Janice Bell OllarviaNASSP Professional Development Specialist

Janice Bell OllarviaNASSP Professional Development Specialist

Developing a Positive, Connected School Culture and Climate

Postcards from the Edge• Examine the picture on your postcard.• Try to make a connection to:

• What you know about school climate/culture.

• The culture/climate of any school in which you have worked.

• Something that keeps you up at night related to your school’s culture/climate.

Share the “connection” you’ve made, along with your name, home town and current work.

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Session Objectives• Understand the essential elements of a healthy and inclusive school culture.

• Identify the role of school leaders in creating/improving the climate and culture of a school.

• Learn to assess the current state of school culture & climate.

• Share and acquire strategies for creating a healthy and inclusive school climate and culture.

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World Cafe ProtocolCafe Etiquette:• Focus on what matters.• Contribute your thinking.• Speak your mind and heart.• Listen to understand, and to link and connect

ideas.• Listen for insights and deeper questions.• Play, Doodle, Draw—Writing on the

“tablecloths” is encouraged!•Have fun! www.theworldcafe.c

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Climate and Culture: What’s the Difference?

• Climate: Educational environment that creates the conditions for successful teaching and learning.

• Culture: The values and beliefs that shape the school’s behaviors. Through their policies and actions, school leaders set a leadership tone that greatly influences the attitudes of staff and students.

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Climate and Culture: What’s the Difference?

• Climate: The way we feel around here.

• Culture: The way we do things around here.

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TOXIC CULTURES HEALTHY CULTURES

Behaviors:ReactiveDeflective

Behaviors:ReflectivePrescriptive

We see/hear:DefamationDisruptionDistraction

We see/hear:Productive relationshipsClear expectationsHonored commitments

Inappropriate preparationPoor support system &Task overloadConversations are blaming/ accusatory

Teachers mentored/supportedConversations are respectful/productive

Approach to Difficulties:Complaining

Approach to Difficulties:Problem Solving

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Worth Thinking About…

• “The more we devalue courtesy, the more Oppositional Defiant kids we will have in our schools.”

• “The brain doesn’t know the difference between real and fake laughter.”

• “Teacher burnout is a legitimate form of depression.”-American Psychiatric Association

• “Sarcasm is a threat to the brain.”8

Essential Elements of School Culture

• Safety: Rules and norms, Physical safety, Social and emotional security

• Teaching and Learning: Support for learning, Social and civic learning

• Interpersonal Relationships: Respect for diversity, Adult social supports, Student social supports

• Institutional Environment: School connectedness, Physical surroundings

Cohen, Pickeral, McCloskey-The Challenge of Assessing School ClimateEducational Leadership Dec 2008/Jan 2009

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CafeTable Talk

• Would you prioritize these elements? Or are all equally important?

• Is there an element here that your school “has a handle on” (is doing really well)-Share your strategies.

• Is there an element your school needs to especially work on? Is there help at the table?

• Is this list complete? Anything missing?

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Building Positive Cultures: What do good leaders do?

• Establish high expectations for everyone’s involvement.

• Value improvement and growth.• Keep conversations constructive.• Keep attention focused on the impact of

everyday efforts on students.• Promote ambitious goals that generate

enthusiasm and build a sense of mission.

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Building Positive Cultures: What do good leaders do?

• Build hope.• Celebrate progress frequently.• Build leaders.• Continuously strive to increase the

degree to which everyone feels valued, respected, and appreciated.

National Center for Urban School Transformation

CafeTableTalk: How can school leaders assess the climate/culture of their schools?

• With your table group, begin a list of questions it would be important to ask if you were creating a “school climate/culture survey.”

• What groups would you ask to take the survey?

Assessing Climate & Culture

Focus groupsObservational methodsInterviewsAction researchSurveys

• CASE-BR Comprehensive Assessment of School Environment

Technical/Structural Change

Cultural Change

Easier Harder

Changes to schedules/calendarsReconfigure/reorganize Changes to curriculum

Changing beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors

Culture eats structure for breakfast!

“Transformations do not take place until the cultureof the school permits it.” (Breaking Ranks)

In other words…

Peter Drucker

Using Data for Planning: TheBRII Process Circle

Determining Leverage Points for Change:

Explore Possible Solutions

Gather & Analyze Data

Create & Communicatean Improvement Plan

Assess Readiness & Build Capacity

Monitor & Adjust

Implement the Plan

Culture Change Initiative

Cafe Table Talk:Give One, Get One

• Share at least one successful climate-culture improvement strategy with someone in the room. (It can be something you are currently implementing, have seen implemented or something you have recently learned about and intend to ask your team to consider.)

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If you can show me how I can cling to what is real to me, while teaching me a way into the larger society, then and only then will I drop my defenses and my hostility and I will sing your praises and help you make the desert bear fruit.

Ralph Ellison

Personalization

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