A toxic school culture has been described as a place where staffs are extremely fragmented, where the purpose of serving students has been lost to the goal of serving the adults, where negative values and hopelessness reign. (Realizing a Positive School Culture, 1998), Anthony Muhammad -- a high school principal and theauthor of Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff-- describes a toxic school culture asan environment where schoolstaff "fails to figure out what's needed to cultivate the characteristics necessary for student growth and learning.". Everyone benefits from this type of environment. That would be a mistake, according toEbony Bridwell-Mitchell, an expert in education leadership and management. You might even consider Restorative Discipline as a school-wide program. Adopting a policy that allows for flexible seating in classrooms is one step school leaders are taking more frequently. But negativity is contagious and seeps into a schools overall culture, soaking into the interactions between all of its members. Resilient leaders, however, do more than bounce backthey bounce forward. Go beyond parent-teacher meetings and organize workshops where teachers and parents can discuss homework, study skills, and tests. They tell students this is the positive environment you deserve. Most teachers simply want the go-ahead to move forward with ideas so that they can grow. Complimenting kids helps them to feel that they are cared for individually. In effective schools, especially at the high school level, students have the opportunity to build long lasting relationships among their peers and educators. Schools must offer a well-balanced assortment of programs to give every student an opportunity to be involved. Image source: Waresboro Elementary School. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. When I went through all of my years of teacher training, I didnt learn about students' personalities until my last class during my M.Ed. He said, Seeds of change will never grow in toxic soil. The school day and school year should be punctuated with time for fun. When students feel liked and respected by their teachers, they find more success in school, academically and behaviorally. The goal should be for every adult in the building to maintain a high rate of positive interactions with students and to show genuine interest in their lives, their activities, their goals and their struggles. While a school culture is heavily influenced by its institutional history, culture also shapes social patterns, habits, and dynamics that influence future behaviors, which could become an obstacle to reform and improvement. Ideally, classroom rules are simple and declarative (e.g., Be respectful and kind). In traditional schools (when we're not in a pandemic), students typically attend a regular school day according to age, grade-level, test score outcomes, and unique learning needs. School principals and leaders are models for how to react and cope with stress, setbacks, and disputes. Thus, ruining a positive school culture. Creating appropriate times to have fun and laugh breaks up the day and gives students a chance to relax in between learning. Strong school culture is key to making schools more constructive and instructive places; this is why some refer to school culture as the hidden curriculum. Better school culture doesnt necessarily mean spending more money. Here are eight ways for improving school culture based on the Boys Town Education Model, which has helped hundreds of troubled schools turn their school culture around. And they dont need to address every possible problem. No one flourishes in constant negativity. Such unacceptable action can spark unwanted conflicts among students. Plus, it brings them together and strengthens their unity. Conversely, when interpersonal relationships are weak and trust is lacking, fear and failure will likely start to define school culture. This analyzation process should become a regular part of your schedule. Your success at creating a well-managed school depends more than anything else on the quality of the relationships that teachers forge with students. Now, if you can imagine your students doing the same thing, isnt it a fulfilling sight? Creating a safe and supportive school culture is one of the most difficult tasks principals face as fearless school leaders. Everyone should have a voice. 1 For example, Safe and Within that weak or strong structure, what exactly people believe and how they act depends on the messages both direct and indirect that the leaders and others in the organization send. How? It affects attitudes toward spending time to improve instruction, motivation to attend workshops, and the [activities] people choose to participate in, Peterson says. Generic, overly generalized comments such as Good job! dont really help. Education has an impact on everything we see, do, and believe in our world. All of these experiences listed above help young adults become engaged and active citizens, and contributes to the world in meaningful ways. If youve already started efforts to build a positive school culture but arent seeing the results you expected, dont worry. Over the past few weeks as I have reflected on this, I have come to believe that it may be the single most important factor for school success. (2016) This is default text for notification bar, Some schools have such a positive school culture that you can see and feel it as soon as you enter the building. A school with students from different ethnicities implies that its a place where everyone is welcome. Create Work and Business RelationshipsCreate high school and local business partnerships programs. School culture matters because it can help improve quality of life. Positive behaviors breed a positive culture. College is not the best fit for everyone and is not the only pathand thats okay. Theyre also developing their social skills, and learning how to become successful adults. Helping your teachers to develop their skills will encourage a positive school culture by giving them the ability to improve their craft. These teachers must be trustworthy professionals who will do their job and make positive contributions to the school environment. Encourage them to give specific compliments that highlight what each individual student has done well. These programs promoted achievements at school, and reduced substance abuse and emotional distress. What is your role in creating a positive school culture? We also have four generations of educators in the classroom todaythose who grew up without a computer, and those who held the world in their pocket. This type of teaching means helping students make smart decisions when it comes to college, careers, and future planning. The reason for sharing When positivity persists in a school culture, everyone thrives. Education has a tremendous impact on the economy. They can also spread culture in visible ways by creating unique traditions, updating the schools physical design, identifying symbolic objects, and ascertaining relevant mottoes. That was a pivotal point for me. So, you should make collaboration a norm in your schools teaching standards. In a strong culture, there are many, overlapping, and cohesive interactions, so that knowledge about the organizations distinctive character and what it takes to thrive in it is widely spread. Why and How They Must Change, U.S. Department of Education, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), U.S. Department of Education, Fact Sheet: The U.S. Department of Education Announces Partnerships Across States, School Districts, and Colleges of Education to Meet Secretary Cardonas Call to Action to Address the Teacher Shortage, Copyright 2023 |American University| 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW | Washington, DC | 20016 |Privacy Policy. For example,Hollibrook Elementary in Spring Branch, Texas, developed a "Parent University" to get parents more actively involved in the school -- helping build trust and rapport between the school and the families of the students. The same expectations need to apply in the classroom, the gym and the cafeteria. Taking small steps in changing curriculum outcomes is always a good start. This event includes not only school members, but hundreds from the community. Or are your teachers excited, starting each class with enthusiasm? In astudyof 3,766 students and over 100 classrooms across the United Kingdom, researchers from the University of Salford found that lighting, paint colors, temperature, and fresh air had the ability to positively impact student learning. For example, imagine one student started a fight. If we took this time right now, here are a few suggestions on how we could potentially make school a better fit for the times ahead. Instead, the student might write a letter of apology to the bus driver and serve as bus monitor for one week. Online Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership, Online EdD in Education Policy and Leadership. Building a positive environment in individual classrooms and throughout your whole school is a matter of cultivating and maintaining relationships. Amid the push for tangible outcomes like higher test scores and graduation rates, it can be tempting to think that school culture is just too vague or soft to prioritize. She is a curriculum designer, teaching coach, and high school educator in New York City. 5. With speed and elegance, resilient leaders take action that responds to new and ever-changing realities, even as they maintain the essential operations of the organizations they lead. Its easy for negativity to breed when things get tough. School culture is so much more than academic performance or happiness. As a mom and teacher quietly watching from the sidelines, education has been an essential part of my life. Above all, take time to listen to feedback from both teachers and students in order to understand the experience that they are having in your school. Nearly three-quarters of teachers surveyed said their students were struggling to meet existing emotional and social needs, while 58 percent worried about students having more social and emotional needs as a result of the pandemic, and 56 percent saw social and emotional needs as crucial for post-pandemic academic catch-up. To help students apply these norms, there should be consistency across the entire school building, inside and out. But naturally, students will push the limits and strong consequences must be part of your plan. Involving parents in school activities in a meaningful way also helps foster positive feelings between the school and the parents. A culture will be strong or weak depending on the interactions between the people in the organization, she said. Educators unfortunately, do not have a significant voice at this table. Preparing for the unknown in school is no easy feat to undertake. Concordias Associate Professor of Education, Social Emotional Learning in Elementary School. Keep working patiently at building a school culture that fosters positive action, and your students will be better prepared to learn better and become more successful now and into the future. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Formal training is also a way to reinforce culture, embrace informal conversations, and encourage honesty. 1. You can ask parents to be on event committees or to participate in school fundraisers. Derrick Meador, M.Ed., is the superintendent for Jennings Public Schools in Oklahoma. In a weak culture, sparse interactions make it difficult for people to learn the organizations culture, so its character is barely noticeable and the commitment to it is scarce or sporadic. It is not healthy, and educators should do everything they can to ensure that they never allow this mindset to creep in. Behavior should be treated like academics, and students should be taught the skills they need to execute desired behaviors. These behaviors and values include honesty, sensitivity, concern and respect for others, a sense of humor, reliability, and so on. Establishing classroom and school-wide rules and procedures is an important step in any effort to bring more structure to your school. They can give concrete examples, be positive, and make sure that everyone knows its a collective effort by using we statements. It also has potential for older students. 4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management, Classroom Strategies for Improving Behavior Management. Strategy #2: Create a genial climate with prosocial activities Students who view administrators and faculty as trusted adults with whom they can share their problems and concerns will come to the school with a positive attitude. According to John G. Gabriel and Paul C. Farmer in their book. The classroom has become a place that serves to support a students holistic growth mind, body,andheart. [My] professor was very direct with me. (2020, August 26). Boost morale by asking for feedback. in their school culture. Why School Culture Matters and Strategies to Improve It. Finally, an effective school sees each student as a whole child, and emphasizes positive developmental growth without the worry of constant grades and testing. Real-world ideas for an improved school culture A positive school culture doesn't just happen. Teachers should never question whether or not they are appreciated. Unfortunately, in 2020, only 38 percent of teachers saw their profession in a positive light. But, once achieved, your school will become a reputable educational establishment. These meetings will help the whole teaching staff to brainstorm and implement new ideas, bringing teachers into the process of building your school culture. 4. Students are not the only people in your school who should be learning. 20 University Rd., 6th Floor Furthermore, classrooms that were well organized, displayed student work, and featured flexible arrangements improved student outcomes. Exemplify EntrepreneurshipWe are facing unusual days ahead, and the future is unknown. It must be part of a culture of recognition by all in the building. Collaboration among students is one way of building camaraderie. Some schools have such a positive school culture that you can see and feel it as soon as you enter the building. Schools are a slice of humanity: Everyone brings both their wonderful innate goodness and their challenging globby muck to the classroom. When in school, your students are learning more than just secular instruction. Your schools varsity teams need the full support of their schoolmates to help them win tournaments. Your school and classroom rules should be clear to all students, and should be well-regulated. Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports, or PBIS, is a way for schools to encourage good behavior with a focus on prevention rather than punishment, When people walk into your school, they should immediately see. The differences in each generation is so great, it can be difficult to get everyone on board with massive changes. When students return, they are going to need more emotional and social support than ever. You can even set up regular meetings to discuss new research on teaching methods or new teaching tech, and how these can be implemented in your school. This includes the administrators, teachers, and students. As she explains, researchers who have studied culture have tracked and demonstrated a strong and significant correlation between organizational culture and an organizations performance. How to share, how to listen to others, how to disagree respectfullythese are the kind of essential social skills we expect our students to have. The research on this is clear. Every school has its own unique challenges and as such there is no perfect blueprint for refining school culture. Clearing weeds, pruning hedges, planting flowers, and picking up garbage in fields and parking lots are all student-friendly methods to improve the appearance of a school's campus. Sometimes, for real change to occur with students, its the adults who have to change first.

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