Transforming School

Culture
Academic Optimism
Academic optimism was developed in
2006 as a latent concept that provides
insight into the improvement of student
outcomes because of socioeconomic
status, ethnicity, and other
demographics, have historically been
labeled as underperforming.
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 Three Dimensions of
Academic Optimism

Academic Emphasis

Effective Efficacy Trust

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 Academic Emphasis
Academic emphasis is the extent to which the school holds high
expectations for its students and the degree to which the school community
supports those expectations(Holy and Miskel,2013). Academic emphasis is
the extent which the school is driven by a quest for academic excellence- a
press for academic achievement.

High but achievable academic goals are set for students

I am Jayden Smith
The learning environment is orderly and serious.
I am here because I love to give presentations.
Students are motivated tocan
You work hard
find me and they respect academic
at @username
achievement.
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 Collective Efficacy
Collective efficacy refers to a shared belief that the school's staff can
have a positive impact on student achievement – despite other
influences in the students' lives that challenge their success.
​

Collective efficacy is evident when teachers see themselves as

part of a team working for their students. When educators believe
in their collective ability to lead the improvement of student
outcomes, higher levels of achievement result (Donohoo, 2018).

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 Trust
Trust, being an affective part, is the last property of academic
optimism. Hoy and Tschannen-Moran (2003) defined trust as a
willingness to be vulnerable to another party based on the
confidence that that party is benevolent, reliable, competent,
honest, and open.

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 1
Utility of Culture
Culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant
society, expressed in the many ways
we tell our stories, celebrate,
remember the past, entertain
ourselves, and imagine the future.
Our creative expression helps define
who we are, and helps us see the
world through the eyes of others.
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 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 is often majority driven(staff), intangible,

hard to describe and difficult to positively impact or
change in a systematic way. The attitudes, beliefs, and
values may often be “hidden” to those new to or outside
of the school community.

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 School Climate
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 respond more quickly to change. Climate is demonstrated
through collegiality, communication, decision-making, trust,
expectations, ideology, leadership, recognition, celebration,
support and experimentation.

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School Culture is over a period

“
of time… the history

Climate is now, it’s the

perceptions/emotions being evoked.

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Definition of Culture

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 Culture
Accidental Culture Intentional Culture
1. Activities are based on 2. Activities are research-based.
assumptions.
2. Academic goals deteriorates to a 2. Academic goals are credible.
wish list. The focus is on results.
3. Mission and goals are ignored. 3. Mission and goals are used as a
Bring the attention of yourblue print for over
audience school
a improvement.
key
4. Decisions are concept using icons4.or
dictated and illustrations
Broad collaboration: decisions
develop by few. 13
are widely shared
 Accidental vs. Intentional
Culture
You can also split your content

Accidental Culture Intentional Culture

1. Articulated beliefs
2. Random values.
3. Connections are random.
4. Diversity is acknowledge.
1. Beliefs are tied to actions and
behaviors.
2. Values tied to vision and
mission.
3. Connections are constantly
sought.
4. Diversity is valued.
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 Negativity of School Culture or climate is
usually manifested in the attitudes and
actions of school staff through:
◎ No or low ◎ No ownership
expectation ◎ Little or no sense of
◎ Little or no community
communication ◎ Disrespect/hostility
among stakeholders widespread
◎ Resistance to ◎ Low morale and
change distrust

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 Positive School Culture/Climate

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
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 Positive School Culture/Climate

Stories and celebrate successes and

recognize heroines and heroes.
Physical environment reflects pride and
joy.
Widespread sense of respect and
nurturing.

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Changing The
School
Culture
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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

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 1. Lead with questions not with
answers.
2. Engage in dialogue and debate,
not coercion.
Four Steps in
3. Conduct autopsies without
Creating a blame
Truthful 4. Build red flag mechanisms that
turn information into
Culture information that cannot be
ignored.

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Changing the School Culture

Reculturing
vs.
Restructuring
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 Structure Vs. Culture

Structure Culture
 Day-to-day  Long term
policies and Beliefs,
procedures Expectations
 School Rules and Habits

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 Use Diagrams to break down your message

School’s Culture
Promote vision, mission, values and goals
 Bring your staff together to find best practices.
Sustain the culture through communication .
Persist.
Confront Problems.
Diagram featured by http://slidemodel.com
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And tables to compare data

A B C

Yellow 10 20 7

Blue 30 15 10

Orange 5 24 16

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 What do we know about effective culture?
Twelve Norms of School Culture where people and
programs Improve
Collegiality
Appreciation and recognition
Experimentation
Caring, celebration and humor
High Expectations
Involvement in decision making
Trust and Confidence
Protection of what’s important
Tangible support
Traditions
Reaching out to the knowledge
Honest, open communications
bases 25
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References:
 https://www.slideshare.net/vikasjagtap3/transfor
mingschoolculture
 https://www.slideshare.net/LorcanOCallarain/sch
ool-culture-57827743

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