SCHOOL CULTURE revised

SCHOOL CULTURE
The Missing Link in School Improvement

REFLECT ON THE CULTURE OF YOUR
SCHOOL
Good

Not


Things

So Good Things

Take two minutes to list

HOW SCHOOL CULTURE IS LIKE AN
AQUARIUM…..
 If

the Fish in the Aquarium are

Getting Sick
Don’t blame the Fish
 Fish need a health environment to thrive and grow
 Fish school together for support and protection’
 Fish will prosper when the temperature of the water
is ideal
 The water must be clean and free of toxic
substances
 Not all fish have the same needs
 Fish in the aquarium are helpless in efforts to
improve their environment


WHAT IS SCHOOL CULTURE
What

is School Culture?

    Deal and Peterson (1993) have offered
the most succinct definition of school

culture. They simply state it is an "inner
reality."Robbins and Alvy (1995) expand
the definition by stating that "This inner
reality reflects what organizational
members care about, what they are
willing to spend time doing, what and
how they celebrate, and what they talk
about. " 

HOW TO TELL IF THE CULTURE IN THE
AQUARIUM (SCHOOL) IS TOXIC
The Staff is overwhelmed and have
exhausted all of their efforts to improve
scores.
 Teaching and leading a school has lost its joy
and become one of drudgery favoring a “just
a job” mentality.
 Tension and stress abound.
 Everyone plays the “Blame Game”.
 Isolation Abounds in the school.



GUIDING QUESTION TO ASK ABOUT
YOUR SCHOOL CULTURE


Are you striving for a positive school
climate supported by a spirited staff?
Is your school focused on teamwork and
collegiality?
Are all stakeholders involved in the
process?
Do you struggle to attain higher levels
of student achievement year after year?

 What

is School Culture

 People

more important than
programs
 How people treat one another
 How people value one another
 Accumulation of many
individuals‘ values and norms
 Consensus about what is
important
 The way we do things “Around
Here”
 Shared Experiences
 Common Vision and Mission
 School’s beliefs, attitudes and
behaviors which characterize a
school

School
Culture
Every

school
has one
and every
school
can
improve
it’s
culture.

CULTURE VS CLIMATE

PETERSON ( 2002)

CULTURE

CLIMATE

Personality of school
 Shared experiences
(both in and outside

the school)
 Traditions
 Celebrations
 Sense of Community
 Norms, Values,
Symbols and Stories





Physical Appearance
 Outward Indicators
 Displays of student
work
 Safe and welcoming
environment

FOUR STEPS TO IMPROVING

SCHOOL CULTURE
Assess

the current culture
Analyze the findings
Select Areas for
improvement
Continue to monitor and
adjust

ASSESS THE CURRENT CULTURE


Needs to Assess… the Three Major

Indicators of School Culture.


COLLABORATION

is characterized as

the degree to which people work together, share
information and instructional strategies, and are
encouraged to have constructive discussions and
debates.

Professional

Collaboration…

Teachers and other staff meet to solve
instructional, organizational or curricular issues.

AFFILIATION AND
COLLEGIALITY
COLLEGIALITY

is about a sense of
belonging, emotional support, and

inclusion as a valued member of the
organization.

 Affiliation

and Collegiality…Working
together, feeling valued and included,
and a sense of value and belonging.

EFFICACY AND
DETERMINATION


EFFICACY, for the purpose of this process,
tends to focus on how stakeholders' view
themselves. Do they feel as if they have
control of their destinies or do they view
themselves as helpless victims of "the
system?" Do they respect research-supported
evidence about good teaching or are they

rigidly attached to the status quo?



Efficacy and Determination…I am in this
school because I want to be here.

ANALYSIS
 Find

out what areas need
immediate attention
 Make modifications and
improvements
 Maintain the fine qualities of the
school’s culture
 Celebrate the excellent parts of
the school’s culture
 Continue to find ways to improve

SELECT AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

MONITOR AND ADJUST
School

Culture can be
compared to a personal
relationship
Regularly

Strengthened and

supported
Promote continuous
improvement philosophy
Periodic Adjustments

ARTICLE JIGSAW ACTIVITY


Read the 4 articles related to school culture
(15 minutes)
 Barth….Culture

Builder
 Reeves…How Do You Change a School Culture
 Wagner…Leadership for and Improved School
Culture
 Peterson…Positive or Negative

Return to group and tell the group the
highlights of your article (2 minutes for each
article)
 Produce a Group MIT CHART ( Most Important Things)
of 10 and star the top three (3)
 Report out to whole group
