Building Trust: Reflections of School Principals Working With Students, Parents, and Teachers in an Intensive Language Training Center in Beijing

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.