transformingschoolculture

(1)

Transforming School

Culture:

(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

(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.

(4)

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.

School Culture Con’t

(5)

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.

(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

(7)

School Culture is over a period of time…the history

Climate is now, it’s the

perceptions/emotions being evoked

(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.”

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Group Activity

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Culture

History _Religion Geography

Politics Government

Social-Peer Groups

Economics

Neighborhood Community Region

Socio-Economic Status (SES) Society Clan

Gender

Events Cultural Practices

Traditions

Customs Race

Family

Ethnic Group

School Culture

Values-Attitudes-Beliefs Mission-Vision-Goals Histories-Norms-Traditions-Stories Policies-Habits-Expectations-Rituals-Ceremonies Decision-Making Communication

Collegiality/ Professional Collaboration

(Professional Learning Community)

RELATIONSHIPS and INTERACTIONS

(How people treat each other, feel about each other and work together...)

Administrator to

Staff to Staff Staff to Student Student to Student

School to Parents/ Community Staff Students

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ACCIDENTAL vs

INTENTIONAL

CULTURE

Accidental Culture Intentional Culture

1. Activities are based

on assumptions. 1. Activities are research-based. 2. Academic goals

deteriorates to a wish list.

2. Academic goals are credible. The focus is on results.

3. Mission and goals

are ignored. 3. Mission and goals are used as a blue print for school improvement.

4. Decisions are dictated and

developed by few.

4. Broad collaboration: decisions are widely

shared

(12)

ACCIDENTAL vs

INTENTIONAL

CULTURE

Accidental Culture Intentional Culture

1. Articulated Beliefs 1. Beliefs are tied to

actions and behaviors.

2. Random Values 2. Values tied to vision

and mission 3. Connections are

random 3. Connections are constantly sought

4. Diversity is

(13)

Negativity in a school culture or climate is usually manifested in the attitudes and

actions of school staff through:

No or low Resistance to change Low morale and distrust

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Examples of Negativity through

Dysfunctional Norms

Dread coming to school

Criticize those who are

innovative

Politics drive

decision-colleagues or administration “Me First”

Operate in a vacuum

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A Toxic School Culture Is

full of Taters



Dictators



Commentators



Agitators



Spectators

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Collaboration, Collegiality and Efficacy

(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

(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

(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

(20)

TRANSFORMING SCHOOL

CULTURE

(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

(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

(23)

YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS

YOUR CULTURE!

TO IMPROVE YOUR

CULTURE…

(24)

GROUP ACTIVITY

SCHOOL CULTURE

SURVEY

(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.

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Reculturing

versus

Restructuring

Changing The School Culture

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STRUCTURE VS. CULTURE

S

TRUCTURE

(28)

T

O

C

HANGE

Y

OUR

S

CHOOL’S

C

ULTURE

Promote your mission, vision, values and goals.

Bring your staff together to find best practices.

Sustain the culture through communication.

Persist.

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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, humor

High expectations Involvement in decision

making

Trust and confidence Protection of what’s

important

Tangible support Traditions

Reaching out to the

knowledge bases Honest, open communication

“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

(31)

It’s difficult to change school

culture,

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WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT

TOGETHER

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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

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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.

(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

(37)

A MOMENT OF CLARITY

I learned that …

I realized that …

I was pleased that …

I was not aware that…

(38)