Armenia V. Ingaran^1,, Erlito B. Madriaga², Peter Paul S. Cagatao³, Romiro G. Bautista⁴

Teacher professionalism and ethical conduct are vital for effective education systems. This descriptive quantitative study examined factors influencing these aspects among elementary teachers in the West Cluster of Schools Division of Santiago City. The study involved 101 teachers from seven public elementary schools. Data were collected via a validated and reliable researcher-made questionnaire checklist (Cronbach's alpha = 0.981). Results showed no significant differences in professionalism levels based on demographic variables such as age, educational qualification, academic rank, years of teaching experience, and number of trainings attended. Key factors influencing professionalism were administrative support, collaborative work environment, resources and support for teaching, professional development opportunities, and workload management. The findings suggest that these factors are crucial for fostering teacher professionalism and ethical behavior. The study highlights the importance of tailored professional development programs that address teachers' unique needs, promoting continuous improvement and ethical integrity. These insights provide a basis for policy recommendations aimed at enhancing teacher professionalism through targeted interventions and resource allocation. Further research is needed to explore these dynamics in other educational contexts and extend the findings to different school clusters and levels.

teacher professionalism, ethical conduct, professional development, school climate