Fostering Trust in Education

JR
May 11
3 min read

"It is an equal failing to trust everybody, and to trust nobody."

-English Proverb

Teacher morale is related to a high trust in their colleagues. A collegial atmosphere, authentic relationships, high level of involvement of teachers in decision-making are factors that impact high-trust work environments (Tschannen-Moran, 2014).

Benevolence

Sense of belonging or caring; spirit of cooperation; pride; "ethos of caring."

Honesty

Demonstrate integrity by doing what you say you will, telling the truth, and keeping promises; accepting responsibility; avoiding shifting the blame for errors to others; being "real"; being authentic.

Openness

Fosters trust; greater sharing of ideas and resources; source of power.

Reliability

Being able to depend on each other to live up to their commitments; taking responsibilities seriously.

Competence

Can be influenced by teaching philosophies and style, approaches to students in their conversation and tone; difficult to measure because of personal and professional trust; interdependence of teaching means that my colleagues' teaching doesn't affect me directly, so it's not a major issue; impacts collective teacher efficacy (Tschannen-Moran, 2014).

When teachers trust their principal, they are more likely to become actively involved in the school community, often taking on additional responsibilities beyond their usual duties (Tschannen-Moran, 2014). Teachers who trust their principals are more likely to embrace risk-taking, which supports the creation of high-performing schools (Zajda & Whitehouse, 2023; Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2015). Teachers working in high-trust environments are more willing to make themselves vulnerable through teamwork and sharing with others (Tschannen-Moran, 2014). This trust inspires teachers to strive for higher levels of effort and achievement (Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2015). Trust in school leadership grows when principals maintain a supportive and trusting atmosphere that prioritizes teaching and learning (Geiger & Pivovarova, 2018).

While a principal's actions influence the overall atmosphere of trust within a school, it is the trust teachers have in one another that more directly affects student learning (Tschannen-Moran, 2004). Teachers who have higher trust in their colleagues see higher levels of professionalism (Tschannen-Moran, 2009). For example, in my experience as a principal, teachers who are habitually absent lose trust from their colleagues. Staff witness student behaviors and student absenteeism increase in classes where teachers are consistently absent. I have noticed that teacher absenteeism has a high correlation to student absenteeism, as well as low achievement and low growth (especially in MAP scores). Other educators see teachers who are habitually absent demonstrating a low commitment to students. When faculty members trust their colleagues, they are also more likely to have greater trust in students and their parents (Tschannen-Moran, 2004). For a school's culture to be defined by professionalism, there must be trust among teachers (Tschannen-Moran, 2014).

Trust is essential in creating effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in schools. For PLCs to thrive, there must be authentic collaboration and intentional dialogue, which emerge through shared reflection and collective decision-making. Teachers need to feel comfortable being vulnerable-asking questions, learning from one another, and seeking help with pedagogy and overall teaching practices. Without trust, collaboration suffers, and morale declines. Establishing clear norms at the start of the year helps set expectations among teachers, fostering a culture of trust within the team and contributing to the success of the PLC.

Barriers in PLCs often include conflict avoidance, destructive competitiveness, and low levels of teacher efficacy (Leonard, 1999). Moran states that high-levels of faculty trust lead to successful PLCs defined by fluid collaboration, robust collective sense of efficacy, and constructive controversy (2014). When trust exists, people are more likely to work closely together and collaboration is easier. Collective teacher efficacy (CTE) fosters the belief among faculty that, as a group, they positively impact students. This collective belief encompasses the confidence that the faculty, as a whole, can fulfill the school's mission. CTE is linked to teachers' trust in each other, as well as their trust in students and parents. Trust will either be fostered or damaged depending on how people respond to conflict. In schools, teachers often respond to conflict by acting aggressively or by avoiding/suppressing conflict. Teachers who do not trust each other will likely be guarded in their interactions and be more focused on self-protection than collaboration (Tschannen-Moran, 2014).

What can principals do?

Set the tone for teachers to trust one another
Promote a school culture that emphasizes cooperation and caring rather than competition and favoritism
Establish norms to foster a productive culture
Make time to facilitate structures for collaboration
Allow for professional discourse and shared decision-making
Foster openness and encourage staff to visit each other's classrooms
Allow teachers to observe each other and give feedback
Create an observation protocol