How can you improve your school's culture and climate?

I want to put my whole answer in one place this time. I think these sappy suggestions will lead to mush and more mush. Here is "your current situation." If you are a typical public school, you're in a dumb part of town. Kids are not exposed to excellence, scholarship, art, beauty, sweetness and light, cutting-edge anything, so put all this mediocre dreck in a city dump. Forget it. If there are funds, set up a program of visiting speakers, etc. Anybody who can show the kids what the real world is about. Or, find the most brilliant and entertaining content on YouTube. Great battles. Wild machines. Famous architecture. Best scenes from nature. There's so much great stuff. Use it. You don't need experts, just enthusiastic people.

In order to bring the school climate to the desired level, it is necessary to ensure that every individual in the school community feels himself/herself in the school environment. The role of teachers is of primary importance for the student to feel himself/herself at school. For this reason, the person leading the school administration and his/her team should take this into consideration. If the teacher is happy in the working environment, the student is also happy. As a result, parents are also happy. Then, there comes the learning process. In such a positive environment students are open to learn. High efficiency can be achieved at this point with gamified teaching methods.

An empowered school culture and climate consists of the interactions of the staff and students across ethnic and racial lines. These relationships must be nurtured and examined to create a school culture and climate that empowers students from diverse racial, ethnic, and gender groups. School culture and climate are linked to teachers and students' culture and the relationship between the two. Students often have knowledge that isn’t taught in a classroom they gain through their culture and experiences. Teaching and learning in schools should be motivated by students’ interests and not imposed. It is important to validate students’ prior experiences.

Schools that encourage the adults in the building to foster positive relationships with the students win at building culture. Students need to feel wanted and needed in the school and classroom. In the age of virtual platforms, teachers who build positive relationships have very few students that skip or miss their classes. Students must participate in the learning activity that will carry over to the assessment. Most teachers have mastered their curriculum but fail at connecting with the students.

To be in the learner mindset. Inviting children to explore and demonstrate learning, rather than keeping on amassing data and delivering it. To be aware of your role: it is facilitating learning. To let children question and come up with answers themselves.

I agree totally. Creating solutions for a situation that has not been properly assessed is a failure before you start. There are many aspects of a school culture that transcend beyond just teachers and students. Schools are a part of the community, in which they are located, and the stakeholders in that community should have a part in the assessment. This aids in creating a supportive culture.

Community schools don't have to find a culture other than the culture that is within the community the school is in. The challenge comes when schools are taking children out of their own community and into another community that might have a culture and climate different than at home. Schools therefore have to differentiate their culture and climate just like teachers have to differentiate for each student. Understanding and being involved in all the neighborhoods that are represented at a school might help. I know, how about the admin ride around in an ice-cream truck during the summer. That way, the students will not only associate the admin with being important to the school, but important members and contributors of their community.

As far as I am concerned, I believe that my duties to improve the school we environment is begin by self first and be an agent of change,by being insightful, perseverant and hold a responsibility in my domain.I need to form a good working team compose of educators,parents and different stakeholders,also and very importantly,pupils and try to figure it out how we face problems and suggest measurable and attainable solutions.

To be in the learner mindset. Inviting children to explore and demonstrate learning, rather than keeping on amassing data and delivering it. To be aware of your role: it is facilitating learning. To let children question and come up with answers themselves.

In my 21 years of teaching experience, I come to believe the following: Kids are disengaged and not happy at school. The problem? There's more than one problem. Wether is the curriculum, school setting, teacher/admin buy-in or else these kids now on days are not happy. Many time have I asked: "Why do you think you're here?" the answers vary. "I heard the class was cool" "My mom told me so" or the infinite: "I Don't know" But you see, here's the thing. We need to ask our students what THEY want out of school instead of guessing.. think about it.

PS: "To develop a shared vision and mission" Why would you want to? You want to show them a vision of what they have never thought of or seen before. People do not go to the Louvre or the Museum of Modern Art to see what is just down the street already. They go to see things they have never imagined possible.

Share your vulnerabilities and how you overcame them. People see leaders as real and inspiring when you do. I share how I failed math TWICE in high school. Now, I get to be a principal who shares that with those who think they can't overcome and thrive.

Developing a (shared) vision and mission takes time to lead listening, engagement, and developing the shared process together. “Whatever you do for me but without me, you do against me”. - Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948. Beyond our ability to include others, is our ability to provide authentic connection.

As the building leader, you are charged with setting the direction for the school. It is important that the leader involve the faculty, staff, and students. You may start with your school's data. Share with the stakeholders where you are as a school and where you would like to be. This could lead to the subgroups creating action steps to reach the goal(s). This creates buy-in from all parties. Periodically, you revisit your plan to make sure you are on track and/or make adjustments.

A vision for me looks this way: "We are a shared community of individuals working together as a team, in order to advance our students towards their next grade level." (and I think Mr Price below me needs to retire folks.. )

As I've worked with teacher leaders throughout the state, I've found that each of them brings so much knowledge, experience, expertise, and insight to the task at hand. All we have to do is give them the space and time to think and collaborate, and they'll come up with something great. If I had one word of advice for educational leaders, it would be to treat teachers like the incredible professionals they are.

The actions and behaviors of a school leader directly impact the work culture, teacher motivation, and real growth within a school. By embodying and promoting collaboration, innovation, self and peer assessment, and a growth mindset, school leaders can create an environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.

In my school several years ago, the principal created a Principal's Advisory Committee. This organization meets periodically with the principal to discuss issues, share concerns of their department, and make suggestions to the principal. We generally have a group that meets the first semester along with a group that meets the second semester.

Fostering collaborative leadership takes time, which is something our schools don't give us. There's never time to collaborate, only if you stay afterschool and by that point your own teacher association gets mad at you for staying behind in minutes. Collaboration sounds good and all but doesn't work. Maybe, maybe in the elementary level does?

One of the ways to implement the positive practice is to recognize learners' needs in terms of environmental factors, sociological factors, physiological factors, and psychological factors. After identifying their needs, its the responsibility of the educator to ensure that they deliver the right environment and study materials, instructional materials to foster their growth and support their learning journey to excel in different domains of their interest

We regularly recognize a teacher of the quarter along with a classified employee of the quarter. These individuals are voted on by the faculty. The PTSO sponsors a lunch each quarter where these individuals are recognized. Our PTSO meets with the principal regularly to discuss ideas related to the school along with fund initiatives.

Positive recognition can go a long way. My kids will always get student of the month (just like any other classes) but hey wold look at each other, and ask: "Why she get that?" or "Why he got that?" -then it was time to foster some positive conversations with them middle schoolers about achievements, modeling, and expectations. Great work and dedication alongside creativity and talent can get you far!

I read this--"To monitor and evaluate your progress, you need to use multiple sources and methods of data collection, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or tests."--and I think, what a huge amount of work is created here. And it may be that all of it is wasted. I've written a lot about what I call "teaching the WOW." Whatever the subject, teach the most exciting and interesting things first. Also teach the easiest things first. If you know you're teaching the best stuff, you don't have to worry so much. I'm particularly fond of the biggest, the best, the funniest, the oldest, the newest, the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, the most, the tallest tree, the smallest bone in the body. Superlatives are great.

After implementing the positive practice I mentioned above, its required testing and evaluating the learners to closely understand their performance. Now testing and evaluating could be reframed according to learners' needs. It's not like one questionnaire or test will fit all the learners; creating diverse tests and questionnaires will increase the likelihood of performing well in the exams.

It might also be helpful as a school leader to differentiate between what existing structural barriers are present and hampering efforts to build a positive culture, versus what are the perceived barriers. What is at first perceived as a lack of communication might be attributed to issues with the method or norms around communication. What is perceived as a lack of time, might be a misuse of time or misalignment between what is purposeful and what is not. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” as they say, however, strategy and structure can also be a catalyst for cultural change.

If you're a school leader, rather than proceeding with the lens of "I'm the boss" reframe your role as "I'm the helper." This leads to increased trust, as the staff understand that you're there to bring out the best of people, and that they have something to contribute to the school, rather than you dictating what you think you want happening.

WHEN YOU'RE READY TO QUIT, Think like the Rock: "Instead of saying I HAVE TO, say I GET TO" "Today, I get to.. create slideshows with my students in periods 3-6" -Some positive stuff for them and YOU!

To enhance your school's culture and climate, prioritize open communication among students, teachers, and staff. Foster a supportive and respectful environment where diversity is celebrated. Implement anti-bullying measures and conflict resolution programs. Encourage student involvement in clubs, activities, and decision-making. Recognize and appreciate achievements through awards and acknowledgments. Provide professional development opportunities for teachers. Collaborate with parents and the community to create a well-rounded and positive educational atmosphere. Regularly assess and adjust strategies based on feedback to ensure continuous improvement.

Teach unto others as you would like to be taught. Nobody wants to be bored so start off by not doing that. I think one of the best ways to frame how to teach almost anything is that you have been hired by a cruise ship to give a speech every day to a random assortment of crotchety old people. You will immediately know that most of what you were planning to do is all wrong. Not user-friendly. Not entertaining. Not easily grasped. Ponderous but without point. In schools, teachers are never challenged. The students have to be there. Just imagine something more informal with no rules. The students can get up and walk out. I predict you will start teaching twice as much twice as fast with a few jokes thrown in.

Allow teacher growth beyond the classroom. Stop the politics. Freezing positions disallowing teachers to grow in other areas of education..teachers have the potential to become the best coordinators and directors. They know what it takes to grow students. They have listened and lived with students for 187 days. They are not detached. Losing teachers because of PAY; poor admunistration; appreciation; and inability to grow.

At the start of the school year, the administration led a conversation about who we are as a school. With five posters labeled: Not for sale, Repair Shop, Legacy Lane, Two Men and a Truck, along with Add to Cart the faculty had an opportunity to share things that we should get rid of, repair, or add to our school.