Ultimately, everything contributes to the overall culture of a school. An example of a ceremony recognizing students for outstanding achievements -- in this case, Waresboro Elementary recognized 17 students for excellence in "scholarship, responsibility, leadership, and service." 1. These strategies are written under the assumption that a leader is in place which seeks to change the culture of a school and is willing to work hard. Administrators are more relaxed. Throughout the day, encourage teachers to include activities that help students develop qualities such as empathy, reliability, respect, concern, and a sense of humor. It describes how the schools went about improving their school culture and identifies the similarities and differences in their approaches. Innovate with them, and help them to change the world through their ideas. build trusting relationships with students, M.Ed., Educational Administration, Northeastern State University, B.Ed., Elementary Education, Oklahoma State University. But when educators fail to communicate fully, misinformation, misinterpretations, misunderstandings, and mixed messages can cause the systems wheels to spin or come off altogether. Honesty, transparency, and taking advantage of the mighty collaborative muscle of a school community contributes to the creation of a powerful and strong culture. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/strategies-to-improve-school-culture-3194578. They learn and grow together. However, this doesnt mean that you need to establish rules for every possible situation. However, teachers were positive about the return to in-class instruction, with 80 percent excited to teach and 75 percent believing their students will be more engaged as a result of being on-site. You have a list of qualities and values that you want to see in your teachers and students. (2020, August 26). When rules are not followed, discipline must be administered. Having a healthy relationship with peers and teachers is essential for students overall school experience. She is also co-founder of the annual EDxEDNYC Education Conference for teacher-led innovation, and regularly presents at conferences on the topics of adolescent literacy, leadership, and education innovation. Your school and classroom rules should be clear to all students, and should be well-regulated. Institutions should provide social and emotional support immediately to ensure all teachers, staff, and school administrators are getting the help they need during such a stressful timeand this support should always continue regardless of the situation. PBIS practices can make schools less hostile to students, asking not What are you doing wrong? but What are you doing right?. That means those looking to improve school culture need to understand the importance of choosing teachers; teacher accountability; and teaching quality, including attitude, practical skills, and motivation. Interests? They can discover their passions, and take classes that suit their interests. School culture includes values, principles, and criteria. So, too, does open-door policies and a culture where students and staff are encouraged to share their ideas and solutions. Ultimately, this will promote a culture among students to excel academically. The school day and school year should be punctuated with time for fun. Instead, the student might write a letter of apology to the bus driver and serve as bus monitor for one week. We can help you with that by showing you eight effective strategies. Everything a leader does her statements and philosophy, reactions to key events, energy and interaction style influences culture in a powerful way. How can school leaders foster such a rich and positive school climate? Finally, an effective school sees each student as a whole child, and emphasizes positive developmental growth without the worry of constant grades and testing. For example, why not try game-based learning? States move to lift barriers between college athletes, NIL Mentor students and show them how to become mentors to underclassmen. Also, its good to make sure that you as the school leader are aware of what your teachers think and feel in their work. Social diversity is also linked to better productivity in working groups. How do you do it? Challenge students to rise above the bar because you know they can do it. When a school leader ensures that students, staff, and parents are not only informed but have an active voice in their school community, they build a culture of inclusivity, eliminating feelings of distrust, uncertainty, and hostility. School culture is a mindset that can either be positive or negative. This can start with visuals like photographs of staff and students, quotes that represent the schools beliefs about learning, student work on the walls, or even a mission statement clearly displayed. Teachers should never question whether or not they are appreciated. in their school culture. Teachers should be more of a friend to students. 1 For example, Safe and Elements of school culture include how the school is structured, including its educational aims; the enjoyment and respect of school community members; and collaboration to develop a vision for the school. Plus, if your school welcomes kids from other demographics, it helps increase your student enrollment rate. Success, joy, and accomplishment are all main features of a positive school culture. Celebrating the achievements of your students can be done on a larger scale as well. How important is school culture? This helps students engage with each other in positive events and builds morale in school. 1. This makes your message easy to read and digest. Nobody will know what our kids went through during this time of absence. Everyone should have a voice. Learning is a never-ending journey that doesnt stop. Teens seek ways to improve school culture - timesunion.com It's tricky to define, and parsing its components can be challenging. 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. Just do research together with your educators and co-administrators, and find the best possible approach for this matter. As a mom and teacher quietly watching from the sidelines, education has been an essential part of my life. No one flourishes in constant negativity. Cedarville University, The Impact of School Culture Upon an Educational Institution, Connecticut Association of Schools, School Culture: The Hidden Curriculum, Dinaric Perspectives on TIMSS 2019, Teachers, Teaching and Student Achievement, Education Week, The Essential Traits of a Positive School Climate, HMH, 7th Annual Educator Confidence Report, International Journal of Education, The Effects of School Culture on Students Academic Achievements, McKinsey & Company, Teacher Survey: Learning Loss Is Globaland Significant, National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments, School Climate Measurement, Psychology Today, Post-Pandemic School Culture and How to Navigate It, The New York Times, The School Culture Wars: You Have Brought Division to Us, The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education, Teacher and Staff Wellbeing: Understanding the Experiences of School Staff, The Washington Post, School Environments Can Be Toxic. Basically, a school culture consists of the underlying influences and attitudes within the school based on the norms, traditions and beliefs of the staff and students. To establish an effective school culture, you must consider every little nuance in a school. Set aside time every few months to analyze your school culture. Classroom rules communicate your expectations to your students. Students look to school leaders and teachers to model empathy, kindness, and maturity. According to John G. Gabriel and Paul C. Farmer in their bookHow to Help Your School Thrive Without Breaking the Bank,A vision is your schools goalwhere you hope to see it in the future. Creating a positive school culture and climate where every member feels this way is challenging work. Your success at creating a well-managed school depends more than anything else on the quality of the relationships that teachers forge with students. School is no longer solely about the three Rs. 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. I cover the intersection of education and entrepreneurship. The mission provides an overview of the steps planned to achieve that future. Preparing for the unknown in school is no easy feat to undertake. Using technology in the classroom -- as a reward or simply to supplement learning -- is a cost-effective way to introduce positive rituals for students on the level of the individual classroom. Meador, Derrick. They also learn how to work together and independentlywhile developing essential social and emotional skills. I share many interesting conversations on LinkedIn, and would love to see you there. Boost morale by asking for feedback. So, if your school has enough funding or budget, you should consider integrating innovative learning methods. For example, the ideal classroom was found to have light-colored walls with one accent wall of a brighter color. She is a curriculum designer, teaching coach, and high school educator in New York City. However, broadening the range of discipline methods can help encourage a positive school culture. This helps kids to learn, not just what they should and shouldnt do, but why they should or shouldnt do it. 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. For more articles about education, please sign up for my emails here (below), and follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn. He said, Seeds of change will never grow in toxic soil. Formal training is also a way to reinforce culture, embrace informal conversations, and encourage honesty. As I examined the issue of school culture, I wondered how one would define it. Building a positive school culture starts with leadership. Everyone benefits from this type of environment. Set up regular times to ask for feedback, hear out concerns, and get suggestions for improvement. Encouraging students to pursue their talents is a good strategy in establishing a great school culture. Jennifer L.M. But negativity is contagious and seeps into a schools overall culture, soaking into the interactions between all of its members. O Examine OPTIONS available to deal with the problem. Recognizing their achievements will motivate them to continue doing good work. Collaboration must be ongoing between every stakeholder within the school. Throughout the day, encourage teachers to include activities that help students develop qualities such as empathy, reliability, respect, concern, and a sense of humor. 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. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. It starts by first understanding what contributes to a schools culture. Students spend the largest amount of their time at school in the classroom. The other half of learning impact came from factors such as individualization of the environment and color of the room. For example, instead of creating specific rules about chewing gum, use of water bottles, or electronic devices in the classroom, you could create a classroom rule that states: Be respectful of the people around you.. How to Improve School Climate | Youth.gov Also, be aware of any negative factors that have started to seep in, and take decisive action to remove those. Set Appropriate Consequences. You, as a school leader, have a vital role in creating a positive school culture. Meador, Derrick. When in school, your students are learning more than just secular instruction. As educators, you set the tone. At a recent session of theNational Institute for Urban School Leadersat theHarvard Graduate School of Education, Bridwell-Mitchell took a deep dive into culture, describing the building blocks of an organizations character and fundamentally how it feels to work there. 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. Collaboration builds lasting relationships. Use surveys to gather feedback about your school's adult culture, suggestions for improving it, reflections on PD sessions, and other creative community-building ideas.
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