Examining the perceptions of trust between principals and teachers in elementary schools with high student academic achievement
Abstract
Description
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of trust between principals and
teachers. The problem identified that few scholars have examined the perceptions of trust of
Hispanic Teachers and Administrators to determine if there are similarities or differences, and
how this is sustained to improve student achievement. The reviewed literature argues that school
administrators need to carefully assess if their interactions include characteristics of building
trust because it may be related to student academic achievement.
This research study was quantitative and conducted in Brownsville, Texas in Cameron
County. The Brownsville ISD is comprised of 37 elementary schools and a total of eight schools
were chosen for this study. A criterion was developed that determined eligibility for teacher
sampling. The data collection followed the guidelines and approval of The University of Texas at
Brownsville (UTB) University Institutional Review Board (IRB). Both the teacher and principal
survey were completed using an online survey website called Survey Monkey.
The data was analyzed using an SPSS software package. The data was used to identify
and examine the perceptions of principals and teachers about mutual trust through SPSS data
analysis procedures. Modified versions of Wolfe’s (2010) original 39-item Mutual Trust and Job
Satisfaction Survey instruments were used to examine the variables and perceptions of trust of
teachers and principals. The 42-item question survey instruments were used to measure the five
facets of trust between principals and teachers in elementary schools. They include benevolence,
competence, honesty, openness, and reliability.
There were eight schools that participated in the study and 29 principals. The surveys
provided information about beliefs, perceptions and attitudes of teachers and principals with
regard to trust, as well as how to develop and sustain trust. The identification of differences
between the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding behaviors needed to develop trust are also included. There were three questions that guided this research. Q1: What perceptions do
teachers identify a principal should display in order to develop a teacher’s trust? Q2: What
perceptions do principals identify a teacher should display in order to develop a principal’s trust?
Q3: What are the similarities between the perceptions of principals and teacher regarding
behaviors needed to develop trust?
Similar data analysis procedures were conducted for Question 1 and 2. The researcher
used the SPSS program to run Descriptive Statistics to observe the frequency responses and
further ran a Kruskal-Mallis test to recognize pair differences. The descriptive analysis was used
to examine each facet of trust and identified the highest mean of each facet as the perceptions
principals identified as teachers displaying in order to develop trust. In the final Question 3,
overall the behaviors associated with building trust were found in the facets of benevolence and
openness. Keywords associated with the facet of trust include supportive, showing respect,
confidential conversations, and fairness. In regards to the facet of openness, the keywords
associated with this facet were good communication skills and an open door policy.
Communication included teachers being able to give input in campus decision making.
PDF; 128 pgs.
PDF; 128 pgs.
Keywords
Hispanic American school principals--Texas--Brownsville--Attitudes, Elementary school principals--Texas--Brownsville--Attitudes, Hispanic American teachers--Texas--Brownsville--Attitudes, Elementary school teachers--Texas--Brownsville--Attitudes, Trust--United States--Public opinion, Public opinion--Texas--Brownsville, School supervision--Texas--Brownsville--Case studies, Teacher-principal relationships--Texas--Brownsville--Case studies, Educational leadership--Texas--Brownsville--Case studies, Academic achievement--Texas--Brownsville--Case studies, Motivation in education--Texas--Brownsville--Case studies