Collegial Trust and the Organizational Context of the Teacher Workplace: The Role of a Homogeneous Teachability Culture

Abstract

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.This study explores how structural, compositional, and cultural characteristics of the teacher workplace affect an individual teacher's trust in colleagues. In particular, we investigate whether a homogeneous staff culture facilitates trust among teachers. Multilevel analyses on data of 2,104 teachers across a representative sample of 84 secondary schools in Flanders (Belgium) reveal that collegial trust is fostered when teachers agree on the teachability of the students in school. A mesomediation model demonstrates that the presence of a less homogeneous teachability culture explains the lower levels of collegial trust in socioeconomically disadvantaged schools. Our findings suggest that school leaders should focus on developing similar and positive conceptions among their teachers about students' teachability, in order to build social capital within the teaching staff to benefit student learning.

The Effect of Organizational Trust on the Culture of Teacher Leadership in Primary Schools

“…Van Maele and Van Houtte (2011) stated that just as the trust in colleagues can increase the school's capacity towards the building of professional learning communities, it can also reduce uncertainty and increase cooperation as well. Kochanek (2005) found that trust in colleagues is a significant factor regarding teacher behaviors such as sharing information, asking for help, and providing feedback to each other.…”

“…This is followed by trust in clients and trust in principals, respectively. Van Maele and Van Houtte (2011) proposed that trust in a school is formed through social exchanges within the role of school relationships. In organizational trust studies similar to this one, a sense of trust among the work of teachers is generally examined under four reference groups on the basis of organizational roles: school administrators, teachers, students, and parents.…”

Teacher Satisfaction in High Poverty Schools: Searching for Policy Relevant Interventions in Estonia, Georgia, and Latvia

“…High poverty schools often do not have established mentoring practices or do not have the experienced and qualified teachers to mentor new teachers [Darling-Hammond, 2004;Moore Johnson et al, 2004]. In fact, there is lower trust among colleagues in high poverty schools [Van Maele, Van Houtte, 2011]. High poverty schools often lack a full curriculum aligned with standards [Moore Johnson et al, 2004].…”

“…The development and maintenance of social capital are disrupted, including staff collegiality, community and trust [Bryk, Schneider, 2002;Ronfeldt, Loeb, Wyckoff, 2013;Van Maele, Van Houtte, 2011]. Not only are important knowledge and skills associated with school programs, structures and supports affected when teachers leave, but it takes time for new hires to gain the essential knowledge and skills to navigate the unfamiliar curriculum.…”

“…Positively affecting teacher satisfaction are support programs for new teachers, such as induction and mentoring [Burns, Darling-Hammond, 2014;Ferguson, Frost, Hall, 2012;OECD, 2005;Patridge, 2007;Van Maele, Van Houtte, 2011]. Induction and mentoring programs help acclimatize novice teachers to the professional practice of a school and results in greater occupational commitment and understanding of shared norms [Burns, Darling-Hammond, 2014;Moore Johnson et al, 2004].…”