School Culture

School culture has been and can be defined in many ways and in some cases it is described as school
climate, ethos or saga, (Seifert i & Vornberg, 2002). In this discussion, school culture is defined as: that
which refers to the interaction among the following factors:

1 Attitudes and beliefs held by stakeholders inside and outside the organization

2. Cultural norms of the school

3 Relationships among individuals in the school

School Culture

School culture is the beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes, and written and unwritten rules that
shape and influence how a school functions. It includes physical and emotional safety, orderliness, and
the degree to which the school embraces and celebrates diversity.

Generally, school culture is divided into two basic forms:

1 Positive cultures

2 Negative cultures

Positive school cultures are conducive to professional satisfaction, morale, and effectiveness, as well as
to student learning fulfilment, and well-being. Below is a representative list of the characteristics
commonly associated with positive school culture:

1 The individual successes of teachers and students are recognized and celebrated;

2 Relationships and interactions are characterized by openness, trust, respect, and appreciation:

productive and a staff members are held to high professional standards,

3. Staff relationships are collegial, collaborative and high productive and all staff members are held to
high professional standards;

4. Students and staff members feel emotionally and physically safe, and the school's policies and
facilities promote students' safety,

5. School leaders, teachers and staff members model positive healthy behaviors for students;
6. Mistakes not punished as failures, but they are seen as opportunities to learn and grow for both
students and educators:

7. Students are held consistently to high academic expectations and a majority of students meet or
exceed those expectations;

8. Important leadership decisions are made collaboratively with input from staff members, students and
parents;

9. Criticisms, when voice, is constructive and well-intentioned, not antagonistic or self-serving

10. Educational resources and learning opportunities are equitably distributed to all students induding
minorities and students with disabilities;

11. All students have access to the academic support and services they may need to succeed.

School Reforms

School culture is an important factor in efforts to improve educational results, as it shapes social
patterns, habits, and dynamics that can be obstacles to reform and improvement. Without a conducive
school culture, reform becomes difficult.

The following describe a few representative examples of common ways that schools may attempt to
improve their culture:

1. Establishing Professional Learning Communities that encourages teachers to communicate, share

expertise, and work together more collegially and productively;

2. Providing presentations, seminars and learning experiences designed to educate staff and students
about bullying and reduce instances of bullying:

3 Creating events and educational experiences that honor and celebrate the racial, ethnic, and linguistic
diversity of the student body, such as hosting cultural events and festivals. exhibiting culturally relevant
materials throughout the school, inviting local cultural leaders to present to students, or making explicit
connections between the diverse cultural backgrounds of students and what is being taught in History,
Social Studies, and Literature courses

4 Establishing an advisory or assigning an adult advisor to strengthen adult-student relationships and

ensure that students are well-known and supported by at least one adult in the school.

5 Surveying students parents and teachers about their experiences in the school, and hosting
community forums that invite participants to share their opinions about and recommendations for the
school and its programs
6 Creating a leadership team comprising a representative cross-section of school administrators,
teachers, students, parents and community members that oversees and leads school improvement
initiatives.

Culture Is Connections

Culture is determined by interactions between people, which spread beliefs, values, and actions, and
promote collaboration, honesty, and hard work.

Culture is shaped by five interwoven elements, each of which principals have the power to influence.

1. Fundamental beliefs and assumptions, or the things that people at your school consider as true. For
example, "All students have the potential to succeed." Or "Teaching is a team sport."

2. Shared values, or the judgments people at your school make about those beliefs and assumptions-
whether they a are right or wrong good or bad, just or unjust. For example, "It is wrong that some of our
students may not have the same opportunity to graduate from college." Or "It is not just for teachers
not to teach well for they deprive students the opportunity to learn and improve their lives."

3. Norms or how members believe they should act and behave, or what they think is expected of them.
For example, "We should talk often and early to parents of our students about what it will take for their
children to graduate from college."

4. Patterns and behaviors or the way people actually act and behave in your school.

5. Tangible evidence, or the physical, visual, auditory or other sensory signs that demonstrate the
behaviors of the people in your school. For example, prominently displayed posters showcasing the
school's enrollment or a full parking lot an hour before school or class sessions start.

Each of these components influences and drives the others, forming a circle of reinforcing beliefs and
actions. Bridwell- Mitchell says, strong connections among every member of the school community
reinforce the circle at every point.