Humanistic Approaches in the Classroom: Exploring Teachers' Strategies on Students’ Motivation and Academic Engagement
Keywords:
Academic engagement, Humanistic approach, Phenomenological study, Student motivation, Teacher experiencesAbstract
The humanistic approach is an educational strategy that focuses on entire growth, including emotional, moral, and cognitive development (Amini et al., 2025). Which foster respect, empathy, and personal growth, emphasizing the individual's overall development. This study used a qualitative phenomenological research approach and was conducted in three public schools in Davao del Sur, Philippines. The study's participants are six teachers with over 10 years of experience teaching in Davao del Sur public schools. The study comprises all teachers who have taught at levels 1–10. The questions are open-ended, allowing respondents to respond in their own words. The interview guide was developed through study and validated by the researcher's adviser. Braun and Clarke's theme analysis was the primary research analytic method employed. The following aims guide this study: (1) to determine how these methods affect student motivation and engagement, and (2) to give recommendations on how these strategies might be improved further to produce high-quality training. As a result, the following questions were addressed in this study: (1) How do teachers implement humanistic approaches in the classroom to support learning? (2) What is the perceived impact of humanistic teaching strategies on students’ academic motivation and engagement? (3) What strategies can they recommend to further enhance the use of humanistic approaches to improve students’ learning experiences? According to this qualitative study, humanistic teaching methods are largely interpersonal and learner-centered, emphasizing emotional affirmation, autonomy, and meaningful participation. Teachers use humanistic pedagogy to provide tailored interactions that encourage group learning, affirmation, psychological safety and belonging, and reflection exercises. These tactics increase student involvement, academic confidence, and self-motivation.
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