School Culture

- The common beliefs, perceptions, connections, attitudes, and written and

unwritten regulations that define and affect every element of school activity.
School culture is the way thing are done in the school (the personality of a
school), the underlying norms and values that shape patterns of behavior,
attitudes and expectations between stakeholders in the school.

Why Culture is a Social Construct? Elaborate your answer.

A culture is the way of life in a certain society, institution, organization, and etc and
the social construct refers to an idea that has been created, shape and accepted by
the people in society.
Culture as social construct exists not in an objective reality but as a result of
interactions among stakeholders for example the students, teachers and parents. All
reality including school culture is socially constructed. Race, gender, sexuality, and
ability are socially constructed cultural identities that developed over time in relation
to historical, social, and political contexts.

The difference between School Climate and School Culture

School climates are shared perceptions of norms that draw students and teachers to
love the school and make them want to be part of it. It refers to the school’s effect on
students, including diversity, teaching practices, and the relationship among
administrators, teachers, parents, and students. While, the school culture refers to
how the school and teachers work together and the set of values, beliefs, and
assumptions they share. Positive school culture and climate improve students’ ability
to learn.

The different elements of a positive school culture

Collegiality
It refers to a friendly relationship between people who work together. The school
atmosphere is friendly. You work in an atmosphere where responsibility and authority
are shared by everyone.
Explanation
Professional staff work with each other. They give and take and basically, they learn
from each other. They don’t have to work beyond expectation to impress other.
Experimentation
It is the atmosphere encourages experimentation and so will welcome mistakes as
part of the learning process. No students, no teachers get punished for a mistake.
Mistakes are not intended. They give a lot of lessons.
Explanation
Teachers are encouraged to experiment with new ideas that may bring in their class
and so will welcome mistakes as part of the learning process. The teachers should
encourage the students to experiment new ideas and techniques.
High Expectations
It refers to a strong belief that something should happen in a particular way. It has
been said that one’s level of achievement is always lower than one’s level of
aspiration. So set high expectations for higher achievement.
Explanation

Trust and confidence 

Trust refers to the firm belief that one is reliable and capable of something.
Confidence, on the other hand, refers to the assurance that one can do something
well or succeeds at something. If the students, teachers, school heads and parents
will solidly build their relationship based on trust and confidence with each other, then
they can relate well and work well.
Explanation
Students, teacher, school heads and parents relate well and work well with
relationship are solidly built on trust and confidence. In fact, honest and open
communication is possible only when there is trust and confidence in each other in
the school community. For example, also if a student has a confidence then he/she
will share his/her inner thoughts in class.
Tangible and support 
It refers to the extent to which faculty and staff receive sufficient encouragement,
resources (including teamwork and time), and opportunities to effectively meet their
professional responsibilities as well as contribute to the welfare of the school.
Everyone in the school community gets concrete support for the good they do.
Support comes in not just in words but in action.
Explanation
Support comes in not just by words but in action. The teachers are encouraged to
bring new ideas in their classes and give direction with budgets for instructional
materials.
Reaching out to the knowledge base 
This is the extent to which administrators and faculty use timely and accurate
quantitative and qualitative information to continuously improve their strategies,
processes, performances, and outcomes. This includes curriculum, modes of
instruction, assessment, and learning opportunities clearly linked to the vision and
mission and tailored to the students’ needs and interests.
Explanation
Teacher will continue to grow as the school wants. He/she has creative ways to learn
both directly or indirectly form hos colleagues or in the school. As a teacher, must
reach out the knowledge base the teacher must continue to grow as a teacher.

Appreciation and recognition 

This is the extent to which the school community shows its gratitude and esteem for
those members who are making meaningful contributions to the organization or to its
members. Certain words of appreciation and recognition make the classroom climate
highly favorable.
Explanation
For example, if the students exert an effort for their projects and the result of their
efforts was a creative and unique output then the teacher should appreciate their
efforts in terms of giving a prize or giving them an appreciation words.
Caring, celebration, and humor 
In a positive school culture, achievements (whether big or small) are appreciated and
celebrated. On top of this, humor and care must also be evident in school life. The
school day provides everyone with opportunities to relax, reflect, to be themselves
with colleagues and to have moments where they can be less serious. When this is
the case, staff feel more content and passionate in their roles.
Explanation
Kids don’t care what you know until they know that you care. They don’t listen to
teacher when teacher doesn’t care. The students should
Involvement in decision-making 
The degree of participation granted by administrators to teachers, staff, students, and
parents to receive relevant and timely information, discuss its meaning in terms of
school values and goals, and share in making decisions that affect the school.
Explanation
Involving other who are concerned with decisions to be made enhances sense of
ownership.
Protection of what is important 
What schools consider important must be part of their tradition and so must be
protected by all means.
Explanation
Everyone in the field of education or school should be protected. Students and staff
members feel emotionally and physical safe, and the school’s policies and facilities
promote student safety.

Tradition
A truly positive school culture is not characterized simply by the absence of gangs,
violence or to discipline problems but also by the presence of a set of norms and
values that focus the school community’s attention on what is most important and
motivate them to work hard toward a common purpose.
Explanation
Traditions is important because it can strengthen sense of community a truly positive
school culture is not characterized simply by the absence of violence or discipline
problem but also by the presence of set of norms and values that focus school
communities attention on what is most important and it can motivate to wor k hard
towards on a common pur pose because it can make students to have a good
attributes about their values.

Honest and open communication 

The degree to which the school provides many opportunities and venues for sharing
information in clear and unambiguous ways among stakeholders. This includes
creating culture, discussing fundamental values, taking responsibility, coming
together as a community, and celebrating individual and group successes.
Explanation
The atmosphere that everyone is such that everyone is encouraged to speak his mind
without fear of being ostracized.

The role of positive school culture in learning 

It fosters improvement, collaborative decision making, professional development and
staff and students learning. A negative culture fosters the opposite.

The importance of positive school culture

 When a school has a growth prospect, the focus is always on serving students and
providing them with the skills they need to succeed in adulthood. A toxic culture will only
make it more difficult for the school to achieve its goals. That is why, in order for a
healthy educational setting to encourage student achievement and high staff morale, it
is critical to address a negative school culture.

 Celebrates individual and communal achievements

 Encourages collaboration, communication, and innovation
 Has a healthy sense of community and promotes collegiality
 Has high expectations from staff members and students, which the majority are successful
in achieving 
 Teaches pupils to study to build a better future for themselves, and motivates the staff to
work hard on constant professional improvement
 Fosters consistent parent involvement