Teachers’ Emotional Competence: Its Impact on Classroom Management in Elementary Schools

Abstract

This study explored the impact of teachers’ emotional competence on classroom management among elementary teachers at Barcelona Central School during the School Year 2025–2026. Specifically, the participants were fifteen (15) elementary teachers selected through purposive sampling, comprising one Kindergarten teacher, three Grade 1 teachers, two Grade 2 teachers, one Grade 3 teacher, two Grade 4 teachers, three Grade 5 teachers, two Grade 6 teachers, and one Special Needs Education (SNED) teacher. The study examined the level of teacher emotional competence and its impact on classroom management as perceived and practiced by these teachers within their natural teaching environment. The study utilized mixed methods and a phenomenological type of research.
The findings revealed that teachers’ emotional competence influences classroom management through four key strategies: regulated discipline, proactive management, calm composure, and emotional modeling. It shapes teacher-learner relationships through emotional safety, empathetic resolution, and constructive dialogue. Furthermore, it contributes to a positive classroom climate through emotional modeling, inclusive management, and mutual respect. The study concluded that emotional competence is the internal foundation upon which effective classroom management is built, enabling teachers to transform reactive discipline into thoughtful, relationship-centered practices that foster trust, psychological safety, and mutual respect.
However, teachers face challenges in consistently applying these competencies, highlighting the need for sustained support. Thus, a set of targeted programs is proposed, including wellness workshops for self-regulation, peer mentoring circles for strategy sharing, and classroom-based coaching for real-time guidance, ensuring teachers receive continuous, practical support rather than one-time training. This study underscores that emotional competence is not merely an additional teaching quality but the very foundation of effective elementary classroom management