What is relational trust and how do we foster it in our schools?

What is relational trust?

It is timely with so much change happening in Aotearoa schools that we revisit the notion of relational trust.

With the rise in expectation around collaborative pedagogy associated with innovative learning environments, issues of trust and risk-taking become paramount.

It is unlikely that much can be achieved without a particular leadership focus on trust.

Trust is relational when it is developed around agreed norms of safety, risk-taking, and a growth orientation (Cranston, 2011). Nurturing a culture of relational trust and mutual respect is important when implementing change and promoting growth in your school (Edwards-Groves, Grootenboer & Ronnerman, 2016). Relational Trust is premised on the belief that the behaviour of another person or a group will be altruistic and personally and professionally beneficial.

Relational trust has been described as the 'ground zero' for schooling improvement (Hallam, Dulaney, Hite, & Smith, 2014) and it is a critical element for fostering the type of school culture necessary for effective teacher collaboration and successful schools (Vostal, Horner & LaVenia, 2019).