Marites M. Gavia¹, Jolly P. Cabingas¹, Nympha P. Rodriguez¹, Jerry E. Pallo^1,

In this pandemic where teachers are so worried about their health and some other factors that affect their well-being including mental health. This research have examined and explored the effectiveness of hands-on school-based gardening as intervention on the teachers’ well-being amidst pandemic. A mixed-method research design with cluster sampling technique – simple random sampling was utilized in the study with a 50% response rate. Results showed that teacher-participants strongly agree that everyone can benefit from gardening like social benefits, nutritional benefits, and physical activity improves one’s physical, social, and mental health. Teachers displayed very good disposition towards gardening. In the level of happiness, teachers have shown significant improvement after being exposed and engaged to hands-on school-based gardening and believed that gardening activities have positive influences on health and well-being of the person. Recurring themes among teacher-participants indicate importance to engage oneself in the gardening activities to increase social interaction, communication, motivation, task engagement, relieving stress, and improve people’s health and well-being. It is of interest to embrace gardening at home. Further studies may be conducted integrating gardening in the lessons among students to understand how effective gardening in their academic performance and point ways on facing life’s challenges.

school-based gardening, teachers’ well-being, mental health, pandemic, Philippines