Trust: The Heartbeat of a Learning Community

Angela Langlands
Aug 25
3 min read

Over the years, teams I’ve worked on have created what we called NormGreements. We did this because:

Norms are implicit, unwritten guidelines for appropriate behavior within a group.
Agreements are explicit, collectively decided commitments to how a group will interact and behave.

Neither was enough on its own… so we merged them into a new way of doing things.

These NormGreements weren’t just a checklist for meetings; they were a commitment to how we wanted to work, talk, and care for one another—as professionals and as humans.

Looking back, I realized why they were so powerful: education is a heart profession. It’s about human connection first. If we don’t connect, things eventually break down—no matter how good our lesson plans or strategies are.

At the center of that connection? Trust. Trust with colleagues. Trust with students. Trust with parents. However you look at it, it all comes down to trust.

Building Trust Together

Trust doesn’t happen by accident. It grows when everyone has a voice and when the way we work together is clear, consistent, and caring.

Here are some ways I’ve seen trust take root in learning communities:

Create norms with everyone’s voice. When people help set expectations, they’re more likely to own them. Revisit and adapt them as the year goes on—because teams, and needs, change.
Be accountable. Do what you said you would. Follow through, even when it’s hard. If you mess up, own up to it.
Show empathy. Sometimes it’s a listening ear. Sometimes it’s taking a student for the day when a colleague is overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s saying, “Go home and get better, we'll write the sub plans—we’ve got you!”

Appreciation Looks Different for Everyone

Appreciation builds trust—but not everyone feels appreciated the same way.

Some colleagues value quiet recognition—a sticky note on their desk, a quick text saying, “Thanks for what you did today.” Others light up at team celebrations—coffee runs, birthday surprises, or someone stepping in so they can catch their breath on a tough day.

The goal is simple: help each person feel seen in the way that matters most to them. We do this naturally for students… let's treat our colleagues with that same care.

What Trust Feels Like

Trust shows up in big and small ways:

Hearing the frustration in someone’s voice and stepping in to help.
Giving the quiet colleague space to share an idea—and celebrating it.
Admitting when you’ve made a mistake. Owning it. Apologizing when needed.
Showing appreciation—for the lesson plans shared, the extra recess covered, the behind-the-scenes support that keeps the team going.

Trust isn’t fancy. It’s built moment by moment, action by action.

When trust runs deep, collective efficacy grows. In other words, when a team truly comes together and believes that, together, they can make a difference, students benefit in ways research consistently shows. Teams with strong collective efficacy often see higher engagement and stronger outcomes (Donohoo, 2017). You can read more about it here.

Now What?

So here you are. The students are back. The good-summer-holiday vibes have faded, the back-to-school buzz has worn off, and all you can see ahead is the long stretch until fall (or worse… winter) break. Here’s my straight-shooting advice for building trust in your team and setting the tone for the rest of the year:

Co-create 3–4 NormGreements with everyone’s input.
Check in regularly on how well you’re living them out.
Build appreciation into your routines—tailored to different personalities.
Be quick to help, quick to listen, and quicker to apologize.

And when all else fails… eat soup.

That’s what my most high-functioning team learned. Every Wednesday, someone brought soup (or salad) for lunch. We didn’t talk about school or students. Instead, we talked about what made us us—our families, dream holidays, books we were reading, and so much more.

We humanized each other. We built trust differently.

That simple ritual became so valuable that the next year, it was protected in our schedule. No one on our team ever had lunch duty on Wednesdays. If it could work for this motley crew of teachers, it can work for anyone.

When trust runs deep, collective efficacy grows. In other words, when a team truly believes that together they can make a difference, students benefit in ways research consistently shows. Teams with strong collective efficacy often see higher student engagement, stronger learning outcomes, and a culture where collaboration and support are the norm.

And that belief? It’s the heartbeat of every thriving learning community.