0.5 Redburn, m. (february 2009). developing trust in schools through  (Page 5/9)

After being asked to describe the relationships they have experienced and observed between staff members, parents, and themselves, all interviewees were asked if the consensus practices they identified using or experiencing affected the way people interacted with one another. Affirmative answers were followed by inquiries into what relational and behavioral changes they experienced or observed. The administrators were also asked to describe how they felt their use of and experience with consensus practices in their school or school district had changed the way they perceived and approached their work.

Although the development of relational trust using consensus strategies was the focus of the interviews, the questions did not inquire directly about trust or trust relationships in the schools. Follow-up questions concerning trust and consensus techniques were asked when, in the course of answering a prepared question, the interviewee referred to trust relationships or any of the facets of trust as identified by Bryk and Schneider (2002) or Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2000). In such cases, the interviewees’ vocabulary was used in the follow-up questions in an effort to avoid leading the staff members’ responses. Since the administrators were familiar with the vocabulary describing various consensus strategies, they were asked to list them and describe their use in their schools. The other staff members, however, were less familiar with the consensus vocabulary and were asked to describe the group processing methods used during the work session on full-day kindergarten and those used in conflict resolution.

The recorded interviews were transcribed and subjected to a constant comparative method of analysis. Repeated readings of the transcripts lead to the identification of emerging themes within and between the interviews. A coding system incorporating the themes was used to label statements that described the consensus methods used, reasons or motives for using consensus practices, relational and behavioral experiences and observations, and the connections made by the interviewees between the consensus methods used and the reported effects on relationships and behavior.

Emerging themes on consensus and the development of relational trust

The primary focus of the interviews in this collective case study was the elementary school. The participants consisted of two elementary principals, their superintendent, and six staff members from one of the principal’s schools in a suburban school district of approximately 8,000 students, kindergarten through 12th grade. The staff members’ school – Lincoln Elementary School - had an enrollment of 525 students. Table 1 provides participant descriptions using gender consistent pseudonyms.

Table 1

Participant Descriptions