Creating an Environment of Trust in Schools

  

 Creating an environment of trust within schools is not just important to the success of a school and its culture, but foundational. This atmosphere of transparency and trust is crucial to strive for no matter your role be it a teacher, administrator, or another employee at the school. Fostering a line of open communication through one channel or another at all times can significantly enhance the educational experience for all parties that are involved. “Studies of trust and leadership support the importance of the principal in establishing a culture of trust through demonstration of respect, integrity, competence, benevolence, and reliability” (Bukko, Liu, & Johnson, 2021, p.59). One tool that is used by many including the school I am currently at is through the implementation of a weekly newsletter or blog. 

Transparency in education is much more than just sharing pertaining information; it’s about building an environment of trust and creating a sense of community amongst all parties involved in the school. When administrators and educators alike are transparent about their decisions, policies, and initiatives as well as other happenings of the school, they become an example to others of how to be accountable and respectful to all stakeholders. This transparency also promotes understanding and collaboration By keeping everyone in the school informed and in the loop about school happenings, updates, and decisions, administrators can foster a culture of openness through the invitation of feedback and engagement. This creates an environment educators are happy to be a part of and promotes buy-in by stakeholders into the school and its objectives. Blanchet (2022) explains “Trust matters—people who work in high-trust environments experience less stress, burnout, and sick days than those who work in low-trust environments.”

A weekly newsletter or blog serves as an excellent platform for distributing information and fostering openness, community, and transparency within a school. The blog shown below is an example of my current administrator's way of communicating with her staff upcoming events, initiatives, happenings within the school, and oftentimes pertinent data such as results from testing and data collection. This helps provide our teachers and staff within the school consistent updates that keep us well informed. It also encourages two-way communication by inviting feedback, suggestions, and questions from her staff as we are allowed to complete surveys embedded in the newsletter, vote on various ideas presented, and email back with any questions or feedback we may have. 

“Effective communication is not just about making the news, but making sure that all stakeholders hear it” (Sheninger, 2019, p. 163). To achieve this, not only does our administrator provide her staff with a weekly newsletter, she also sends one out to the parents and community members involved within our school. Sheninger (2019) states, “Blogs are fantastic communication tools where parents can glimpse into your educational life and become more familiar with the culture of your school” (p.170). This openness with the community aids in having support from the parents and those within the community working with the staff and students of the school. 

By embracing this form of transparency and consistently sharing information, our school, as well as others who participate in this practice, creates and cultivates a culture of trust, respect, and partnership within its staff and stakeholders. Newsletters and blogs continue to serve as powerful tools in accomplishing the commitment of embracing transparency, communication, respect, and partnership.

Committing to the Environment

 

   Committing to the overall well-being of the environment is something I view as an extremely important aspect of my everyday life. My husband and I are very focused on conserving energy whenever we can in ways such as not leaving lights on, not running the AC when it isn't necessary, and recycling what we can. During my time in the Cherokee County School System, this practice of saving and conserving energy was something that I found the system as a whole strived for. The district put into place an energy conservation program that outlined exactly what we should be doing each day as well as over short and long breaks in order to conserve the most energy as possible. While their motives may have been based more on saving money in some instances, I truly believe that this drive to save and conserve energy also came from a commitment to being responsible for the environment through energy saving practices. 

      This program also served as a great way to communicate with the public Cherokee County Schools’ value of energy saving practices. A report was generated each month showing how much energy was saved, how much money was saved by following the program’s guidelines, and what we were doing to ensure the program guidelines were being met by each school. This report was sent out to the stakeholders to ensure that the schools within Cherokee County were being held accountable to their commitment to this program and its directives. I believe Cherokee County puts this report out there to the public to ensure they are the ones sharing the story and showcasing positive points about the schools to the public. This is an important practice because as Sheninger (2019) states, “If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. More often than not, when someone else tells your story, it is one that you don’t want told” (p.179). To go further with this idea, Centre Middle School, a school within Cherokee County, has posted via their social media pages different stories of how students as well as teachers are practicing energy saving methods throughout the school. “Stories by far are the best way to begin the process of shifting the way stakeholders perceive schools” (Sheninger, 2019, p.181). 

    I believe that by coming up with this program, Cherokee County Schools have been able to streamline their thinking of conservation of energy within each school in their system. They ensure they are communicating with the school when there are changes to the program as well as when specific perimeters within the guidelines are not being followed by certain schools. This communication with the schools is absolutely necessary to ensure all schools are sticking with the commitment their system has made. Coursera (2023) explains “Good communication in the workplace ensures employees have the information they need to perform well, builds a positive work environment, and eliminates inefficiencies.” By ensuring that they are communicating with the schools on their expectations as well as when schools are exceeding those expectations or struggling with them, helps to ensure their employees are aware of what they need to continue or start doing to perform how they are expected to. Not only that but “Effective workplace communication helps maintain the quality of working relationships and positively affects employees' well-being” (Plaza & Windon, 2022).

    Overall I am proud to have been a participant in Cherokee County Schools’ initiative to conserve more energy. I feel like by the openness of communication between the program’s administrator and the schools within the system I was able to adequately follow the expectations of the district as well as open my eyes to how much of an impact the conservation of energy has. I also see that this important decision helped to share a positive light on the schools in Cherokee County for the public to see. For any schools wanting to implement a program such as this or anyone looking for better energy saving practices for their school, I am attaching a copy of the Cherokee County energy conservation program document below as well as a video with helpful tips. 

References

Coursera Staff (2023, December 1). Why is workplace communication important? and how to improve it. Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/articles/workplace-communication

Plaza, C. H., & Windon, S. (2022, July 5). Effective communication in the workplace. Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/effective-communication-in-the-workplace

Sheninger, E. C. (2019). Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. A joint publication of Corwin ICLE.

 

Getting Unplugged

Today, we live in a digital age where technology has become an integral part of education, changing how teachers teach and students learn. From interactive whiteboards to online learning platforms, technological tools offer opportunities for engagement, collaboration, and personalization in the classroom that generations before us would have never imagined. Frazier (2017) makes the statement, "Access to the Internet has quickly become an indispensable resource for schools" (p.119). An increase in access as well as availability to technology and tools as well as all of one's personal files through platforms such as Google Suites and Office 365 allow students and educators to have said technology at their disposal almost 24/7 which can "lead to improved collaboration and wider use of technology resources" (Frazier, 2017 p.133). However, as schools increasingly rely on technology to deliver instruction, there is growing concern about the potential drawbacks of this dependence.

A major concern in schools now is the risk of over-reliance on technology, which may unintentionally hinder students' development of essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication. Additionally, the constant use of screens can lead to digital fatigue and attention issues among students. Recognizing these challenges, many educators are exploring ways to balance the use of technology for its benefits while ensuring that students have opportunities to learn without it. One study found that "that heavy television use predicted a loss of reading of four months relative to peers two years later: heavy computer use predicted a similar loss in numeracy two years later" (Mundy et al., 2020).

Many schools have begun turning to "unplugged" days in schools in an attempt to come up with a solution to this balancing act. These designated days provide a break from digital devices for both teachers and students, even down to checking emails at times, and encourage students to engage in learning activities that do not require technology. Whether conducting hands-on science experiments, participating in group discussions, or working on collaborative projects, unplugged days offer a refreshing change of pace and a chance for students to hone their non-digital skills.

But the benefits of unplugged days extend beyond just skill development. They also promote mindfulness and well-being by giving students a break from the constant stimulation of screens. Research has shown that excessive screen time can have negative effects on mental health, including increased stress and anxiety. By providing regular opportunities for students to disconnect and engage in offline activities, schools can support their overall well-being. Along with these benefits, unplugged days encourage community and collaboration among students by communicating with each other and using their eye contact, body language, and actual words instead of digital means of communication.

Of course, implementing unplugged days requires careful planning and coordination. Teachers need to design engaging activities that can effectively replace digital instruction and ensure that students remain focused and motivated throughout the day, keeping the teachers sharp and on their game so to speak. Additionally, schools must provide adequate resources and support to facilitate unplugged learning experiences, such as access to materials and professional development for educators.

Ultimately, the goal of unplugged days is not to eliminate technology from education but rather to strike a healthy balance between digital and non-digital learning experiences. By incorporating regular unplugged days into the school calendar, educators can help students develop the skills, habits, and mindset needed to navigate an increasingly digital world while also preserving the timeless principles of learning and human connection.

References

Frazier, M. & Hearrington, D. (2017). The Technology Coordinator’s Handbook, Third Edition (3rd ed.). Eugene: International Society for Tech in Ed.

Mundy, L. K., Canterford, L., Hoq, M., Olds, T., Moreno-Betancur, M., Sawyer, S., Kosola, S., & Patton, G. C. (2020). Electronic media use and academic performance in late childhood: A longitudinal study. PLOS ONE, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237908