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Topic: 2

School Culture

Upon completion of this Topic, you should be able to:

1. Explain the difference between school culture and school climate
2. Analyse the elements of school culture
3. Justify why school culture matters
4. Suggest how to create a positive school culture

Topic Outline:

2.1 Analogy
2.2 School Culture
2.3 Principal in a Negative or Toxic School Culture
2.4 Why School Culture Matters?
2.5 School Culture Model
2.6 Creating or Building a Positive School Culture

References
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2.1 Analoogy

What is the difference between ‘school climate’ and ‘school culture’? According to Grunert
(2008) many school leaders believe that school culture and school are the same while in
fact they are two separate concepts. He argued that “once educators understand the
difference, they will develop the capacity to be more precise in their diagnoses and
treatments of the two” (p.56).

School Climate The ‘mood’ of the school

The ‘beliefs’ of the school

School Culture

Figure 10.1 School Climate and

Schools Culture is Like an Iceberg

Let’s go back to the analogy of the iceberg (see Figure 10.1). As discussed in Topic 10,
school climate refers to how individual students, teachers, and staff feel about the
school. It is often referred to as the ‘mood’ of the school. It is the ‘heart and soul’ of the
school. It is how safe individuals feel about being in school, how freely and comfortably
they interact with each other on a daily basis. Usually, it is short-term and represented by
the immediate and current conditions that exist in the school that can quickly change and
adapt. For example, the school winning the state football championship or the school
setting up a computer lab with high speed internet connection. School climate is described
as the building blocks of school culture.

On the other hand, school culture refers to the values, norms, beliefs, traditions and
rituals of the school built over time and shared by the individuals in the school. It is a
deeper sense of how individuals in the school act and behave. However, both a positive
school climate and school culture promote students’ ability to learn.
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2.2 School Culture

Deal and Peterson (1998) defined school

culture as norms, values, beliefs, traditions,
and rituals, ceremonies, symbols and stories built up over time that shape patterns of
behaviour, attitude and expectations of individuals in the school. A school’s culture is
always at work, either helping or hindering learning. It influences every decision and
action in a school, from the leadership style of the principal to the way teachers choose
curriculum materials and interact with students.

Shafer (2018) states that a culture will be

strong or weak depending on the
interactions between people in the
organization. In a strong culture, there are
many, overlapping, and cohesive
interactions, so that knowledge about the
organisation’s distinctive character — and
what it takes to thrive in it — is widely
spread.

According to Bridwell-Mitchell (2018), culture is shaped by FIVE interwoven elements,

each of which principals have the power to influence:

• Fundamental beliefs and assumptions, or the things that people at your

school consider to be true. For example: “All students have the potential to
succeed,” or “Teaching is a team sport.”

• Shared values, or the judgments people at your school make about those
belief and assumptions — whether they are right or wrong, good or bad,
just or unjust. For example: “It’s wrong that some of our kindergarteners
may not receive the same opportunity to graduate from a four-year
college,” or “The right thing is for our teachers to be collaborating with
colleagues every step of the way.”
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• 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 young students about what it will take for their children to
attend college.” “We all should be present and engaged at our weekly grade-
level meetings.”

• Patterns and behaviours, or the way people actually act and behave in your
school. For example: There are regularly-scheduled parent engagement
nights around college; there is active participation at weekly team
curriculum meetings. (But in a weak culture, these patterns and behaviours
can be different than the norms.)

• Tangible evidence, or the physical, visual, auditory, or other sensory signs

that demonstrate the behaviours of the people in your school. For example:
Prominently displayed posters showcasing the district’s college enrollment,
or a full parking lot an hour before school begins on the mornings when
curriculum teams meet.

Everything a leader does — his or her statements

and philosophy, reactions to key events, energy, and
interaction style — influences culture in a powerful
way.

As a LEADER, ask yourself:

• What fundamental beliefs do you want community members to hold about the
work they do?
• What do you want community members to value as being right or wrong, good
or bad, just or unjust about the work they do?
• What expectation should everyone have about the appropriate or desirable
way of operating; what agreed upon rules should guide behaviour?
• What actions and attitudes do you expect to consistently observe?

a) School climate and school culture are not the same. Explain.
b) Explain the iceberg analogy.
c) Discuss the FIVE interwoven elements of school culture.
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2.3 Principal in a Negative or Toxic Culture

The following are some characteristics of a principal in a school with a negative or toxic culture:

The Educational or School Leader:

• …… is rarely seen outside their office

• …… finds little time for communication
• ……. feels that other people are responsible for their school building’s
physical needs
• …….. takes passive role in decorating or furnishing his or her school
• …….. wees himself or herself as the lone leader or ‘boss’ of the school
• ……… blames inadequacies on outside influences
• ……… habitually make excuses for their school’s shortcomings
• ………. never empower teachers to lead
• ……… reinforces negativity (values & beliefs are negative)
• ……… is not concerned that rituals and traditions are joyless
• ……… is surrounded staff who:

❖ lack a clear sense of purpose

❖ blame students for lack of progress
❖ do not encourage collaboration
❖ are hostile towards each other
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A new teacher stands up in a staff meeting to express his views

on how the school evaluates students. His opinion is criticised by
others and some even ridiculed him. “Who does he think he is”?
Soon the new teacher learns that the culture of the school does
not accept criticisms and most individuals are contented with
existing practices and procedures. He soon realises that persons
who violate the cultural taboos of the school are met with intense
criticism which are signs of a toxic school culture.

a) What the characteristics of the educational or school leader in a school

with a toxic culture?
b) Explain the behaviour of staff in school with a toxic school culture.
c) Suggest other behaviours of the principal and staff in a school with a toxic
culture.
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2.4 Why School Culture Matters?

Now that you know what is school culture, why

is it important. What is the big deal about the
culture of a school? After all, most schools are
similar and presumably their culture will be
similar. School culture is a mindset that can
either be positive or negative. No one flourishes
in constant negativity. When negativity persists
in a school culture, no one wants to come to
school. This includes the administrators,
teachers, and students. This type of environment is set up to fail. Individuals are just going
through the motions trying to get through another week and eventually another year. No
one prospers in this type of environment. It is not healthy, and educators should do
everything they can to ensure that they never allow this mindset to creep in (Meador,
2107).
When positivity persists in a school culture,
everyone thrives. Administrators, teachers, and
students are generally happy to be there. Amazing
things happen in a positive environment. Student
learning is enhanced. Teachers grow and improve.
Administrators are more relaxed. Everyone benefits
from this type of environment.

School culture does matter. It should not be discounted. It may be the single most
important factor for school success. If no one wants to be there, then ultimately a school
will not be successful. However, if a positive, supporting school culture exists then the sky
is the limit for how successful a school can be.
According to Deal and Peterson (2009), a strong, positive culture
serves several beneficial functions, including the following:

• Fostering effort and productivity.

• Improving collegial and collaborative activities that in
turn promote better communication and problem solving.
• Supporting successful change and improvement efforts.
• Building commitment and helping students and teachers
identify with the school.
• Amplifying energy and motivation of staff members and students.
• Focusing attention and daily behaviour on what is important and valued.
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School culture matters! Explain.

2.5 School Culture Model

Chanie Wilschanski (2017) proposed a school culture showing phases of school cultures
that may be used describe school culture in any school (see Figure 10.2). It can be used to
identify at which stage a particular school is at.

Toxic Passive Comfortable Collaborative

Figure 10.2 School Culture Model

(adaptation of C. Wilschanski, 2017)

❖ Toxic Culture - In a toxic environment, there is typically only one way to do things.
Teachers hold strong to what they have done in the past and are not ready to let go of
it. Especially if it rocks the boat too much or requires effort on their part.
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❖ Passive Culture - In a passive culture, teachers avoid confrontation at all costs! They
will agree with things even if they really do not want to simply because they do not
want to say what they really think. This causes havoc in the school as many teachers
are harbouring grudges or are upset at the director for doing things and they just don’t
know how to communicate it.

❖ Comfortable Culture - A comfortable culture is really hard to notice because on the

surface teachers are really progressive and innovative. Their classrooms are wonderful,
and the directors sing their praises. The problem with this environment is that the
teachers are too comfortable. They like the way things are and the way it is done. And
they do not want to try new things that will force them out of their comfort zone. They
know they are good and schools from all over the world may come to visit them and
observe their schools. But if you look deeper, the teachers are very comfortable, set in
their ways and what they are doing. They have learned what works and what does not.
And if you share a new idea of something you recently learned they will be super quick
to share with you that they already tried it and will give you reasons why it won’t work
for them.

❖ Collaborative Culture - This is truly a wonderful place for a school to get to, and it
takes years of hard work and consistent discipline and commitment from the leader.
There is so much momentum and trust and staff are excited to try new ideas.

a) Explain the ‘school culture model’.

b) At which stage do you think your educational institution is at? Why?
c) Do you think the culture in your institution could be improved?

2.6 Creating or Building a Positive School Culture

Now that you understand what is school culture and why it

matters, how do you go about creating a positive school
culture. You know what is a ‘toxic school culture’ and
nobody want a school that has a negative or unhealthy
school culture.
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Fostering a positive school culture takes a lot of time and hard work. It will not happen
overnight. It is a difficult process that will likely come with immense growing pains.
Tough decisions will have to be made. This includes personnel decisions with those
unwilling to buy into a change in school culture. Those who resist these changes are the
“toxic soil” and until they are gone, the “seeds of change” will never firmly take hold.

The following broad strategies can help guide the process of improving school culture. 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. It is important to note that many of these
strategies will require modifications along the way. Every school has its own unique challenges
and as such there is no perfect blueprint for refining school culture. These general strategies are
not the end all or be all solution, but they can aid in the development of a positive school culture.

➢ Create a team to share changes to school culture. This should consist of the leader,
administrators, teachers, parents, and students to help shape changes to school culture.
This team should develop a prioritized list of issues they believe harm to the overall
school culture. In addition, they should brainstorm possible solutions for fixing those
issues. Eventually, they should create a plan as well as a timeline for implementing the
plan for turning around the school culture.

• Surround yourself with like-minded teachers. School leader must surround

themselves with like-minded teachers who fit the mission and vision the team has in
place for establishing an effective school culture. These teachers must be trustworthy
professionals who will do their job and make positive contributions to the school
environment (Peterson & Deal, 2002).

➢ It is important for teachers feel supported. Teachers who feel like their school leader
support them are generally happy teachers, and they are more likely to operate a
productive classroom. Teachers should never question whether or not they are
appreciated. Building and maintaining teacher morale is one of the most important
duties a school principal plays in fostering a positive school culture. Teaching is a very
difficult job, but it becomes easier when you work with a supportive administrator.

➢ Create a positive classroom culture. Students spend

the largest amount of their time at school in the
classroom. This makes teachers the most responsible
for creating a positive school culture. Teachers help
this process through a variety of ways (Peterson &
Deal, 2002).

o First, they build trusting relationships with students.

o Next, they ensure that every student has an opportunity to learn the required
material.
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o Additionally, they figure out a way to make learning fun so that students keep
wanting to come back to their class.
o Finally, they show a vested interest in each student in a variety of ways including
attending extracurricular activities, engaging in conversations about
interests/hobbies, and being there for a student when they are having a hard time.

➢ Collaboration is critical to developing a positive

school culture. Collaboration enriches the overall
teaching and learning experience. Collaboration builds
lasting relationships. Collaboration can challenge us
and make us better. Collaboration is essential in
helping a school truly become a community of
learners. Collaboration must be ongoing between
every stakeholder within the school. Everyone should have a voice.

➢ Consider everything in the school, however small and insignificant it may be. To
establish an effective school culture, the school leader must consider every little
nuance in a school. Ultimately, everything contributes
to the overall culture of a school. This includes school
security, the quality of the food in the cafeteria or
canteen, the friendliness of the main office staff when
there are visitors or when answering the phones, the
cleanliness of the school, the maintenance of the
grounds, etc. Everything should be evaluated and
changed as necessary (Peterson & Deal, 2002).

➢ Extra-curricular programmes can foster an immense amount of school pride.

Schools must offer a well-balanced assortment of programmes to give every student an
opportunity to be involved. This includes a mixture of both athletic and non-athletic
programs. Coaches and sponsors responsible for these programs must provide the
participants with everyone opportunity to be
successful programmes and individuals within
these programs should be recognised for their
accomplishments. Ultimately, if there is a
positive school culture, every stakeholder feels a
sense of pride when one of these programmes or
individuals is successful.
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➢ Look in the mirror. The leader is the main role

model for an organisation. Everything a leader does
— his or her statements and philosophy, reactions to
key events, energy and interaction style — influences
culture in a powerful way. If you want a collaborative
staff, ask colleagues for advice early and often. If you
want teachers to hold students to high expectations,
reaffirm your own belief not only in young people but also in your staff (Bridwell-
Mitchell, 2108).

➢ Select staff wisely. The teachers and administrators you

hire will enter your school with their own beliefs about
education and expectations about what it will be like to
work at your school. When hiring and mentoring, ask
questions that help reveal whether those beliefs and expectations align with
what you want for your school.

➢ Teach what you would like to see. Create formal trainings and space for honest
conversation about the attitudes, norms, and practices that are core to being a
member of your school community. Use those trainings and other professional
development to model the beliefs and behaviours you desire. Offer rewards
(praise, written notes, community celebrations) for students and staff when they
demonstrate those behaviours (Bridwell-Mitchell, 2108).

➢ Broadcast your vision. Every formal communication you have with your
community should reflect and reinforce the culture. In every memo or email to
staff, email or letter to parents, or address to students, make sure to:
• highlight the future and what your school has the potential to achieve;
• use data and facts to reduce ambiguity about your vision;
• appeal to people’s emotions, values, and the deeper needs that motivate
them;
• stay positive, grateful, and idealistic, which is an important counterweight
to any negative messages students or staff might receive;
• use collective statements (“we are,” “we will”) to increase a feeling of
belonging and collective identity (Bridwell-Mitchell, 2108).

➢ Restructure social networks. Culture is spread through connections. So, figure

out which people or groups are isolated from the community and figure out how
to encourage greater interaction with others who are committed to the school
culture. This way, everyone – not only you – helps your positive message spread
more quickly and clearly (Bridwell-Mitchell, 2108).
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➢ Teach essential social skills. How to share, how to listen

to others, how to disagree respectfully—these are the kind
of essential social skills we expect our students to have.
But the truth is they may not have learned them. Whether
it’s Year 1 or Year 11 student, we need to be prepared to
teach appropriate social and emotional behaviours. You
can’t hold kids accountable for something you’ve never
told them. Behavior should be treated like academics, and students sh ould be
taught the skills they need to execute desired behaviours. These behaviours and
values include honesty, sensitivity, concern and respect for others, a sense of
humour, reliability, and so on. Together as a staff, you should identify the social
skills you want your students to have and the step-by-step routines to teach them
(Truby, 2018) .

➢ Get everyone on the same page.

Every classroom environment
contributes to your school
culture. Sometimes, for real
change to occur with students, it
is the adults who have to change first. Together as a staff, you need to create a
shared vision of your school. That means developing consistent school rules and
ways of defining and meeting student behaviour. When students believe that the
rules are fair and consistently enforced, it goes a long way toward building trust.
Inappropriate behaviour should not be laughed off in one classroom and punished
in another (Truby, 2018) . Make your vision tangible. Mottos, symbolic objects,
special traditions, and the design of physical space can all help reinforce your
cultural vision, especially when the meaning of these tangible artefacts is
consistently communicated. For example, regular celebrations of student and staff
success is a reminder of what’s important. It also inspires continued commitment
to shared values.

➢ Lots of issues that are important but are not

talked about in the open because of fear.
However, they are talked about in the parking
lot, the rest rooms, the playground, or in the coffeeshop. There is fear that that
open discussion of these issues at staff meeting will cause ill-feeling and problems.
These issues could be about the decision made by the principal, teachers who do
not perform and so forth. For example, by not bringing up the issue of the
underperforming teacher, countless students may suffer . Staff in the school prefer
 28

to suffer in silence rather than bring up the issue to the attention of the principal
(Barth, 2002).

➢ Unhealthy school cultures tend to ignore at-risk

students or academic underachiever or students who leave
school before or after graduation with little possibility of
continuing learning. Many students are labelled as at risk,
with little possibility of continuing learning. It should be the
culture of the school to ensure that ‘no student should be left
behind’ and every effort should made to help each and every
student to succeed.

➢ Be role models. At school, students

learn by watching just as they learn by
doing. Observing the actions of others
influences how they respond to their
environment and cope with unfamiliar situations. Think about what messages
your staff’s behaviour communicates. For example, research has shown that when
a student is rejected by peers, the rejection is more likely to stop if the teacher
models warm and friendly behaviour to the isolated student. The opposite is also
true. As educators, you set the tone.

➢ Clarify classroom, and communicate your

expectations to your students. They tell
students “this is the positive environment you
deserve. This is the standard of behaviour we
know you can achieve. Positive rules help
create a predictable, stable environment that is more conducive to healthy
interactions. Ideally, classroom rules are simple and declarative (e.g., “Be
respectful and kind”). And they do not need to address every possible problem.
You do not need a rule about gum chewing or water bottle use, for instance—your
policies on these issues should be clear from your overarching expectations for
good behaviour. Most important, rules need to be consistent across the building.
The same expectations need to apply in the classroom, the gym and the ca nteen.

➢ Set appropriate consequences - Establishing

classroom and school-wide rules and procedures is
an important step in any effort to bring more
structure to your school. But of course, students will
push the limits and you will still need consequences. Effective consequences
 29

show young people the connection between what they do and what happens as a
result of their choices or actions. Consequences need to be appropriate,
immediate and consistent. Equally important, they need to be delivered with
empathy, not in anger. You might think about the current consequences for
inappropriate behaviours and how their connections to the offenses can be
strengthened where necessary. For example, having a student serve detention for
misbehaving on the bus is not necessarily the best consequence. Instead, the
student might write a letter of apology to the bus driver and serve as “bus
monitor” for one week.

➢ Praise students for good choices. Many

of our students, especially those who
struggle, do not receive nearly enough
positive feedback in the classroom or in
their personal lives. “When kids are taught
with a proactive, praise-heavy approach,
they tend to do better,” But be specific. Generic, overly generalized comments such
as “Good job!” do not really help. Complimenting a specific behaviour reinforces
that particular behaviour. Challenge your whole team to give 15 compliments a
day, or 25 or even 40. You might just be amazed at the difference it makes.

a) Explain how you would create or develop a positive school culture.

b) To what extent do you agree with the ideas listed above?
c) Suggest other ideas you have that may promote a positive school culture.
d) Which of the above ideas discussed have you employed in your institution
in creating a positive school culture?
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REFERENCES

• Barth, R.S. (2002). The Culture Builder. Educational Leadership. 69 (8). 6-11.

• Bridwell-Mitchell, E. (2108). Cultural Leadership for Transforming School

Organisations. 2018 Raise Your Hand Texas Leadership Symposium.

• Deal, T.E. & Peterson, K.D. (1999). Shaping school culture: The heart of leadership. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Fisher, D., Frey, N. & Pumpian, I. (2012). How to Create a Culture of Achievement in
Your School and Classroom. ASCD Publications.

• Fullan, M. (200 1). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Gruenert. S. (2008). School Culture, They Are Not the Same Thing. Principal.
March/April. National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP):
Alexandria. 56-59.

• Peterson, K.D. & Deal, T.E. (2002). Shaping school culture field book. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.

• Kane, L., Hoff, N., Cathcart, A., Heifner, A., Palmon, S. & Peterson, R.L. (2016,
February). School climate & culture. Strategy brief. Lincoln, NE: Student Engagement
Project, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Department of Education
http://www.k12engagement.unl.edu/school-climate-and-culture.

• Meador, D. (2107). Why School Culture Matters. ThoughCo.

https://www.thoughtco.com/strategies-to-improve-school-culture-3194578

• Truby, D. (2018). 8 Ways Principals Can Build Positive School Culture Now. BoysTown. January
16.

• Wilschanski, C. (2017). How can I create a collaborative school culture? Fairy Dust
Teaching: DiscoverED Consulting. Aug 17, 2017.
https://fairydustteaching.com/2017/08/guest-post-how-can-i-create-a-collaborative-school-
culture/