Transforming School Culture: www.schoolofeducators.com

Culture is the most powerful source of leverage for bringing about change in a school – or any organization, for that matter. Thomas J. Sergiovanni www.schoolofeducators.com

School Culture School culture is norms developed over time based on shared attitudes, values, beliefs, expectations, relationships, and traditions of a particular school that cause it to function or react as it does. www.schoolofeducators.com

School Culture Con’t School Culture is often majority driven (staff), intangible, hard to describe, and difficult to positively impact, or change in a systemic way. The attitudes, beliefs, and values may often be “hidden” to those new to or outside of the school community. www.schoolofeducators.com

School Climate is the communication of its norms, beliefs, and values through various behaviors and interactions and their effect on others, with the primary focus being on students. School Climate is driven by and reflected in the daily interactions of staff, administration, students, support staff, and the outside community. www.schoolofeducators.com

Climate is expressed in tangible ways, is more leadership driven, and responds more quickly to change. Climate is demonstrated through collegiality, communication, decision-making, trust, expectations, ideology, leadership, recognition, celebration, support, and experimentation. Climate should directly reflect the school’s mission statement through its focus and actions. www.schoolofeducators.com

School Culture is over a period of time…the history Climate is now, it’s the perceptions/emotions being evoked www.schoolofeducators.com

Definition of Culture In short, Terrence Deal, author and professor at Vanderbilt University, explains, “It is the way we do business here and clarifies what is important and what is not.” www.schoolofeducators.com

Group Activity The Hotel California www.schoolofeducators.com

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ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE Accidental Culture Intentional Culture 1. Activities are based on assumptions. 1. Activities are research-based. 2. Academic goals deteriorates to a wish list. 2. Academic goals are credible. The focus is on results. 3. Mission and goals are ignored. 3. Mission and goals are used as a blue print for school improvement. 4. Decisions are dictated and developed by few. 4. Broad collaboration: decisions are widely shared www.schoolofeducators.com

ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE Accidental Culture Intentional Culture 1. Articulated Beliefs 1. Beliefs are tied to actions and behaviors. 2. Random Values 2. Values tied to vision and mission 3. Connections are random 3. Connections are constantly sought 4. Diversity is acknowledge 4. Diversity is valued www.schoolofeducators.com

Little or no sense of community Disrespect/hostility widespread Negativity in a school culture or climate is usually manifested in the attitudes and actions of school staff through: No ownership Little or no sense of community Disrespect/hostility widespread Low morale and distrust No or low expectations Little or no communication among stakeholders Resistance to change www.schoolofeducators.com

Examples of Negativity through Dysfunctional Norms Dread coming to school Criticize those who are innovative Politics drive decision-making Do just enough to get by Judgmental/Critical of other’s motivation Fear reprisal Distrust colleagues or administration “Me First” Operate in a vacuum Adapted from Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership (1998) www.schoolofeducators.com

A Toxic School Culture Is full of Taters Dictators Commentators Agitators Spectators www.schoolofeducators.com

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Positive School Culture/Climate Mission IS about student and teacher learning Rich sense of history and purpose Core values of collegiality, performance, and improvement centered around quality, achievement, and learning for ALL students Positive and Proactive Approaches for staff and students www.schoolofeducators.com

Positive School Culture/Climate Stories that celebrate successes and recognize heroines and heroes Physical Environment reflects pride and joy Widespread sense of respect and nurturing www.schoolofeducators.com

Why Is School Culture Important? What research tells us: “Positive learning can only take place in a positive culture. A healthy school culture will affect more student and teacher success than any other reform or school improvement effort currently being employed.” -Gary Phillips www.schoolofeducators.com

TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE www.schoolofeducators.com

If you intend to introduce a change that is incompatible with the organization’s culture, you have only three choices: modify the change to be more in line with the existing culture, alter the culture to be more in line with the proposed change, or prepare to fail. David Salisbury & Daryl Conner, 1994 www.schoolofeducators.com

It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change, or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between … it’s like being in between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to. - Marilyn Ferguson www.schoolofeducators.com

YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE! TO IMPROVE YOUR CULTURE… YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE! www.schoolofeducators.com

GROUP ACTIVITY SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY www.schoolofeducators.com

Four Steps in Creating a Truthful Culture Lead with questions, not with answers. Engage in dialogue and debate, not coercion. Conduct autopsies without blame. Build red flag mechanisms that turn information into information that cannot be ignored. www.schoolofeducators.com

Reculturing versus Restructuring Changing The School Culture Reculturing versus Restructuring www.schoolofeducators.com

STRUCTURE CULTURE STRUCTURE VS. CULTURE Day-To-Day Policies & Procedures School Rules CULTURE Long-Term Beliefs, Expectations, and Habits www.schoolofeducators.com

TO CHANGE YOUR SCHOOL’S CULTURE Promote your mission, vision, values and goals. Bring your staff together to find best practices. Sustain the culture through communication. Persist. Confront problems. www.schoolofeducators.com

What Do We Know About Effective Culture? Twelve Norms of School Culture Where People and Programs Improve Collegiality Appreciation and recognition Experimentation Caring, celebration, humor High expectations Involvement in decision making Trust and confidence Protection of what’s important Tangible support Traditions Reaching out to the knowledge bases Honest, open communication www.schoolofeducators.com “Good Seeds Grow in Strong Cultures” by Saphier and King

A Final Thought “Self-renewing school cultures are collaborative places where adults care about one another, share common goals and values, and have the skills and knowledge to plan together, solve problems together, and fight passionately but gracefully for ideas to improve instruction.” -Robert Garmston & Bruce Wellman www.schoolofeducators.com

It’s difficult to change school culture, but remain optimistic www.schoolofeducators.com

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WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER www.schoolofeducators.com

All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noah’s Ark: Don’t Miss The Boat Remember That We Are All In The Same Boat Plan Ahead: It was not Raining When Noah Built The Ark Stay Fit: When you’re 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big www.schoolofeducators.com

All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noah’s Ark: Don’t Listen To Critics; Just Get On With The Job That Needs To Be Done. Build Your Future on high Ground. For Safety Travel In Pairs. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. www.schoolofeducators.com

All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noah’s Ark: When you’re stressed, float a while. Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, and the titanic by professionals No matter the storm, when you are with the right people, there’s always a rainbow waiting www.schoolofeducators.com

A MOMENT OF CLARITY I learned that … I realized that … I was pleased that … I was not aware that… www.schoolofeducators.com

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