Reimagining School Communities: How Does Faculty Trust in Families Become a School-Level Norm?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Geographies, Curriculum Reframing, and Educational Policies in Schools and Communities

Abstract

Research suggests that teachers’ trust in families is an important lubricant for family engagement in high-poverty schools. However, there is little research regarding how collective faculty trust in families develops within a school culture. The purpose of this study is to address this gap through examining how collective faculty trust in families develops within three community schools that are situated within a Promise Neighborhood in a mid-size southeastern city. I used qualitative methods, including observations, 33 interviews with school staff, and document analysis. Although systematic coding is not complete, preliminary results indicate that family engagement may be improved through school/community partnerships that enable teachers to engage in ongoing reflective, honest dialogue that challenges racism, classism, and sexism.

Author

• Joanna D. Geller, Annenberg Institute for School Reform