Transforming School Culture

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
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.
School Culture Cont 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.
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.
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 schools mission statement through its focus and actions.
School Culture is over a period of timethe history
Climate is now, its the perceptions/emotions being evoked

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.
Group Activity
The Hotel California

History Geography
Religion Politics
Culture
Society VALUES ATTITUDES Race BELIEFS Cultural Practices LANGUAGE Traditions COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR Customs Events Gender
Clan Ethnic Group
Government Economics Region Community Neighborhood Social-Peer Groups Family
Socio-Economic Status (SES)
INDIVIDUAL
School Culture
Values-Attitudes-Beliefs Mission-Vision-Goals Histories-Norms-Traditions-Stories Policies-Habits-Expectations-Rituals-Ceremonies Decision-Making Communication
Collegiality/ Professional Collaboration

(Professional Learning Community)
RELATIONSHIPS and INTERACTIONS

(How people treat each other, feel about each other and work together...) Administrator to Staff to Staff Staff Students Staff to Student Student to Student School to Parents/ Community
ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE

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

Accidental Culture 1. Articulated Beliefs 2. Random Values 3. Connections are random 4. Diversity is acknowledge Intentional Culture 1. Beliefs are tied to actions and behaviors. 2. Values tied to vision and mission 3. Connections are constantly sought 4. Diversity is valued
Negativity in a school culture or climate is usually manifested in the attitudes and actions of school staff through:
No or low expectations Little or no communication among stakeholders Resistance to change

No ownership Little or no sense of community Disrespect/hostility widespread Low morale and distrust
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 others 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
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
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

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
TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE
If you intend to introduce a change that is incompatible with the organizations 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
Its not so much that were afraid of change, or so in love with the old ways, but its that place in between its like being in between trapezes. Its Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. Theres nothing to hold on to.
- Marilyn Ferguson
TO IMPROVE YOUR CULTURE

YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE!
GROUP ACTIVITY
SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY

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.
Changing The School Culture
Reculturing Restructuring
versus
STRUCTURE VS. CULTURE
STRUCTURE
Day-To-Day Policies & Procedures School Rules
CULTURE
Long-Term Beliefs, Expectations, and Habits
TO CHANGE YOUR SCHOOLS CULTURE

Promote your mission, vision, values and goals.
Bring your staff together to find best practices. Sustain the culture through communication. Persist.
Confront problems.
What Do We Know About Effective Culture? Twelve Norms of School Culture Where People and Programs Improve Collegiality Appreciation and recognition Experimentation High expectations Trust and confidence Tangible support Reaching out to the knowledge bases Caring, celebration, humor Involvement in decision making Protection of whats important Traditions 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
Its difficult to change school culture, but remain optimistic

WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER
All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark:

Dont 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 youre 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big
All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark:

Dont 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 isnt always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark: When youre 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, theres always a rainbow waiting
A MOMENT OF CLARITY
I learned that I realized that
I was pleased that

I was not aware that
Presented By: www.schoolofeducators.com

Transforming School Culture

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Transforming School Culture

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Transforming School Culture:

School Culture is over a period of timethe history

Climate is now, its the perceptions/emotions being evoked

The Hotel California

Clan Ethnic Group

Government Economics Region Community Neighborhood Social-Peer Groups Family

Socio-Economic Status (SES)

Collegiality/ Professional Collaboration

RELATIONSHIPS and INTERACTIONS

ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE

ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE

No or low expectations Little or no communication among stakeholders Resistance to change

Examples of Negativity through Dysfunctional Norms

A Toxic School Culture Is full of Taters

Positive School Culture/Climate

Positive and Proactive Approaches for staff and students

Positive School Culture/Climate

Widespread sense of respect and nurturing

Why Is School Culture Important?

TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE

TO IMPROVE YOUR CULTURE

SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY

Four Steps in Creating a Truthful Culture

Changing The School Culture

STRUCTURE VS. CULTURE

TO CHANGE YOUR SCHOOLS CULTURE

www.schoolofeducators.com Good Seeds Grow in Strong Cultures by Saphier and King

Its difficult to change school culture, but remain optimistic

WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER

All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark:

All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark:

I was pleased that

Presented By: www.schoolofeducators.com

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