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Research showed that successful organizations, including schools, had a consistent theme: “the power of values and culture in these corporations rather than procedures and control systems, provides the glue that holds them together, stimulates commitment to a common mission, and galvanizes the creativity and energy of their participants.”

Positive school cultures foster trust , collaboration, and improvement. Negative cultures foster distrust, isolation, and lack of change.

School culture influences

how people think, feel, and act.

Culture is a key determinant of staff

focus, commitment, motivation, and productivity.

Symbols through which school culture is expressed:

Stories--narratives that are based on true events, but often combine truth and fiction.

Myths--stories that communicate an unquestioned belief that cannot be demonstrated by the facts.

Legends--stories that are retold and elaborated with fictional details.

Icons--physical artifacts that are used to communicate the culture (logos, mottoes, and trophies).

Rituals--are the routine ceremonies and rites that signal what is important in the school.

“At a deeper level, all organizations, especially schools, improve performance by fostering a shared system of norms, folkways, values, and traditions. These infuse the enterprise with passion, purpose, and a sense of spirit.”

(Peterson and Deal, 2002)

*Norms, Values and Beliefs that underlie thinking, feeling and acting

*Symbols and Artifacts that Communicate Meaning

*Stories that Herald Values

*Cultural Network

*Heroes and Heroines

*Rituals, Traditions, and Ceremonies

*“Culture is “the way we do things around here!”

*Negative Values and beliefs*No Shared sense of purpose*Negative Relationships.*Destructive individuals or groups.*No sense of trust or caring.*Few positive rituals or ceremonies to build

a sense of community and hopefulness.

- Deal and Peterson (2009)

What hallways and classrooms look like

Relationships among staff

How newcomers are treated

Relationships between staff and administration

How students who are struggling are treated

Relationships with parents and the community

How staff collaborate to improve the school

How successes and accomplishments are celebrated

(Deal and Peterson, 2009)

*Build Community.

*Shape the Culture.

*Revive Energy.

*What are your most meaningful ceremonies and celebrations?

•Conduct a school history.

•List Six Adjectives to describe your school.

•Think of a song that depicts your culture.

•Create a metaphor… If my school were an animal, it would be a _______ because_________________________.

•Interview a school’s storytellers.

*What are the best aspects of your culture?

*What are the less positive aspects of your culture?

*What aspects are missing?

*Prioritize what you would like to work on to improve your school culture.

*Work with the informal network.

*Recount stories and history.

*Role model core norms and values.

*Use symbols and artifacts.

*Communicate core values in your actions.

*Use ceremonies and celebrations to recognize accomplishments.

*a mission focused on student and teacher learning*a rich sense of history and purpose*core values of collegiality, performance, and improvement that

engender quality, achievement, and learning for everyone*positive beliefs and assumptions about the potential of students

and staff to learn and grow*a strong professional community that uses knowledge, experience,

and research to improve practice*an informal network that fosters positive communication flows* leadership that balances continuity and improvement* rituals and ceremonies that reinforce core cultural values*stories that celebrate successes and recognize heroines and

heroes*a physical environment that symbolizes joy and pride*a widely shared sense of respect and caring for everyone*Source: Shaping School Culture: Pitfalls, Paradoxes and Promises

2nd Ed. (2009). Terrence Deal and Kent Peterson, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

*Cultivate a culture of academic optimism: A sense of helplessness immobilizes participants whereas optimism empowers.

*Build rituals that reinforce positive norms: A positive and cohesive culture can enhance effectiveness.

*Design opportunities for teachers and parents to learn to cooperate and trust each other: Faculty trust in parents facilitates academic achievement.

* Imbue the school with a sense of the importance of individual needs: A humanistic perspective develops strong student self-concepts and reduces alienation.

*Use mistakes as learning opportunities: Be positive about learning in all situations—crises are learning opportunities.

*Create a culture of openness and authenticity: Transparency and truth promote trust.

*Celebrate academic success in school: Realistic academic goals facilitate further success.

*Orchestrate harmony among students, teachers, administrators, and parents: Such cooperation is essential for the academic success of all students.

*Discover the basic informal norms of the school: Norms are a good gauge as to what you can and cannot change easily.

* Assess and improve the culture of your school: Use multiple frames to evaluate school culture.

“Teachers usually have no way of knowing that they have made a difference in a child’s life, even when they have made a dramatic one…

Good teachers put snags in the river of children passing by, and, over the years, they redirect hundreds of lives…

[Great schools are] made up of people who can never really know the good they have done.”

- Kidder (1989): Among Schoolchildren

*How do you change school culture? (ASCD) - http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec06/vol64/num04/How-Do-You-Change-School-Culture%C2%A2.aspx

* School Culture and Change - http://usca.edu/essays/vol122004/hinde.pdf

* Leading Cultural Change - http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Leading-cultural-change/Lincoln-High-School

*Building a School Culture - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPDTBKDqxkY

*Changing George Hall elementary School in Mobile, Alabama - http://blog.al.com/live/2010/08/education_secretary_visits_geo.html