PowerPoint%20Presentation%20%20-%20%20Transforming%20School%20Culture

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Transforming School Culture
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Culture is the most powerful source of leverage
for bringing about change in a school or any
organization, for that matter. Thomas J.
Sergiovanni
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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.
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School Culture Cont
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.
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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.
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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 schools mission statement through its focus
and actions.
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• School Culture is over a period of timethe
  history
• Climate is now, its the perceptions/emotions
  being evoked

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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
The Hotel California
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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
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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 acknowledge 4. Diversity is valued
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Negativity in a school culture or climate is
usually manifested in the attitudes and actions
of school staff through

• No ownership
• Little or no sense of community
• Disrespect/hostility widespread
• Low morale and distrust

• No or low expectations
• Little or no communication among stakeholders
• Resistance to change

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Examples of Negativity through Dysfunctional Norms

• Dread coming to school
• Criticize those who are innovative
• Politics drive decision-making
• Do just enough to get by

• Judgmental/Critical of others motivation
• Fear reprisal
• Distrust colleagues or administration
• Me First
• Operate in a vacuum

Adapted from Shaping School Culture The Heart
of Leadership (1998)
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A Toxic School Culture Is full of Taters

• Dictators
• Commentators
• Agitators
• Spectators

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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 and
  students

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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

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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
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TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURE
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If you intend to introduce a change that is
incompatible with the organizations 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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Its not so much that were afraid of change, or
so in love with the old ways, but its that place
in between its like being in between trapezes.
Its Linus when his blanket is in the dryer.
Theres nothing to hold on to. - Marilyn Ferguson
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TO IMPROVE YOUR CULTURE
YOU MUST FIRST ASSESS YOUR CULTURE!
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GROUP ACTIVITY

• SCHOOL CULTURE SURVEY

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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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Changing The School Culture
Reculturing versusRestructuring
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STRUCTURE VS. CULTURE

• STRUCTURE
• Day-To-Day Policies Procedures
• School Rules

• CULTURE
• Long-Term Beliefs, Expectations, and Habits

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TO CHANGE YOUR SCHOOLS CULTURE

• Promote your mission, vision, values and goals.
• Bring your staff together to find best practices.
• Sustain the culture through communication.
• Persist.
• Confront problems.

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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 whats important
Tangible support Traditions
Reaching out to the knowledge bases Honest, open communication
Good Seeds Grow in Strong Cultures by Saphier
and King
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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

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Its difficult to change school culture, but
remain optimistic
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WE ARE ALL IN THIS BOAT TOGETHER
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• All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark
• Dont 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 youre 600 years old someone may
  ask you to do something really big

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• All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark
• Dont 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 isnt always an advantage. The snails were
  on board with the cheetahs.

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• All I Need To Know, I Learned From Noahs Ark
• When youre 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, theres always a rainbow waiting

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A MOMENT OF CLARITY
I learned that I realized that I was
pleased that I was not aware that
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