scores and weighted means were computed to determine the level of teaching effectiveness, while the Chi-Square Test of Association was applied to examine the relationship between academic recognition and teaching effectiveness. This systematic operationalization ensured that both academic performance and teaching effectiveness were objectively measured and appropriately analyzed.

The primary instrument used in this study was the Pre-Service Teachers’ Actual Teaching Observation and Rating Sheet adopted from the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – College of Education. This standardized evaluation tool was designed to assess the teaching effectiveness of BEEd pre-service teachers during their practice teaching. The instrument consisted of six major domains: Teacher’s Personality, Lesson Planning, Content, Teaching Methods, Classroom Management, and Questioning Skills Each domain contained specific indicators rated using a 4-point Likert scale. To ensure validity, the instrument was reviewed and approved by field supervisors and aligned with the indicators of effective teaching practices. Reliability was established through consistent use of the standardized rubric by cooperating teachers during observation. For academic performance, documentary analysis of the Grade Point Average (GPA) was used. GPA records were obtained from the official registrar of the College of Education and were classified based on institutional criteria for academic recognition.

Hypotheses of the Study The study tested the following hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Criteria for Analysis of Questionnaire Results The responses gathered from the observation rating sheet were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. 2. For Academic Performance (GPA Classification) Frequency counts and percentages were also used to describe the distribution of respondents according to academic status. For Relationship Testing The Chi-Square Test of Association (χ²) was used to determine whether a significant relationship exists between academic recognition and teaching effectiveness.

Results and Discussion

Performance of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers in terms of their GPA

Table 1 indicates that the BEEd pre-service teachers were grouped into those with academic recognition and without academic recognition. Both groups consisted of eight participants. Those with academic recognition obtained a mean GPA of 89.43, interpreted as Very Satisfactory, while those without academic recognition had a mean GPA of 88.08, classified as Satisfactory. The combined mean GPA of both groups of BEEd pre-service teachers is 88.76 which is Very Satisfactory, indicating strong overall academic performance.

Although those with academic recognition obtained a slightly higher GPA, both groups demonstrated commendable achievement. Studies support these findings. Maslang (10) found that higher GPA reflects better preparedness and academic discipline, contributing to teaching readiness. Danao et al. (11) emphasized that strong academic ability, particularly in planning and content organization, is positively linked to pedagogical competence. Honicke et al. (12) reported that students with academic excellence often perform better in presentations due to higher confidence.

Conversely, research also shows that lower GPA does not limit teaching effectiveness. Falsario et al. (13) noted that while GPA influences student-teaching performance, factors such as content mastery, self-efficacy, and preparation are equally important. Rubio and Saenz (14) found that pre-service teachers with moderate academic performance can still demonstrate high professional and pedagogical competence. Similarly, Aliazas, Del Rosario, and Andrade (15) concluded that teaching efficacy, personal traits, and instructional resources are crucial regardless of academic standing.

Level of Teaching Effectiveness of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers With and Without Academic Recognition

Teacher’s Personality

Table 2 indicates that both groups demonstrated a high level of teacher personality, with BEEd pre-service teachers with academic recognition attaining an Outstanding mean of 3.84, and those without academic recognition achieving a Very Satisfactory mean of 3.83, showing only a minimal difference between the two groups.

The results under Teacher’s Personality show that both BEEd pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition demonstrated strong professionalism. Being neat and well-groomed received the highest mean score 4.00 in both groups, indicating that professional appearance and self-discipline are consistently practiced regardless of academic status. This suggests that positive personality traits support classroom focus, respect, and engagement independent of academic standing. They also demonstrated a systematic approach in monitoring 260 attendance, assignments, practice exercises, and group work, with a mean score of 3.46.

Meanwhile, dynamism and enthusiasm obtained the lowest mean 3.58 for both groups, though still interpreted as Outstanding, indicating a potential area for improvement. This may be enhanced through increased teaching experience and confidence-building activities. In support, Abela et al. (16) highlighted that teacher confidence is more strongly developed through self-efficacy and practical experiences than through academic excellence alone.

Overall, the similarity in both the highest and lowest indicators suggests that teacher personality is shaped more by personal traits, training, and classroom exposure than by academic recognition. Guo et al. (17) further supported this by finding that emotional stability and interpersonal competence contribute to a positive classroom atmosphere. These findings imply that regardless of academic standing, positive teacher personality fosters learner respect and active participation.

Lesson Planning

Table 3 shows that both groups demonstrated the ability to organize goal-aligned lesson plans, with BEEd pre-service teachers with academic recognition obtaining an Outstanding mean of 3.85, slightly higher than those without academic recognition, who achieved a Very Satisfactory mean of 3.67.

The findings show that BEEd pre-service teachers with academic recognition demonstrated strong alignment between lesson objectives, subject matter, and teaching procedures, obtaining the highest mean of 3.92, which indicates effective coordination of instructional components. Their lowest mean 3.83 was observed in having a well-prepared lesson plan and in aligning objectives with formative tests and assignments; however, these were still rated Outstanding, suggesting only minor areas for improvement. Effective planning and preparation are crucial to successful instruction, as emphasized in Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (18), which highlights the importance of well-structured lessons.

Similarly, Anderson and Krathwohl (2) stressed that lesson preparation must align learning activities with cognitive objectives to ensure meaningful learning. In line with these frameworks, both groups showed the ability to design lesson plans that meet learners’ academic needs. For BEEd pre-service teachers without academic recognition, the highest mean 3.92 was also observed in aligning objectives with subject matter and teaching procedures, while the lowest mean 3.63 was noted in the alignment of objectives with assignments. This supports designing tasks that move beyond memorization toward application and higher-level thinking to balance performance across aspects.

Overall, the similarities in both the highest and lowest indicators suggest that lesson-planning skills are developed through practice, training, and experience, rather than being strongly influenced by academic recognition. This is supported by Khan and Malik (19), who found that organized lesson planning enhances teaching delivery and student engagement.

Content

Findings in Table 4, it shows that both groups demonstrated a mastery of the subject matter, making learning more meaningful for the learners. BEEd Pre-Service Teachers with academic recognition got a mean of 3.74 which is interpreted as Outstanding level, and they slightly outperformed those without academic recognition with 3.72 mean but still under Outstanding level.

Pre-service teachers with academic recognition obtained an Outstanding level of performance, particularly in demonstrating in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, with the highest mean rating of 3.92. This indicates strong mastery of lesson content and adequate preparation. Both groups also received an Outstanding rating in relating lessons to real-life situations, with a mean of 3.63, showing effectiveness in contextualizing lessons. These results align with the study of Can and Boz (20), which emphasized that strong content and pedagogical knowledge contribute to better student learning outcomes.

Similarly, pre-service teachers without academic recognition also achieved an overall Outstanding performance in content, with the highest mean score of 3.91 in demonstrating in-depth subject knowledge. This suggests that the absence of academic recognition did not hinder their ability to deliver lessons effectively. However, the lowest mean score for this group was 3.58 in keeping updated with new ideas and developments in the field, indicating a need for greater exposure to current educational trends and practices.

While teaching performance may be influenced by GPA in major subjects (13), Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1) highlights that abilities such as linguistic and interpersonal intelligence also play a significant role in teaching effectiveness. This supports the finding that pre-service teachers with academic recognition tend to excel in content demonstration, while those without recognition can also perform effectively by applying their skills in real classroom situation

Teaching Methods

Table 5 shows pre-service teachers with academic recognition attained an Outstanding mean score of 3.74, whereas those without academic recognition obtained a mean of 3.56 with a Fair description.

The findings show that pre-service teachers with academic recognition were stronger in using varied teaching methods and showed more consistent engagement in academic tasks. However, pre-service teachers without academic recognition did not show a lack of ability; rather, they may require additional academic support and motivational strategies to further enhance their performance. Pre-service teachers with academic recognition achieved an outstanding rating in teaching methods, with the highest mean of 3.88 in creativity when adapting teaching methods to students’ capabilities. This reflects flexibility and responsiveness to learners’ needs, supporting better engagement and understanding. The lowest mean, though still Outstanding, was 3.58 for the effective use of formative test results during teaching, suggesting the need for more consistent use of assessment results to guide immediate instructional decisions. These results are supported by Brazeau (21) and Murtaza et al. (22), who emphasized that strong academic performance develops adaptability, innovation, and readiness for future professional demands.

Pre-service teachers without academic recognition also demonstrated an Outstanding level of performance in teaching methods. The highest mean score was 3.86 in creativity in adapting methods to students’ capabilities, showing their ability to adjust instruction based on learners’ needs and classroom conditions. The lowest mean score was also 3.58 for effective use of formative test results, indicating a similar area for improvement. This aligns with Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (3), which explains how learned strategies from earlier experiences can be applied to achieve teaching effectiveness.

Classroom Management

Table 6 shows that in classroom management, both pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition obtained the same average mean score of 3.60, with both groups receiving an outstanding description.

Both BEEd pre-service teachers with and without academic recognition demonstrated order and discipline in the classroom, with instructional materials that captured students’ interest, obtaining the highest mean score of 3.67. They also demonstrated a systematic approach in monitoring 260 attendance, assignments, practice exercises, and group work, with a mean score of 3.46. These practices contribute positively to student learning by supporting motivation, focus, and consistency, which are essential for effective teaching. Such practices also help build a culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement in addressing diverse learners’ needs (23). Continuous learning and adaptation further support inclusive and responsive classroom practices, leading to increased student engagement and improved academic performance (24).

Questioning Skills

Findings in Table 7 shows that those with academic recognition 3.69 and those without academic recognition 3.59 achieved an Outstanding level of performance.

Both groups demonstrated strong abilities in helping students articulate ideas, probing for understanding, promoting critical thinking, and stimulating curiosity. Although pre-service teachers with academic recognition obtained a slightly higher mean, the minimal difference suggests that effective questioning skills are developed through classroom practice, interaction, and pedagogical experience rather than academic recognition alone. This supports the study of Donkor et al. (25), the use of questioning strategies by instructors facilitates the explanation of material in a way that enhances students' comprehension. It is a means of fostering communication between educators and learners while evaluating them in order to meet the lesson's goal (26). Educators primarily perceive and achieve assessment quality through traditional criteria by (27).

Summary of Level of Teaching Effectiveness of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers

In Table 8 it shows the overall level of teaching effectiveness across six domains: teacher’s personality, lesson planning, content, teaching methods, classroom management, and questioning skills. Findings indicate that both groups attained an Outstanding overall weighted mean, with pre-service teachers with academic recognition obtaining a mean of 3.54 and those without academic recognition obtaining a mean of 3.43. While pre-service teachers with academic recognition showed slightly higher performance in lesson planning, those without academic recognition demonstrated comparable strengths, particularly in teacher personality and classroom interaction. These results highlight that teaching effectiveness is multidimensional and not confined to academic achievement, as both groups excelled in different domains.

Relationship between the performance of BEEd Pre-Service Teachers with and without academic recognition and their level of teaching effectiveness

In the Table 9, the relationship between academic recognition and teaching effectiveness using the Chi-square test of association. The computed Chi-square value χ² = 0.00 was lower than the critical value χ² = 3.841 at the 0.05 level of significance, indicating no significant relationship between academic recognition and teaching effectiveness. This finding suggests that academic recognition does not significantly influence the actual teaching performance of BEEd pre-service teachers during practice teaching. Instead, teaching effectiveness appears to be more strongly influenced by practical experience, professional skills, personal qualities, and classroom engagement.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, the researchers conclude the following:

There is no correlation between the student’s academic achievement and the level of teaching competence of the BEEd pre-service teachers, as the level of teaching competence is almost the same for high achievers and average achievers. Instead, it is a call for teacher education programs to enhance teaching practice components, provide opportunities for teaching practice, and equip pre-service teachers with the necessary skills to cope with the complexity of teaching. Future researchers should explore how teacher education institutions can offer all pre-service teachers, irrespective of GPA, equal opportunities to engage in diverse teaching situations, and practical, task-oriented, and hands-on activities. When such opportunities are provided systematically, teacher education programs can assess the extent to which academic results accurately correlate with a teacher candidate's potential to perform in real classroom situations.

An evaluation performed across the six main areas showed the Teaching Personality domain as the strongest amongst pre-service teachers, with the remainder being Lesson Planning, Content Knowledge, Teaching Methods, and Questioning, with the exception of Classroom Management, which was the lowest. This gap demonstrates the need for more supportive and better prior preparation. One way to try to even out performance gaps across teaching areas is to consider mentoring and peer-coaching programs in their teacher education programs. This will contribute to their ongoing development and will prepare graduates to undergo complexities of teaching.

The lack of strong correlation between GPA and teaching effectiveness further endorses the notion that theoretical and practical teaching skills are separate yet complementary elements of teacher preparation. A student with high academic achievement likely possesses a good command of the theoretical aspect but a student without any academic distinctions, may still have the potential to demonstrate creativity, empathy, and real adaptability in a classroom. Teacher education programs should include authentic and holistic assessment methods. Longitudinal portfolios and assessed observations by cooperating teachers provide information about teaching that other assessment methods overlook, such as creativity, adaptability and interpersonal relationship. These methods contribute to know appropriate evaluation of a pre-service teacher's readiness.