Overall psychological and physical atmosphere People like to be there Caring and respect are evident People are responsible for others Students are decision makers

Most pervasive influence in the school Learning distracted by:  Unmet health needs  Substance use  Feeling isolated  Worry about bullying  Mismatch of teaching/learning

Teacher caring motivates Feeling connected is protective against:  Alcohol and drug use  Violence  Tobacco use  Depression/suicide

Research has shown that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has an impact on every aspect of children’s development: their health; ethical development, citizenship, academic learning and motivation to achieve. Promoting Children’s Ethical Development through Social and Emotional Learning CASEL-University of Illinois

Emotions affect how and what we learn Relationships provide foundation for learning Promotes attachment to school Positive effects on academic performance Benefits to physical health Essential for lifelong success Demanded by employers Risk of maladjustment, failed relationships, unhappiness reduced Promoting Children’s Ethical Development through Social and Emotional Learning CASEL-University of Illinois

Performance Increases in achievement over time Better problem solving and planning Improved learning-to-learn skills Attitudes Better sense of community (bonding) Higher academic motivation and aspirations Increased understanding of consequences of behavior Behavior Increase in prosocial behavior Reductions in aggression and disruptions Lower rate of conduct problems Promoting Children’s Ethical Development through Social and Emotional Learning CASEL-University of Illinois

“Pupil achievements & behavior can be influenced (for the better or worse) by overall characteristics of school….this means focus on features promoting good functioning at classroom, departmental or whole school level.” “Improving overall level may be expected to have benefits at the extremes so long as favorable school features do actually impinge on children with special needs.” Rutter & Maughan, 2002, pp

School Culture School culture is the values, beliefs, behaviors, practices, norms, philosophy, rituals, and ceremonies that characterize a school. Vision turns an organizations core ideology, or sense of purpose, into an image of what the future might become. Boleman and Deal, Reframing Organizations

The educational leader is responsible for articulating and implementing the vision of the school as well as effectively communicating it to staff, parents, students, and community members.

Four frames: structural human resource political symbolic should be utilized when examining the culture of an organization. Reframing Organizations, Boleman and Deal

Structural Frame Focus on rules, roles, goals, and policies that shape an channel decisions and activities. Human Resource Frame Concern with the well-being of staff and students Philosophy for managing people and systems and practices to implement that philosophy.

Political Frame Provides a view of organizations as coalitions with a focus on relationships an alliances that will help foster the vision. Symbolic Frame Focus on how humans make sense of the world through meaning, belief, and faith. Perceived in schools through rituals, ceremonies, heroes and heroines, symbols, and stories.