Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The current generation of students is developing not only academically

but also as individuals beyond their academic pursuits. Leadership entails

more than just leading others; it involves significant responsibility in

managing academic performance. Student organizations provide

opportunities for leaders to grow and share their growth with others.

Being part of an organization or group means not limiting oneself, as

leadership offers opportunities for skill improvement and development that

contribute to success in both learning and leading. King (2023) highlights

the importance of developing valuable personal skills such as

communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and decision-making, which

enhance learning. Additionally, Nelson (2024) suggests that student leaders

often become more important role models for their peers than adults, as

teenagers typically resist adult authority. Consequently, student leaders are

molded into professionals that can be used to their advantage in future

opportunities.

However, there is a tendency for academic life and leadership

responsibilities to overlap or impede learning. For example, students may be

excused from class due to leadership duties, which are often inevitable due

to simultaneous program engagements such as the Supreme Secondary

Learner Government (SSLG) and club officer positions. Moreover, drawbacks

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

of student leadership include feelings of being overworked, stressed, burnt

out, and experiencing role strain. Work-life balance, as defined by

Marchione (2020), is essential.

According to the study conducted by Mahmudah et al (2019) in

Malaysia, student involvement in leadership roles is crucial within the

secondary education system, recognizing its multifaceted benefits for

individual students and the broader educational community.

In the Philippines, leadership skills that encompass holistic skill

development are vital for preparing students for future professional roles, as

emphasized by Loyola (2022).

Damortis National High School has various accredited student

organizations that hone students' leadership abilities, with the SSLG serving

as the highest governing student body. Most of these organizations are

functioning well as young leaders spearhead them. The Supreme Secondary

Learner Government (SSLG) is recognized as the highest governing student

body of all accredited student organizations (Article 1 Section 5) The

organization consists of the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer,

public relation officer, auditor, business manager, and six representatives.

All positions are occupied through a systematic election that is conducted

annually.

Student leaders are indeed enjoying the perks of becoming one,

and these benefits are being applied not only in the school but also in every

social context. However, it cannot also be denied that loopholes are

inevitable especially that becoming student leader requires better time

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

management, better decision making, and better balancing of being in a

position and being a student in a classroom. Thus, this study aims to

explore and describe the lived experiences of

student-leaders in balancing their academic performance and leadership

activities.

Statement of the Problem

The goal of this study is to know or identify the Lived experience of student

Leaders: Balancing Academic performance and Leadership activities to all

Grade

1. How student leaders balance their responsibility in organization thus in

their academic work?

2. How can a student leader say that they are academically good?

3. What methods do you use to balance and manage academic performance

and leadership?

4.What is the lived experiences of student-leaders in balancing academic

performance and leadership skills?

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

Scope and Delimitation

This research aimed to explore the "Lived Experience of Student Leaders:

Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership Activities." The factors to

consider in the study are time allocation, stress levels, organizational skills,

challenges, personal growth, emotional well-being, and the intersection of

leadership roles with the academic journey. The study's main topic appears

to be exploring the lived experiences of the student leaders and how they

balance their academic performance with leadership activities. The

researchers asked the participants about their perceptions about the

following: (1) how they balance academic and leadership activities; (2) what

are the challenges of being student leaders; and (3) how leadership affects

their academic life. This research gathering data was conducted as a face-to-

face interview. In this research, the researchers exclude teacher mentoring

and parental support.

Importance of the Study

The importance of this study is to describe how student leaders cope

up with pressure of becoming a leader and a student especially in terms of

balancing the two. This will unveil the strategies that they are doing, the

positive effects of the benefits of becoming one, and the situation that is

hard to battle with as a student-leader.

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

Definition of Terms

Student Leader- A student leader is an individual who holds a leadership

position in a school or educational institution and participates in activities

that promote the well-being and success of their fellow students. Student

leaders are responsible for representing the student achiever, advocating for

their needs and interests, serving as good students, and showing their

confidence to the school leader.

Leadership- Leadership is the ability to guide, influence, and inspire

individuals for a group of people to work towards achieving a goal. It

involves taking charge, making decisions, and motivating others to

contribute their best efforts. A leader provides direction and offers ideas if

one does not understand their study or work.

Balancing-Balancing refers to the act of achieving or maintaining stability or

equal distribution. It can apply to physical, emotional, financial, or

conceptual situations, and it can also apply to mental health.

Academic - Academic refers to something related to education, learning, or

the work of schools, colleges, and universities. It specifically pertains to

activities that involve studying, reasoning, and intellectual pursuits rather

than practical or technical skills. It can also describe someone who has a

strong academic focus on themselves

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

OVERVIEW

In this chapter, the researcher explore the real life experiences of

individuals balancing leadership roles while carrying along their academic

pursuits. The aim of this research is to uncover the challenges, solution and

strategies with managing leadership responsibilities while excelling

academically

CHALLENGES FACED BY STUDENTS IN BALANCING ACADEMIC AND

LEADERSHIP RESPOSIBILITIES

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

Time management

Student leaders engage in vertically integrated case presentations

and team-based practice management simulations to enhance leadership

skills (Mara 2024). However, they face challenges with time management

due to numerous responsibilities and conflicting schedules with classes.

Additionally, the pressure of attending mandatory meetings, coupled with

the possibility of fines for non-attendance, exacerbates the challenge of

effectively managing their time (Tucay et al., 2023). Then when people's

priorities and responsibilities other than themselves dominate, time

management turns into performance management determined by others.

(Arkin & Uzum et al., 2023)

Prone to Burnout

Student leaders are responsible for organizing activities that

support strategic efforts and shape school policies. These activities can be

beneficial for learning, but they can also lead to academic burnout due to

the workload. (Antieza et al., 2022) Due to the conflict made by

responsibilities, overwork and having less of rest dome student leads the

student leaders to burnout. The high demand for responsibilities among

student leaders, coupled with struggles in time management, significantly

contributes to burnout among them. This constant juggling of various tasks

and commitments can lead to overwhelming stress and exhaustion,

ultimately impacting their well-being and academic performance. (Tucay et

al., 2023)

STRATEGIES FOR BALANCING ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP ROLES

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

Setting Goal

Setting a goal provides direction and clarity, enabling quicker and

more informed decision-making Abdulganiy (Olayinka et al., 2023)Goal-

setting theory suggests that setting high goals is positively related to

academic performance. When individuals are committed to achieving their

goals, regardless of their difficulty, their performance improves and they are

more likely to achieve them. ( Cuevas et al ., 2020)

IMPACT OF BALANCING ACTIVITIES ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP

ROLES ON PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Assuming a leadership role can positively impact academic

performance in both the short and long term, with primary school

leadership experiences having the most significant immediate effect. Despite

potentially reducing study time, student leadership fosters a heightened

awareness of learning, ultimately improving overall academic performance.

( Deng et al., 2020). The advancement of polished skill depends on

individual characteristics, proficient abilities, and having a systemic

viewpoint (Habibi et al.,2022)

Thus, many students struggle to strike a balance between their

leadership responsibilities and their academic goals. Students can overcome

these challenges more skillfully, though, if they prioritize their work and use

a goal-oriented approach. It is imperative that they understand that

leadership includes not just accomplishments on the outside but also

personal development. Being in the field of leadership can eventually have

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

an beneficial impact on academic success in the future, despite the

challenges and hardships involved.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Introduction

In this chapter,

Research Design

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

This study employed qualitative research, particularly a case study,

to explore the lived experience of student leaders in balancing academics

and leadership. A case study is a methodical research technique that

produces a comprehensive understanding of a current problem or event

within a limited system. Coombs (2022).Case study research, which is

primarily connected to qualitative studies, has grown in importance as a

useful method for looking at complicated problems in real-life situations,

Pandey (2019). Furthermore,

Population and Locate

The study is conducted at Darmortis, National High School. The

participants are selected randomly from student leaders and organization

members.

Data Gathering Instruments

This study used interview as a tool gathering data. According to

Sahoo (2022), the interview is one of the commonly utilized methods for

gathering data. It is a systematic interaction in which one person asks one

or more people for information. It basically entails giving each sample

member an oral, in-person questionnaire. The researchers employ interview

to be able to understand and discover the experiences of student leaders.

Data Gathering Procedure

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Lived Experience: Balancing Academic Performance and Leadership

Prior to gathering data, the participants were informed about the

purpose and main points of the study by the researchers. After agreement,

the researchers requested the chosen participants' advisers' consent.

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