Key

Components of
School Culture
TINGEERG EACHTERS NI RRICODR
Teacher’s Greeting in
Corridor
TARBINGECEL CHEEATSR AYD
Celebrating
Teacher’s Day
LOCHOS GOOL
School
Logo
CUCETANAINQA YRPAT
Aquintance
Party
RETE ALPNGNTI
Tree Planting
NEMSHFERS NITTERNOR
Freshmen
Orentation
AGLF MORCEEYN
Flag
Ceremony
 What is School
Culture?
School culture is characterized by deeply rooted
traditions, values, and beliefs, some of which are
common across schools and some of which are
unique and embedded in a particular school’s
history and location.
(Starrat, 1993)
The use of the term culture in the school context refers to the basic
assumptions, beliefs, and practices that are shared by the members
of a school community. These assumptions, beliefs, and practices
mold how a school views itself and its environment. They shape its
operations and how it functions. School culture affects the way
people in a school think, perform, and learn.
 Elements of
School Culture
 Norms, Beliefs, and
Values
The norms, beliefs, and values of a school refer to the
shared assumptions, expectations, and principles that
guide the behaviors and actions of its members. These
three elements work together to shape the culture of the
school and influence how people interact with one
another.
 Norms:
Norms are the unwritten rules and expectations that govern behavior in a
school.

Beliefs:
Beliefs are the ideas, attitudes, and convictions that individuals hold about
the purpose of education, the role of the teacher, and the value of learning.

Values:
Values are the guiding principles that reflect what a school community
considers important and worthwhile.
 School Rituals, Tradition and
 Ceremonies
There are set of rituals, traditions, and ceremonies in every school.
These makes a school unique from other school and make the school
active and alive. Joining rituals, celebrating traditions, and conducting
ceremonies are great opportuities to covene as one while intergrating the
vision, mission, values and goals of the school (Confeld, 2016)
 School Rituals
Peterson and Deal (2009) defined school rituals
as produces or routines that are infused with
deeper significance.
 School Traditions
School traditions are significant events that
have special history and meaning and
occur year in and year out.
 School Ceremonies
 School ceremonies are elaborated as culturally
sanctioned events thst provide a welcome
spiritual boost. These periodic communal
events bind people to each otherhand shape
unwritten cultural values.
 The retelling of the past can bring some
necessary initiatives into action, revive
traditions and rituals that have shriveled
away, and assist staff in surrending
previous obsolete memories.
 School History and

Stories
A school’s mission, vision, values, rituals, traditions, and ceremonies are all
elements of the culture that are current and happening in the present. When
discussing the history and stories of an organization, the past being
represented (confeld, 2016)
 Peterson and Deal (2009) shared that learning from past mistakes and
successes is vital to creating and maintaining a positive school culture.
 School Artifacts, Architecture,

and Symbols.
Finally, these three-school artifacts, architecture, and
symbols are the key to create and sustain a positive
school culture. The artifacts and symbols are the
tangible objects that represent the intangible values
and beliefs of the school (Peterson & Deal, 2009).
 Moreover, these have variety of possibilities such as
logos,mascots,banners,awards,flag,trophies, and the like.
In addition, even school administrators may serve as a
walking symbols as he or she send messages through
words, actions, and body language.
Levels of School
Culture
 Levels of School Culture
 Starrat (1993) crafted a diagram that might help us imagine the school as
being comprised of layers resembling an onion.
 The outer layer represents the operational level of the school.
 Underneath that layer is the organizational level of the school.
 The next layer is made up of programs of the school.
 Under program layer, is policy layer.
 Beneath that layer, we find goals and purposes level.
 Nearing the center or core of the onion, we find the level
of beliefs and assumptions. Here would might be called
the school’s tacit educational platform.
 Confeld (2016) claimed that physical environment of the
school building and the surrounding area are essentials
influencing how individuals think and feel about what is
valued.
1. TOXIC
 Schools with a toxic culture don’t “Six types of
have a clear sense of purpose,
blame students for poor
achievement, and have norms that School Culture”
reinforce inaction.
2.Fragmented

 Teachers all
independently and there is
function
“Six types of
very little collaborative effort
to improve the school. School Culture”
Meetings are uninspired and
lack involvement of the
staff.
3.Balkanized
 The atmosphere is dominated by
cliques of teachers that compete
“Six types of
for resources and control. An“us
versus them” attitude
develop between the teachers
can
School Culture”
and administration.
4.Contrived-Collegial
 The tone of the school is
determined by leadership,
“Six types of
which supports teachers’
growth but on a superficial School Culture”
level which often
undermines motivation.
5.Comfortable-Collaborative
Culture
 The school atmosphere is
“Six types of
professional and although
teachers are aware of the efforts
of their colleagues, there is not a
School Culture”
great deal of professional
reflection.
6.Collaborative Culture
 Teachers work together,
“Six types of
share the same educational
values, and are committed
to improvingtheir teaching
School Culture”
and the school as a whole.
1. Student Achievement
2. Collegial Awareness
3. Shared Values
4. Desicion-making “Twelve key
5. Risk Taking
6. Trust
7. Openess
8. Parent Relation aspects of School
9. Leadership
10. Communicaton
11. Socialization
12. Organization History Culture”
 13 Possible
characteristics for
cultural improvement
in school
 1.
 the way adults treat each other
Collegiality
2. Efficacy
 the feeling of ownership or capacity to influence decisions.

3. High
Expctation
 excellence is acknowledgeed; improvement is celebrated.

4. Experimentation and
Entrepreneurship
 new ideas abound and inventions occur.
 5. Trust and
 participants believed in the leaders and each other.
Confidence
6. Tangiable Support
 efforts at improvement are substantive with abundant resources
made available by all.

7. Appreciation and
 people feel special and act special.
Recognition
Improvement
8.Humor
 caring is expressed through ‘’kidding’’
 9. Shared decision-making by all
 anyone affected by a decision is involved in making by all
Participants
participanats
 anyone affected by a decision is involved in making and
implementing the decision.

10. Protect what is Important

11. Traditions
 celebrations
 12. Open amd Honest
 information flows throughout the organization in formal and
Communication
informal channels.

13. Metaphors and Stories