1. Transforming School Culture:

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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

8. 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.”

9. Group Activity
The Hotel California

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. A Toxic School Culture Is full of Taters
Dictators
Commentators
Agitators
Spectators

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE

21. 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

22. 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

23. YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE!
TO IMPROVE YOUR
CULTURE…
YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE!

24. GROUP ACTIVITY
SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY

25. 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.

26. Reculturing versus Restructuring
Changing The School Culture
Reculturing versus Restructuring

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

28. 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.

29. 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
“Good Seeds Grow in Strong Cultures” by Saphier and King

30. 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

31. It’s difficult to change school culture,
but remain optimistic

33. WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER

34. 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

35. 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.

36. 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

37. A MOMENT OF CLARITY I learned that … I realized that …
I was pleased that …
I was not aware that…

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