JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE
Building Trust: Reflections of School Principals Working With Students, Parents, and Teachers in an Intensive Language Training Center in Beijing
Author(s): Wei Zhang, Tetyana Koshmanova
Citation: Wei Zhang, Tetyana Koshmanova, (2021) "Building Trust: Reflections of School Principals Working With Students, Parents, and Teachers in an Intensive Language Training Center in Beijing," Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, Vol. 21, ss. 6, pp. 63-78
Article Type: Research paper
Publisher: North American Business Press
Abstract:
This study explores the experiences of school principals in building a trust-based relationship in promoting school effectiveness and improvement in a YBR private language training center in Beijing. A semi-structural interview with thirty-one Chinese participants, including school principals (N=1), teachers (N=10), students (N=10), and parents (N=10), was employed through a qualitative descriptive and longitudinal research design. Findings showed that YBR school faces three major challenges: testing score results first but trust second; saving costs but neglecting the importance of promise and expectation; worrying about student dropout rate. However, this study found that school maintains trust through major themes: passing exams with the excellent testing score; communicating with parents and teachers; increasing teachers' engagement with high wage if high-qualified. Findings additionally showed three strategies of word of mouth, best-service, and market promotion for school principals to improve school enrollment rate, social reputation, and student achievement. Further studies on becoming the antiracist leader for leading dual-language programs through a qualitative comparative study between the United States and China were recommended.