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Singapore madrasah teachers' perceptions on building trusting relationships with their school leaders
Author
Siti Mariam Mohd Hariht
Supervisor
Zhang, Yenming
Abstract
This study sought to examine how school leaders in a madrasah cultivate trust with teachers so that the practices can be emulated and sustained by other school leaders. This study aims to (1) document the school leaders’ practices of establishing positive relationships with their teachers through trust-building practices and conditions of the school; (2) highlight the qualities of the school leaders from the perspective of the teachers in moving towards school improvements through collaborative and trusting relationships in the context of a religious school in the Malay-Singaporean context; (3) surface the challenges that the school leaders faced in cultivating trust with the teachers and; (4) deepen the trust research in the context of madrasahs in Singapore.
A case study research design was adopted whereby data collection includes participant observations, survey questionnaire, focus group discussions with teachers and observations of teachers’ interactions during meetings and discussion sessions with their school leaders. The research questions explored how trust is built between school leaders and teachers in a Singapore madrasah, specifically focusing on barriers and facilitating factors of trust-building. The participants of the study were teachers from Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-islamiah (MIZA) who were briefed directly on the research topic, its purpose, and methodologies including the research questions. The six-step thematic analysis was used to provide qualitative analysis of the data.
Results from the study revealed that there are social, moral and cognitive components of trust. Participants noted that confidence, confidentiality, accountability, and discussion were key components of trust. Being passionate, open-minded, and motivating others were also highlighted as critical factors. Teachers felt that working as a team and having a sense of togetherness was another notable theme. Some challenges raised by participants included dealing with diversity, and lack of teacher buy-in. Participants noted that transparency and consistency can help avoid or address such barriers.
Lastly, communication was emphasised as a facet of trust, which included communicating clear direction and having open feedback channels. Also, supportive environments, mutual respect, inclusion of Islamic practices and values, and healthy relationships were identified as social factors that helped facilitate a trusting environment.
The results of this study are significant because it has highlighted activities and practices that are essential in enabling other madrasahs to understand how the school leaders of MIZA have led the school towards excellence through the development of trust between leaders and teachers. Other madrasahs can embrace and modify similar modalities in running the schools, particularly in establishing trusting relationships with the teachers that enable teachers to succeed and ultimately promote success of students.
A case study research design was adopted whereby data collection includes participant observations, survey questionnaire, focus group discussions with teachers and observations of teachers’ interactions during meetings and discussion sessions with their school leaders. The research questions explored how trust is built between school leaders and teachers in a Singapore madrasah, specifically focusing on barriers and facilitating factors of trust-building. The participants of the study were teachers from Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-islamiah (MIZA) who were briefed directly on the research topic, its purpose, and methodologies including the research questions. The six-step thematic analysis was used to provide qualitative analysis of the data.
Results from the study revealed that there are social, moral and cognitive components of trust. Participants noted that confidence, confidentiality, accountability, and discussion were key components of trust. Being passionate, open-minded, and motivating others were also highlighted as critical factors. Teachers felt that working as a team and having a sense of togetherness was another notable theme. Some challenges raised by participants included dealing with diversity, and lack of teacher buy-in. Participants noted that transparency and consistency can help avoid or address such barriers.
Lastly, communication was emphasised as a facet of trust, which included communicating clear direction and having open feedback channels. Also, supportive environments, mutual respect, inclusion of Islamic practices and values, and healthy relationships were identified as social factors that helped facilitate a trusting environment.
The results of this study are significant because it has highlighted activities and practices that are essential in enabling other madrasahs to understand how the school leaders of MIZA have led the school towards excellence through the development of trust between leaders and teachers. Other madrasahs can embrace and modify similar modalities in running the schools, particularly in establishing trusting relationships with the teachers that enable teachers to succeed and ultimately promote success of students.
Date Issued
2019
Call Number
LB2805 Sit