MANAGING CHANGE: School Culture and Structure CE-ELM MSA, 21 st APRIL, 2011 SESSION 3

Session Objectives By the end of the session, CPs should be able to:  Define school culture and structure  Determine characteristics of school culture  Make links between culture, structure and school improvement

Think & Share  What is culture?

Definition of School Culture  The way we do things around here’ (Deal & Kennedy, 1993)  “… unwritten rules and traditions, norms and expectations that seem to permeate everything: the way people act, how they dress, what they talk about, whether they seek out colleagues for help or not …” (Deal and Patterson, 1999)  Norms – ‘the unspoken rules that are regarded as customary or acceptable behaviour and action within the school’ (Stoll, 1998).

 What makes up your school culture?

Characteristics of school culture  Describes how things are  Manifests itself in customs, rituals, symbols, stories, language etc  The lens through which the world is viewed - defines reality for members of a school  Provides an identity  Is situationally unique  Is shaped by a school’s history, context and people in it  May inhibit or enhance and sustain change  Is both static and dynamic  Different cultures may exist in a school

Factors that affect school culture  School age  External context  Level of school  Student profile  Societal changes

Structures in School  Organizational structure (hierarchy/pecking order)  Routine  Timetable  Physical facilities  Workload allocations etc

Brainstorming  What are some of the structures found in your school?

Link between school culture and structure  Are interdependent  SS easy to manipulate and are visible  Most SI focus on SS, but  Changing SS without changing SC = superficial change  Successful schools = SS that promote interrelations and interconnections + SC that promote collegiality and individuality

Class discussion What is the link between school culture and school improvement?

Link Between SC and SI  SI depends on understanding SC and ensuring that it supports the process of change.  Therefore, one has to: Read the culture Assess the culture Reinforce or transform the culture  SI depends on reculturing

Conclusion  Changing schools/school improvement is not just about changing curricula, teaching and learning strategies, assessment, structures, roles etc.  It requires an understanding of and respect for the culture of the schools (norms, beliefs, traditions and the way people do things here etc.)

Class discussion  Identify one aspect of your school culture that you’d like to change.  Why would you like to change it?  What would you need to do to bring about this change?

Summary points  Change takes time and persistence  Change is a process, not an event  Individuals go through stages in the change process and have different needs at different stages  The individual needs to be the primary focus of intervention for change in the organization  Change is a highly personal experience  Individuals experience developmental growth in feelings and skills  Change strategies are most effective when they are chosen to meet people’s needs