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Transforming School Culture:

Transforming School Culture:. 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

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Transforming School Culture:

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  1. Transforming School Culture: www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  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.” www.schoolofeducators.com

  9. Group Activity The Hotel California www.schoolofeducators.com

  10. www.schoolofeducators.com

  11. ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE www.schoolofeducators.com

  12. ACCIDENTAL vs INTENTIONAL CULTURE www.schoolofeducators.com

  13. 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

  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) www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  16. www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  20. TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  24. GROUP ACTIVITY SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  26. Changing The School Culture Reculturing versusRestructuring www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  29. What Do We Know About Effective Culture? Twelve Norms of School Culture Where People and Programs Improve www.schoolofeducators.com “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 www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  32. www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

  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. www.schoolofeducators.com

  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 www.schoolofeducators.com

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

  38. Presented By:www.schoolofeducators.com www.schoolofeducators.com

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