.

MODULE 10

Creating a Positive School Culture

KEY TAKEAWAYS
OBJECTIVES
 School culture is the character of a school
At the end of this Chapter, you should be able to:
that gives the school qualities beyond its
1. explain the meaning of school culture; structure, resources and practices. It is
2. discuss how school culture affects learning; created by all the people in the school. It
and is not inherited and so is not passed on
3. cite ways by which you can contribute to through the genes.
the building of positive culture.  School culture includes school climate and
so school culture is broader than school
climate. School climate is relational while
school culture is a deeper level of
reflection of shared values, beliefs and
Activity - Let's Read These
traditions.
Here are the twelve norms of school culture  Undoubtedly school culture affects
where people and programs improve. Study them.

1. Collegiality 7. Appreciation, recognition

2. Experimentation 8. Caring, celebration, humor
3. High Expectations 9. Involvement in decision making
4. Trust and confidence 10. Protection of what is important
Tangible support 11. Traditions
Reaching out to the knowledge base Honest, open communication
Source: www.ascd .org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198503_saphire.pdf

Read the following episodes then identify which norm of school culture is illustrated.

1. When high school students arrive for pre-calculus class, they know exactly what to expect.
Projected on the screen are clear instructions for the day's Success Starter. Everyone is expected
to work on them successfully.
2. You might not reach an answer today. You might not reach an answer tomorrow. Struggle is
okay." Students know that by the third day, they will be expected to present their understanding
and problem-solving strategy to the class.
3. You have a short memory', she replies with a kind smile. "You say this every time we tackle a
problem. Remember the last time you struggled and then overcame your confusion? Remember
our norms that we wrote together? One of them was a growth mindset. And remember I am here
for you".
4. I hear some students talking while someone is reciting. I don't think you will like that if you are
the one reciting. Can we agree on a rule? Give me a rule". Student suggests. Let's keep quiet and
listen when someone is reciting. Raise your hand if you want to recite." Teacher asks, "can we
keep this rule?
5. Today you are going to compute your scores for class standing -written quizzez, seatwork,
performance test, homework. These were all corrected and returned to you. When you are done,
compare your total with mine. Should there be discrepancy, be ready to show your corrected
papers.
6. During the first week of school Barb teacher asks her sixth graders two questions: "What
questions do you have about yourself?" and "What questions do you have about the world?" The
 students begin enumerating their questions, "Can they be about silly, little things?" asks one
student. "If they're your questions that you really want answered, they're neither silly nor little,"
replies the teacher. After the students list their individual questions, teacher organizes the students
into small groups where they share lists and search for questions they have in common. After
much discussion each group comes up with a priority list of questions, rank-ordering the
questions about themselves and those about the world.
Back together in a whole group session, teacher solicits the groups' priorities and works toward
consensus for the class's combined lists of questions. These questions become the basis for
guiding the curriculum in class. One question, "Will I live to be 100 years old?" spawned
educational investigations into genetics, family and oral history, actuarial science, statistics and
probability, heart disease, cancer, and hypertension. The students had the opportunity to seek out
information from family members, friends, experts in various fields, on-line computer services,
and books, as well as from the teacher. She describes what they had to do as becoming part of a
"learning community." According teacher, "We decide what are the most compelling intellectual
issues, devise ways to investigate those issues.

(https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/11#156)-Consensus Study Report National Research Council.

2000. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The
National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9853.

7. The sense of community is strong, even palpable. But this sense didn't just spring full-blown from
being a group of people occupying the same place at the same time. It was built upon many small
and specific moments of learning the same verses to songs and sharing traditions, memories of
times together and stories often told...

Some of our traditions are once a year events; some happen every week or even every day. They
give us ways to greet each other, to learn about each other, to sing and celebrate and say goodbye.
These events mark our comings and our goings and affirm our common interests in the time we
spend together.

8. Because they treasure, health, sanitation and self-discipline, St. Bernadette Catholic School
includes the following in their Canteen Policies.
Foods that will not be sold:
 Full fat pastry items
 Chocolate confectionary/lollies/potato chips/cream filled buns
 Soft drinks
 High caffeine drinks - e.g. drinks containing guarana or caffeine
 Deep fried food of any description

CLAYGO-"Clean as you go".

9. The teacher wrote, "nice job" on my sketch of an orange. I knew very well that my smudged mess
of an orange wasn't a nice job. It wasn't even a decent representation of any fruit known to man. I
would have benefited by her telling me one thing I could do to make it better. Maybe something
like "We are learning about perspective. Try adding a shadow behind your sketch." Her "nice job"
told me little about how to improve. Knowing I received undeserved praise lessens the impact or
praise when it is truly earned. (Source:http://inservice.ascd.org/six-tips-for-creating-a-positive-
learning-environment- in-your-classroom)
10. Teacher Paz remarks: "I like to attend that CPD seminar. I like to hone my teaching skills and
update my PCK (pedagogical content knowledge)...
11. Good teaching is honored in this school.
12. My school head protects my academic time. She keeps meeting time to the minimum.
 ANALYSIS

1. Which of the twelve elements of a positive culture were illustrated by the given episodes
vignettes? Which element was illustrated by describing the opposite?

2. Is there any element left out? If there is can you as a group supply an episode or a vignette? A
vignette is a short Cent description of an episode in school like the 9 given above.

ABSTRACTION

Eleven (11) vignettes in the first part of this Chapter give a concrete picture of a positive school
culture.

Vignett Norm of School Culture Illustrated

e
1. High expectation
2. Honest and open communication
3. Tangible support; caring, celebration, humor
4. Involvement in decisionmaking; protection of what is important
5. Trust and confidence traditions
6a Collegiality; honest, open communication
6b Collegiality; experimentation; reaching out to the knowledge bases; appreciation, recognition
7. Collegiality; traditions
8. Tangible support; protection of what is important; tradition
10. Reaching out to the knowledge base
11. Appreciation and recognition
12. Protection of what is important

Item # 9 does not illustrate positive culture, specifically honest and open communication.
After having read the vignettes, by this time you have an idea. on what school culture is. All of
the vignettes are manifestations of school culture.

The Meaning of School Culture

School culture is one of the most complex and important concepts in education (Schein, 1985). It
generally refers to the beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes and written and unwritten rules that
shape and influence every aspect of how a school functions (https://www.edglossary.org./school-culture).
However, the term also encompasses more concrete issues such as the physical and emotional safety of
students, the orderliness of classrooms and public spaces or degree to which a school embraces racial,
ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity.

According to Spacey (http://simplicable//new/school/John, Nov. 23, 2017), school culture consists of

the norms and shared experiences that evolve over school's history. In fact, Scott and Marzano (2014)
state that "school culture is reinforced by norms, expectations and traditions, including everything from
dress codes to discipline systems to celebrations of achievement. Therefore, it may be described as the
character of a school that gives a school qualities beyond its structures, resources and practices. They are
"built through the everyday business of school life. It is the way business is handled that both forms and
reflects the culture." (Sophier, J. 1985)

Culture as a Social Construct

Culture is a social construct not a genetic construct. This means that school culture is, therefore,
something that we do not inherit or pass on through the genes. Rather, it is something that we create and
shape. It is shaped by everything that all people in school see, hear, feel and interact with. It is a creation
of the school head, teachers, parents, non-teaching staff students and community. Sean Slade (2014)
elaborates:
 Within a couple of minutes of walking into a school or a classroom, you can tell, define almost taste
the culture that permeates that space. Is it an open, sharing environment? Or is it a rigid, discipline
defined playing field? It is safe and welcoming, or intimidating and confronting? Does it welcome all
voices, or does it make you want to shrink? Is it waiting for instruction and leadership or is it self-directed
with a common purpose?

School Climate and School Culture

How does school climate differ from culture? These terms are frequently used interchangeably but
school climate is more relational; it is illustrated by the attitudes and behaviors of the school staff and is
focused on the style of the school's organizational system. School climate refers to the school's effects on
students, including teaching practices, diversity and the relationships among administrators, teachers,
parents and students. School climate is driven by and reflected in daily interactions of staff,
administration, faculty, students support staff and the outside community. (https://
www/slideshare.net/module)

School culture is a deeper level of reflection of shared values, beliefs, and traditions between staff
members. School culture refers to the way teachers and other staff members work together and the set of
beliefs, values and assumptions they share. (www.ascd.org./ research). School culture is a broader term
and so is inclusive of school climate.

The Role of School Culture in Learning

School culture matters. Research confirms the central role of culture to school success. School
culture can be positive or negative or toxic. A positive school culture fosters improvement, collaborative
decision making, professional development and staff and student learning. A negative culture fosters the
opposite.

Elements of a Positive Culture

As given in the Activity phase of this Lesson a positive school climate is characterized by the
following:

1. Collegiality The school atmosphere is friendly. You work in an atmosphere where responsibility
and authority are shared by everyone. You can be yourself. You have not to put your best forward
to impress others. The school head does not throw his/her weight. He/she does not make his/her
authority felt by his/her colleagues.
2. Experimentation - The atmosphere encourages experimentation and so will welcome mistakes as
part of the learning process. No student, no teacher gets punished for a mistake. Mistakes are not
intended. They give a lot of lesson. Referring to his 10,000 failed attempts then he was
experimenting in the light bulb, Edison said: "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that
won't work."
3. High expectations It has been said one's level of achievement is always lower than one's level that
aspiration. So set high expectations for high achievement. Two problems arise here. Robert J.
Marzano warns us:
First, expectations are subtle and difficult to change. Teachers may be unaware that they have low
expectations for some students; even when they become aware, they may have difficulty
changing their expectations because their beliefs and biases have developed over the years.
Second, what actually communicates expectations to students is teacher behavior. If teachers
consciously work to change their biases but don't change their behavior toward those students
from whom they have tended to expect less, their change of attitude will have little effect on
student achievement.
4. Trust and confidence Students, teachers, school heads and parents relate well and work well when
relationships are solidly built on trust and confidence. In fact, honest and open communication (#
12 in this list) is possible only when there is trust and confidence in each other in the school
community. I can share my inner thoughts only when I am confident that I do not get ostracized
when I do.
 5. Tangible support - Everyone in the school community gets concrete support for the good that they
do. Support comes in not just in words but in action. School head sees to it that LCDs in the
classrooms are functioning.
6. Reaching out to the knowledge base - Teachers care to grow professionally to update themselves
on content knowledge and pedagogy, the first domain in the Philippine Professional Standards for
Teachers
7. Appreciation and recognition - Certainly words of appreciation and recognition make classroom
climate highly favorable. A reminder to teachers: "You are not made less when you praise others.
Instead, you become magnanimous. So don't be stingy with your sincere praise. The problem
sometimes is our eyes are so quick to see the negative and so we despise them immediately but
our eyes are blinded to the good and so we overlook them and fail to appreciate.
8. Caring, celebration, humor - Kids don't care what you know until they know that you care. They
don't listen to teacher when teacher doesn't care. It may be good to remind teachers that many of
students, especially those who struggle, don't 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," says Erin
Green of Boys Town. But be specific. Generic, overly generalized comments such as "Good job!"
don't really help. Complimenting a specific behavior ("Thanks for showing respect to our visiting
guest"), on the other hand, reinforces that particular behavior.
9. Involvement in decision making Involving others who are concerned with decisions to be made
enhances sense of ownership. They also feel important.
10. Protection of what is important -What schools consider important must form part of their tradition
and so must be protected by all means. In the Activity above, mention was made on School
Canteen Policies that include "no soft drinks, no chocolate etc." and CLAYGO because the
school considers nutrition and health and cleanliness as important.
11. Traditions - A school must have an intentional culture-based program on shared values, beliefs,
and behaviors. This strengthens sense of community. A truly positive school culture is not
characterized simply by the absence of gangs, violence or discipline problems but also by the
presence of a set of norms and values that focus school community's attention on what is most
important and motivate them to work hard toward a common purpose.
12. Honest and open communication - No one gets ostracized for speaking up his mind. The
atmosphere is such that everyone is encouraged to speak his mind without fear of being
ostracized. The agreement at every discussion is "agree to disagree."

Shared Norms: Teacher and Student Norms

Shared norms for both teachers and students contribute to a positive school culture. Boss and Larmer
(2018) share teacher norm and student norms to contribute to a fair and an engaging learning
environment, a characteristic of a positive school culture. They check on the following norms each week.

Table 6.

Teacher Norms Students Norms

1. Teach in different ways. 1. Have a growth mindset.
2. Call students by their names. a. Believe you can improve.
3. Care about students' feelings. b. Fail forward.
a. Understand their situation. c. Keep trying.
4. Have a good attitude. d. Speak positively about your abilities to
a. Stay calm. learn.
b. Use kind words. 2. Call classmates by their names. 3. Be responsible
c. Have patience. for your work.
d. Greet students and say good-bye. a. Have materials ready.
5. Help students understand. b. Advocate for yourself.
a. Work at a reasonable pace. c. Be a professional.
b. Explain clearly d. Meet deadlines.
c. Support different learning styles. e. Participate.
d. Expect the best. f. Be on time to class.
 e. Re-explain if necessary 4. Listen...
6. Attend school the majority of the time. a. to the teacher.
7. Be respectful. b. to your classmates.
a. Give everyone what they need. c. to guests.
b. Use proper language. d. to the directions.
c. Allow space if needed. 5. Attend school the majority of the time. 6. Be a
d. Use supportive words when explaining. good team player.
e. Call by your name. a. Provide good, helpful feedback
8. Have a growth mindset. b. Stay calm.
c. Encourage others.
d. Stay on topic.
e. Be considerate.
f. Use proper language.
g. Communicate clearly to students and teacher(s).
(Source: Suzie Boss, John Larmer and Foreword by Bob Lenz, (2018) Project based teaching: how to
create rigorous and engaging learning experiences.)

APPLICATION

1. Based on your experiences, give at least 10 school practices that don't contribute to positive
culture.
2. Are the following items good tips in building positive culture? Defend your answer. If it is not so
good tip, replace it with good one.
a) "No Talking" as classroom rule #1 imposed by teacher
b) If some students say they need a quiet area to work in at times, they make a sign like,
"Quiet Area, Brains at Work."
c) "We talked about this yesterday. Did you forget?" "You had this so well yesterday. I know
you can get it today."
d) Do you believe in your own ability to learn and grow? Do you believe it is your obligation
as a teacher to model learning and growing?
e) The teacher wrote, "nice job" on a student's sketch of an orange.
f) Come up with a Question and Answer Wall. Here students post the academic question they
want answered within the month with their name on it. Anybody can give an answer with
his/her name written.
3. Suggest 5 concrete ways to establish a positive school culture.
4. Choose a school. Determine the presence of any of the 12 practices of a positive school culture in
that school by noting down conversations, comments, activities that you hear/observe in that
school of your choice.

Indicator Conversation/Comment Your Comments

Heard or Activities Observed
1. Collegiality
2. Experimentation
3. High expectations
4. Trust and confidence
5. Tangible support
6. Reaching to the
knowledge bases
7. Appreciation,
recognition
8. Caring, celebration,
humor
9. Involvement in
decision making
10. Protection of what is
important
11. Traditions
 12. Honest, open
communication

Let's Check for Understanding

Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What is school culture?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________.
2. Does school culture affect student learning? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. Cite at least 3 ways by which you, as future teacher, can contribute to a positive school culture.

Let's Reflect

I learned that

_________________________________________________________________________________

I realized that

_________________________________________________________________________________

I was pleased that

_________________________________________________________________________________

I was not aware that

_________________________________________________________________________________

Taking it to the Net

Is school culture also referred to as the hidden curriculum? Research on this and share your findings
in class.

LET Clinchers

1. Which is TRUE of school culture?

A. Passed on like a hereditary trait

B. Created by the school head and other stakeholders

C. Has insignificant effect on student performance D. Cannot be altered

2. Which contributes to a positive school culture?

A. Growth mind set

B. Low expectations
 C. Authoritarian leadership

D. Exclusivity

3. Which form part of school culture?

1. Structure

II. Resources

III. Practices

IV. School Climate

A. I and II C. II and III

B. I, II and III D. I, II, III and IV

4. School head respects academic time so she does not just call on teachers during class hours. Which
element of positive school culture is illustrated?

A. Tradition

B. Collegiality

C. Protection of what is important

D. High expectation

5. Complete the analogy. Positive culture: Growth mindset

Toxic culture:__________

A. Inclusivity

B. Exclusivity

C. Resignation to failure

D. Team work